2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Penguin Random House (PRH), the world's largest English-language book publisher, places great value on freedom of expression. However, according to a recent report from PEN, book banning in U.S. schools and libraries has reached unprecedented levels, particularly for books that address themes of racism, gender, and sexual orientation. Elected officials in the US have even suggested burning books they deem inappropriate. Similar threats to freedom of expression are also rising in Canada. As the publisher of one of the most banned books of all time, Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian novel, The Handmaid's Tale, PRH aimed to make a bold statement against censorship. Their challenge was to create a campaign that would cut through the noise and capture the urgency of the issue.

PRH's campaign, the Unburnable Book, asked a simple question: what if the books could not be burned? The campaign resulted in a one-of-a-kind edition of The Handmaid's Tale that was designed to be impossible to burn, serving as a metaphor for the world, demonstrating that powerful ideas can never be extinguished, no matter how many books are banned or destroyed.

The book was created by The Gas Company Inc., a bookbinding specialty studio in Toronto, using Cinefoil, a specially treated aluminum product, and bound with nickel copper wire. The materials were thoroughly tested under various temperatures and using different flames, including lighters, blow torches, and a BBQ. To test a prototype, Ms. Atwood was invited to the studio and was filmed using a flamethrower to try to torch her own novel. The video became the key moment in the campaign's launch video. A single copy of the Unburnable Book was produced and auctioned off, with proceeds going to PEN America. The book and video launched on May 23, on social media in Canada and at the PEN America Literary Gala in Manhattan, attended by stars in literature and journalism.

The book's launch was supported by an exclusive feature story with Associated Press, which went live immediately after the book unveiling. Ms. Atwood shared the video with her 2 million Twitter followers, and the story went global. Social media users were delighted to see Ms. Atwood take a flamethrower to an unburnable copy of her classic novel, and the story continued to go viral. The book was displayed under glass alongside the video at Sotheby's NY, where it was auctioned off. The campaign website hosted the video and directed visitors to the auction.

Dozens of interview requests came in, and the story continued to go viral as PRH prepared for another media push around the book's sale. Sotheby's estimated a sale price of US$50,000 to US$100,000, but the book sold for US$130,000. The proceeds were donated to PEN America.

The Unburnable Book campaign achieved 5,230 organic media hits, reaching 3.5 billion people worldwide, including prominent media outlets. The social media reach was also over 3.5 billion impressions, including support from famous figures such as Joyce Carol Oates, John Cusack, and Martina Navratilova. The campaign had an Advertising Value Equivalency of $35 million in earned media and was ranked #1 in AdAge's "Top 5 celebrity brand collabs you need to know about right now." In a statement, Ms. Atwood expressed her satisfaction with the campaign and hoped it would raise awareness and lead to reasoned discussion.

Credits

Chief Creative Officer: Aaron Starkman
Chief Strategy Officer: Sean McDonald
Executive Creative Director: Mike Dubrick
Creative Directors: Robbie Percy, Caroline Friesen
Art Director: Caroline Friesen
Writer: Robbie Percy
Director of Broadcast Production: Steph Walker-Wells
Broadcast Producer: Alex Butt
Director of Print Production: AJ Merrick
Print Producer: Agnes Gilchrist
Studio Director: Brad Kumar
Studio Artist: Todd Bennett
Director of Digital Content: Todd Harrison
Digital Producer: Kyle Hicks
Digital Designer: Dustin Gamble
Developer: Steve Lam
Production Company: Asymetric
Executive Producer: Evan Landry, Nick Burry
Director: Brooks Reynolds
Editor: Christopher Chang
Director of photography: Kiel Milligan
Line Producer: Iseault McNamara
Post Production House: Saints Editorial
Executive Producer: Mackenzie Goodwin, Emily McKay
On-Line: Alexa Salsberg, Darling VFX
On-Line Assistant: Russell Hanson, Darling VFX
Grading: Kassi Bellamy, Darling VFX
Producer: Morgan Campbell
Audio House: OSO
Producer (Audio House): Hannah Graham
Creative Director (Audio House): Harry Knazan, Daenen Bramberger
Engineer: Harry Knazan, Daenen Bramberger
Partner, Director of Client Services: Marie Lunny
Editorial Lead: Lianne George
Pyrotechnics and VFX: Gustavo Franco
Printing and Props: Joe Scout, Club Ink
Printing and Fabrication : Doug Laxdal, Jeremy Martin,
The Gas Company Inc.
Client: Jared Bland, Publisher, McClelland & Stewart at
Penguin Random House Canada