Take a look inside the HarperCollins archives.
Internal memo from Collins Canada announcing a hot air balloon publicity stunt
To launch the new Canadian trade paperback imprint Totem, in September 1975, Collins Canada’s head of publicity Lucinda Vardey organized the release of hot air balloons over Toronto and neighboring suburbs. The balloons carried the logo “CANADA’S BEST TOTEM BOOKS.” In this note to the office staff about the stunt, Vardey writes that the “entire staff of Collins Publishers will have the day off and will be appointed as official ‘pointers’ at main intersections of the downtown area. Anyone seen golfing on that day and not officially ‘pointing’ will have to see Nick [Harris, the president] immediately.”
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