Barnes & Noble enlists Sigourney Weaver to sell books

At a time when physical books are becoming an alien concept for younger consumer, Barnes & Noble has introduced a new ad campaign that positions books as, “a gift like no other.”



The campaign developed by Roberts + Langer DDB contends a “a book is a gift like no other,” because it provides inspiration, thrills, laughs, journeys and so much more. The campaign comes as the notion of what constitutes a book has changed, especially for consumers inclined to engage with content on a digital device. In fact, the retailer’s new ad also promotes the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK, the first full-featured Android tablet optimized for reading and entertainment, while promoting physical stores as a destination for physical books.



The campaign features a voiceover by award-winning actress Sigourney Weaver who appeared in films such as Avatar, Alien, Ghostbusters and Gorillas in the Mist.



“Books have a special place in people’s lives and Barnes & Noble is all about books. This campaign is about going back to our roots to highlight books as meaningful and inspirational gifts that can stay with the recipient forever,” said Glenn Kaplan, vp and creative director at Barnes & Noble. “Books are an expression of personal interests and passions in a way that other gifts just can’t match, and we look forward to welcoming customers to our stores this holiday season to help them discover the perfect gifts.”



According to Torrey Plank, SVP account director of Roberts + Langer DDB, there’s a certain magic to shopping at Barnes & Noble because customers they are bound to find something beautiful and exciting.



“That element of discovery makes it like no other store in the world – and makes it the perfect place to find gifts for everyone on your list this holiday season,” Plank said.



What consumers increasingly want are digital products so the ad also showcased Barnes & Noble as a destination for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK. A 7-inch version that launched with an introductory price of $179.99 after a $20 instant rebate, and the 10-inch version that launched with an introductory price of $299.99 are available throughout the holiday season.



This 30-second television spot can be viewed at www.youtube.com/NOOK and is scheduled to air starting today across major networks including ABC, NBC Universal and CBS during top-rated network shows like Modern Family, Scandal, and The Voice.