bri shufford
substack
senior capstone: bring your own book (club)
social strategy | copywriting | art direction
Illustration by Kessy Sambou
Photo by Allison Abruscato
Talent by Miia Popovics
Talent by Erica Daishun
Talent by Katelyn Berard
The physical act of reading is solitary, but the desire to share and discuss afterwards makes enjoying books a social activity. Enter Fable: the digital book club app for all things book. The following campaigns are designed to increase app downloads through sociable and shareable experiences.
In a world struggling with cognitive dissonance and toxic behaviors on social media, reading together can deliver digital nutrition. For centuries, we have been sharing stories around the campfire. It’s one of the simplest forms of entertainment ever invented. The growing popularity of digital book club platforms makes it easier than ever to interact with other readers and discuss your favorite book’s plot twists, learn about trends or social issues with peers, and connect with like-minded readers. Fable wants to deliver the world’s best social experience with exceptional stories to promote mental wellness through reading and discussion.
In a world struggling with cognitive dissonance and toxic behaviors on social media, reading together can deliver digital nutrition. For centuries, we have been sharing stories around the campfire. It’s one of the simplest forms of entertainment ever invented. The growing popularity of digital book club platforms makes it easier than ever to interact with other readers and discuss your favorite book’s plot twists, learn about trends or social issues with peers, and connect with like-minded readers. Fable wants to deliver the world’s best social experience with exceptional stories to promote mental wellness through reading and discussion.
romantacizing the book launch
Fable markets itself as the app for all things books—clubs, recommendations, reviews, lists, and news. Their most popular feature is users’ ability to join and create book clubs, with those moderated by celebrities being highly pushed by the app. Readers are overwhelmed by the vast amount of book options available and struggle to find recommendations tailored to their interests. Fable introduces new debut authors to new readers by connecting like-minded book enthusiasts with their love for discussing all things books. Romanticizing book launches closes the gap that comes between readers and authors during a novel’s debut, where both parties can get to know the other.
Fable hosts a launch party where Helen Oyeyemi can get to know her readers and talk about her upcoming book, “Parasol Against the Axe.” Advanced Reader Copies (ARCS) of Oyeyemi’s upcoming novel with a special edition cover are gifted to the guests that attend the SoHo launch event. These advanced copies allow them to read the book before its publication date so their reviews can coincide with the book’s release—UGC, quotes, and marketable moments. Fable’s podcast creates opportunity to make accessible content following physical events for app users that weren’t attending in-person.
searching for the book stylist
With celebrity book clubs and publicized book launches, Fable is able to lean into the aesthetic value of social reading. Fable is the friend that knows your reading tastes very well, and the place for readers, bloggers, and creators to find and engage with each other. By introducing the anonymous and somewhat mysterious Book Stylist as a feature on their app, Fable users will not only interact with reading books as an activity for wellness or escapism, but also adopt the literary lifestyle endorsed in both editorial and copy. This is another interactive moment for audiences to participate within the realms of Fable’s culture and community values.