Studying the impact of innovation on business and society

A Visual History of Book Trailers by Brian Solis

If you follow my work, you’ve probably learned that I’m becoming increasingly fond of web video. As an author, I am fascinated by the different channels and new media opportunities that have been thrust upon the world of book marketing. Over the years, I often considered how to create book-related videos that provided viewers with something beyond a traditional promo or standard author introduction. While important, they weren’t necessarily conducive for social sharing.

A few years ago, I was introduced to a spectacular trailer for a then unheard of book, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. My mind was blown. “A trailer for book!?,” I wondered aloud. Not only did I watch it, I shared and re-shared it and also ordered the book. It was just so far out there that I wanted to find a way to bring this level of creativity and production value to the oft routine realm of business book publicity.

In the same year, I believe it was early 2010, my long-time producer Andrew Landini and I had an idea to create a book trailer for Engage, which was set to release at SXSW that year. Three books later, the tradition of book trailers not only continues, it’s become standard practice as part of the book marketing checklist. From concept to script to treatment to music, I see trailers and book marketing in general as a creative challenge to engage readers beyond text.

As a tribute to book trailers everywhere and to celebrate the upcoming release of my new book, What’s the Future of Business: Changing the way businesses create experiences, I pulled past trailers for your review here. Though you’ll see a trailer for my next book here, I’m also working on a series of additional trailers that each tell a different story to the different audiences that can benefit from the variety of included experiences.

Without further ado, here’s a chronicle of my trailers to date…

Engage!

Book Site

The End of Business as Usual Part 1

The End of Business as Usual Part 2

Book Site

What’s the Future of Business Part 1

#WTF Landing Page

What’s the Future of Business Part 2 (by Simplifilm)

#WTF Landing Page

 Please consider reading #WTF today

AmazonBNiTunes CEO Read
  #Engage #EndofBusiness #WTF

15 COMMENTS ON THIS POST To “A Visual History of Book Trailers by Brian Solis”

  1. Julie Musial says:

    What’s the future of business? Adapt or die! I like how directly this is spoken because its its very accurate.

  2. Anonymous says:

    ·
    Blogging was my passion
    over the years of writing randomly and the sites like this have helped and
    inspired tremendously. You are the tower-house for beginners.

  3. Dr. Rae says:

    Far out, inspirational, motivational, and wonderful! Thank you Brian for keeping me on the edge of becoming…♥

  4. jaybaer says:

    Nice. Who do you have do your trailers?

  5. I love this topic and dissected it at Blogworld presentation. Simon Mainwaring did an interesting job of upgrading his book trailers during his campaign. And of course Jonathan Field created one that stopped our hearts with Uncertainty.

    We are grateful for you being willing to lead us in this journey of creating experiences for our businesses.

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