A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsIn 2008 LeYa had the desire to grow in two different ways: gaining market share to
competitor firms in the book publishing market; and develop a strategy for market size
growth, benefiting from first mover advantage.
At that time we were already catalyzing and collecting the benefits of dimension, either
by using our enhanced negotiation power or through the exploration of available
synergies from the acquisition of several firms.
The Snack Books project was developed with the intent of maximizing the potential
market of the industry, translating into one single objective: explore the market potential
of Light Readers engaging them to the pleasures of reading. This was the main insight
used in the development of ideas that could lead to the introduction of a new product.
The only restriction of the project was the obvious necessity of using the core
competence of a publishing company, the development of written contents, facilitating
the connection between creators and consumers of written contents.
Using the insights collected from an initial and exploratory research several concepts
were developed and discussed. From these initial ideas one was highlighted as having
the higher potential, Snack Books. This stage was followed by a quantitative research
study with the aim of confirming the insights gathered from the exploratory research
and data collection under product specifications, price and distribution channels. With
those results we developed the marketing plan of Snack Books.
Generally speaking we can define Snack Books as being a collection of titles which
offer two pieces, one fictional and one non-fictional, the articulation between them is
given by a common and general theme. The main attributes of Snack Books are the size
(no more than 30 pages and 10.000 words which is equivalent to an average of 40
minutes reading), easiness (simple words; easy to understand narrative construction;
plot easy to follow) and portability (10 x 14cm). Another core attribute is the
distribution close to consumption occasions, therefore outside bookshops. To achieve
this we designed a distribution channel whose core resource is the implementation of
vending machines, favouring impulse purchase. The price is 2€ for all items of the
collection, thanks to expectable high unit sales and low industrial costs. An integrated
promotion plan will be deployed to get the attention of target customers based mainly
on the use mass media, point-of-purchase material, trade promotions and institutional
communication to all stakeholders
