Brain Quest, the bestselling educational question-and-answer card game from Workman, is relaunching this month with a new look and new material. According to David Allender, children's book editor at Workman, Brain Quest is now up to date with the school curriculum, which is becoming more sophisticated at a younger age. "Currently, as achievement levels are dropping, curriculum is getting more demanding," Allender said.
Workman has been selling Brain Quest in the U.S. since 1992, when it acquired rights from the game's French parent company. More than 23 million copies of Brain Quest have been sold in the country. "It has sold everywhere," said associate publisher Katie Workman. "Independents, chains, price clubs—this is a demographic-free success." The first printing of the 13 newly designed decks has been upped from 650,000 to 1.1 million based on demand from accounts.
The Brain Quest brand hasn't been limited to the paper decks. Brain Quest has appeared in CD-ROM versions, board games and computer software, and Katie Workman said they are continuing to look to expand the Brain Quest franchise with more educational products.
Workman is backing the relaunch with a national advertising campaign and a consumer "Win Your College Tuition" sweepstakes; the grand prize winner will receive a college scholarship of $150,000 and five runners-up will get $10,000 scholarships. Also, in a new approach to book tours, Workman is sending 12 teachers (and Brain Quest users for a number of years) on the road this summer as Brain Quest spokespeople. The teachers will hit 30 markets across the country from May through July, with the bulk of the events happening in late June after school has let out.
