Penguin is arguable the best known publishing brand in the country and the company is hoping to leverage the Penguin cache by developing a catalogue of sideline products. Penguin Merchandise includes a range of products from its well-known tote bags, blank notebooks, mugs, and “gear” (umbrellas and onesie baby clothing for ages 3 to 18 months). All products feature some elements of the Penguin style, from the stripe design to the Penguin logo. The notebooks, the first of which ship in June, feature such classic Penguin titles as Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights and The Invisible Man.
Penguin CEO David Shanks said Penguin decided to develop the merchandise line to give bookstores and other retailers that are looking to sell more nonbook items, products that have some relationship to books.
