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Kate Beaton must have a brilliant publicist. Over the past few weeks there’s been a “Ducks” blitz in the outlets I follow: email newsletters, websites, magazine

by pavlov 4y ago

Kate Beaton must have a brilliant publicist. Over the past few weeks there’s been a “Ducks” blitz in the outlets I follow: email newsletters, websites, magazines. “Ducks” even made the front pages of Ars Technica and HN despite no obvious tech connection. I’m sure it’s a quality work and I actually look forward to reading it. But I’d also like to read the companion piece by her agency: “The Making of Ducks — how we got people who read about GPUs to care about a comic set in Alberta”

steerpike 4y ago
It's probably not that complicated nor really that related to an agency. The simple fact is probably more that for a certain type of nerd with a literary bent Kate Beaton and Hark a vagrant hold a similar place in our heart as Randall Munroe and XKCD.
- pavlov 4y ago
  For this level of exposure, probably both? "Ducks" seems to be published simultaneously by Drawn & Quarterly in North America and Penguin Books in the UK. These two together have enough money and experience to mount a good PR campaign.
  - optimalsolver 4y ago
    What steerpike is trying to say is that you don't really need a major PR campaign for this. The people who work at those media outlets probably have a close attachment to Kate's previous works, so they'll gladly cover a new release without much prodding.
    - pavlov 4y ago
      The ideal situation is when it looks organic that way but is also a carefully orchestrated PR campaign behind the scenes.
ZeroGravitas 4y ago
I think you're suggesting they have a terrible publicist. A good publicist would get you in front of people who are interested in your work. I think that's what's happened here. You seem to think that they've shoved it in front of random people, which would be a waste of time.
- pavlov 4y ago
  No, I’m saying that I’m interested in this book, didn’t previously know about it (or even the author), and this publicity blitz has successfully put the book on my buy list. I’m not sure how the praise in my original comment could be interpreted as the opposite. Did it seem ironic? Not the intention.

by pavlov 4y ago

steerpike 4y ago

It's probably not that complicated nor really that related to an agency. The simple fact is probably more that for a certain type of nerd with a literary bent Kate Beaton and Hark a vagrant hold a similar place in our heart as Randall Munroe and XKCD.

pavlov 4y ago
For this level of exposure, probably both? "Ducks" seems to be published simultaneously by Drawn & Quarterly in North America and Penguin Books in the UK. These two together have enough money and experience to mount a good PR campaign.
- optimalsolver 4y ago
  What steerpike is trying to say is that you don't really need a major PR campaign for this. The people who work at those media outlets probably have a close attachment to Kate's previous works, so they'll gladly cover a new release without much prodding.
  - pavlov 4y ago
    The ideal situation is when it looks organic that way but is also a carefully orchestrated PR campaign behind the scenes.

ZeroGravitas 4y ago

I think you're suggesting they have a terrible publicist. A good publicist would get you in front of people who are interested in your work. I think that's what's happened here. You seem to think that they've shoved it in front of random people, which would be a waste of time.

pavlov 4y ago
No, I’m saying that I’m interested in this book, didn’t previously know about it (or even the author), and this publicity blitz has successfully put the book on my buy list. I’m not sure how the praise in my original comment could be interpreted as the opposite. Did it seem ironic? Not the intention.