In an effort to sell more Canadian-authored titles from Canadian-owned firms, a group of publishers and retailers have created the More Canada marketing campaign. The project, which hopes to receive government funding, is scheduled to run through 2007 and involves the members of the Canadian Booksellers Association and the More Canada Marketing Consortium, consisting of Anansi/ Groundwood, Cormorant, Key Porter, McArthur & Company, McClelland & Stewart, Raincoast, Thomas Allen and Whitecap.

The initiative wasn't always so unified. The campaign grew out of a January 2006 meeting between Kim McArthur, president of McArthur & Company, and Indigo/Chapters CEO Heather Reisman and executive v-p, print procurementm Joel Silver to discuss the impact of book returns—specifically returns of books by Canadian-owned publishers.

The initial concept developed by the More Canada Marketing Consortium, was to put themed displays of the publishers' books in high-traffic areas in Chapter/Indigo outlets on four separate occasions, and then drive customers to the stores with advertising in Canadian newspapers such as the National Post, the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star. The campaign would be supported in part by government funds.

When CBA executive director Susan Dayus heard about the proposal in December, she immediately objected on the grounds that government funds would be used to support a cooperative marketing campaign that would favor Indigo over all other retailers. "We lobbied the publishers to include independents and, following our meeting with the Consortium, CBA members who wish to participate will be included," Dayus said.

Few details about what marketing efforts are planned were available last week, and it was unclear what the organization will do if government support does not come through. McArthur said the group is applying to the Cluster Partnership Fund of the Ontario Media Development Corporation and to the Collective Marketing Fund of the Book Publishing Industry Development Program for marketing funds. George McNeillie, acting communications and corporate secretary for OMDC, said he couldn't comment on the status of the application until it is announced to the public.

While the participants in the marketing campaign are being tight-lipped about predicting results, they are optimistic about the possibilities. Douglas Pepper, CEO of McClelland & Stewart, summed up the benefits of the More Canada marketing campaign for the publishers: "We're getting front-of-store placement for select Canadian titles in the chain and independents. Front-of-store placement sells more copies." He added, "The realities of the bookselling market mean that co-op space is expensive and varied. Walk into any bookstore in Canada, and see what Canadian authors are up against. It's no secret why the bestseller lists are packed with American and British imports."

From Dayus's perspective, the benefits of the initiative are twofold. The cooperative nature of the initiative helps reduce marketing costs for the publishers, such as print advertising and producing marketing material. The booksellers benefit from the push of the advertising and having access to additional marketing material, such as book stickers and flyers, which they might not otherwise have, given the cost of producing such material in small quantities.