Reading on the telly

Author Chetan Bhagat's new book is breaking new ground and being advertised on television.

In the old world of stark shades, there were just two kind of people. Those who read, the silent minority, if you like, disapproving but unheeded. And the rest "" the TV-watching, loud-living, MTV-aping types.

In the new world order, where realities blur and everything is possible, the incestuous world of Indian publishing has just discovered the existence of a whole new specie: people who watch (M)TV and read books; or rather can read, given the right push and perks.

If you've been watching the telly recently, MTV more specifically, you may have been surprised by a short ad featuring, no, not a toothpaste but, ironically, a book.

Author Chetan Bhagat's second endeavour, One Night @ The Call Center, "a novel" as the catchline says, "for those who don't read novels". The ad is simple, almost blink-and-you'll-miss-it, featuring just the book jacket, the price (Rs 95) and a catchline (of which there are three variations, including the one above, and the rather more cheesy "you can have an ex-girlfriend but not ex-feelings".

While you may debate highbrow literature versus mass marketing, the bottomline here is that this seems like effective marketing indeed "" clear about its target audience, speaking its language, through a medium accessible to it and effective, finally, because of the sheer shock of seeing a book advertised on TV.

In tying up with "youth channel" MTV, publishers Rupa & Co. are treading where no one from Indian publishing has gone before. "This is certainly a first in India, if not in Asia," says Kapish Mehra, publisher, Rupa. The tie-up includes chat shows and contests ,apart from the ad campaign, slated to "continue for a while".

While Mehra declines to specify the amount of money being pumped in or projected sales in return, he says the book has already sold 70,000 copies in the first week and is on its third reprint.

Anything garnering 5,000-plus copies is categorised as a bestseller in India. Bhagat's first book, Five Point Someone had hit the jackpot with 1.5 lakh copies sold, and he is now the "fastest selling author" in India.

The irony of books being advertised on TV apart, most authors welcome the development. Samit Basu, whose second book is expected soon, says it will be a good thing if it succeeds.

"I will be delighted if they advertise my book but I don't think it is realistic, at least for my kind of writing. Without being condescending about Chetan, his book is the kind to be picked up even by non-readers, while I don't think a non-reader can read my books."

Anurag Mathur, whose Inscrutable Americans is the highest selling title in India, agrees it is an "excellent idea because a book is also a product" and should be advertised on channels "like MTV, V, B4U because the young watch these".

Mumbai-based author Jaideep Verma decries the lack of attention "Indian published works get, which is shameful" and says the move is a good thing if publishers pay for it. But he cautions, "The sad part is that this will not be common at all, just a blip... titles closer to pulp will get this kind of attention."

Will rival publishers follow suit? Penguin's senior VP sales and marketing Sukumar asserts, "This is a path we'd like to take," but since Penguin does 200-220 books a year, it will be tough to decide on the authors to get this treatment. Not to mention the economics of it.

Publishing houses in India simply don't have the kind of marketing budgets necessary for such an exercise. Sukumar adds, "My feeling is that in this case the author may have borne part of the cost... we'd like to do something like this when we get the budgets..." In the end, it's all about the money.