The brief:
Riot was approached by tech start-up Libraro in autumn 2025 to devise and launch the platform’s inaugural book prize.
The as-yet unnamed prize was unique in that it championed reader-led discovery – in an effort to democratise the publishing process – and had a generous prize fund attached. However, it was reliant on the input of a community of readers which did not yet exist.
Our approach:
Drawing on our combined decades of experience in the publishing industry and running book prize campaigns, we ensured that both the platform and prize were set up for maximum impact.
We worked with Libraro to refine campaign audiences, key messaging and goals across PR and marketing.
We built out the elements needed to deliver a book prize, in close collaboration with Libraro and publishing partner Hachette UK – from creating a delivery timeline and prize criteria, to appointing judges, drafting guidelines and overseeing meetings.
Alongside this, we provided strategic consultancy throughout the prize cycle to ensure every stage was efficiently managed, all comms were on-brand, and the prize delivered positive results for multiple stakeholders.
Results:
- 15,000+ platform sign-ups within three months
- 2,000 submissions to the prize
- 40+ pieces of coverage secured
