Ashley Kuehl

May 2023 Event Recap: Modern Marketing Methods

MBPR’s May in-person event, Modern Marketing Methods, featured a panel of marketing and publicity experts: Bryan Schmidt (Encyclopedia Britannica), Rachel Zugschwert (Lerner Publishing Group), Steve Roth (Quarto), and Mallory Hayes (Mallory Hayes Publicity). The panel discussed what has changed in book marketing in the last few years; new methods that surfaced during the pandemic and have stuck; generative AI and its place in their work; book banning; and how everyone in the publishing ecosystem can support marketing, among other topics.

Bryan Schmidt is the Sr. Director of Marketing at Britannica Education, where he leverages his nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing across higher education, publishing, and edtech. Bryan is passionate about exploring cutting-edge platforms, practices, and technology to transform the way his team and organization approach content creation to connect with current and future customers. He is currently focused on harnessing the power of ChatGPT and other AI tools to revolutionize the industry. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys summers by one of the many Twin Cities lakes and is a dedicated fan of the Minnesota United soccer team, which is his one true Minnesota sports love.

Rachel Zugschwert is the executive vice president of marketing at Lerner Publishing Group. Previously, she has worked in book marketing at 1517 Media, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, and Simon & Schuster. She has a Masters in Publishing from Pace University, and delights in helping readers find the right books.

Steve Roth is a Senior Marketing Manager with Quarto, doing marketing and publicity for books on transportation, space exploration, gardening, rural living, and pop culture. Steve started with Quarto in 2011 (then known as Quayside Publishing) switching media formats after a 20+ year career in the music business. He’s lived in the Twin Cities area since 1994.

For more than ten years, Mallory Hayes has worked as a book publicist in the vibrant literary community of the Twin Cities creating and executing publicity campaigns focused on national and local media, event coordination, and influencer outreach. She’s secured national coverage at places like Marie Claire, The Washington Post, Essence, Vogue, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal. Mallory has led successful campaigns for a variety of book subjects including mind, body, spirit titles, highly-illustrated coffee table car books, adult nonfiction titles, and children and YA fiction.

Members can listen to the full panel discussion in the Resources area on MBPR website.

Recap of May 2023 Event: Modern Marketing Methods

MBPR’s May in-person event, Modern Marketing Methods, featured a panel of marketing and publicity experts: Bryan Schmidt (Encyclopedia Britannica), Rachel Zugschwert (Lerner Publishing Group), Steve Roth (Quarto), and Mallory Hayes (Mallory Hayes Publicity). The panel discussed what has changed in book marketing in the last few years; new methods that surfaced during the pandemic and have stuck; generative AI and its place in their work; book banning; and how everyone in the publishing ecosystem can support marketing, among other topics.

Bryan Schmidt is the Sr. Director of Marketing at Britannica Education, where he leverages his nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing across higher education, publishing, and edtech. Bryan is passionate about exploring cutting-edge platforms, practices, and technology to transform the way his team and organization approach content creation to connect with current and future customers. He is currently focused on harnessing the power of ChatGPT and other AI tools to revolutionize the industry. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys summers by one of the many Twin Cities lakes and is a dedicated fan of the Minnesota United soccer team, which is his one true Minnesota sports love.

Rachel Zugschwert is the executive vice president of marketing at Lerner Publishing Group. Previously, she has worked in book marketing at 1517 Media, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, and Simon & Schuster. She has a Masters in Publishing from Pace University, and delights in helping readers find the right books.

Steve Roth is a Senior Marketing Manager with Quarto, doing marketing and publicity for books on transportation, space exploration, gardening, rural living, and pop culture. Steve started with Quarto in 2011 (then known as Quayside Publishing) switching media formats after a 20+ year career in the music business. He’s lived in the Twin Cities area since 1994.

For more than ten years, Mallory Hayes has worked as a book publicist in the vibrant literary community of the Twin Cities creating and executing publicity campaigns focused on national and local media, event coordination, and influencer outreach. She’s secured national coverage at places like Marie Claire, The Washington Post, Essence, Vogue, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal. Mallory has led successful campaigns for a variety of book subjects including mind, body, spirit titles, highly-illustrated coffee table car books, adult nonfiction titles, and children and YA fiction.

Recap of May 2023 Event: Modern Marketing Methods

MBPR’s May in-person event, Modern Marketing Methods, featured a panel of marketing and publicity experts: Bryan Schmidt (Encyclopedia Britannica), Rachel Zugschwert (Lerner Publishing Group), Steve Roth (Quarto), and Mallory Hayes (Mallory Hayes Publicity). The panel discussed what has changed in book marketing in the last few years; new methods that surfaced during the pandemic and have stuck; generative AI and its place in their work; book banning; and how everyone in the publishing ecosystem can support marketing, among other topics.

Bryan Schmidt is the Sr. Director of Marketing at Britannica Education, where he leverages his nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing across higher education, publishing, and edtech. Bryan is passionate about exploring cutting-edge platforms, practices, and technology to transform the way his team and organization approach content creation to connect with current and future customers. He is currently focused on harnessing the power of ChatGPT and other AI tools to revolutionize the industry. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys summers by one of the many Twin Cities lakes and is a dedicated fan of the Minnesota United soccer team, which is his one true Minnesota sports love.

Rachel Zugschwert is the executive vice president of marketing at Lerner Publishing Group. Previously, she has worked in book marketing at 1517 Media, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, and Simon & Schuster. She has a Masters in Publishing from Pace University, and delights in helping readers find the right books.

Steve Roth is a Senior Marketing Manager with Quarto, doing marketing and publicity for books on transportation, space exploration, gardening, rural living, and pop culture. Steve started with Quarto in 2011 (then known as Quayside Publishing) switching media formats after a 20+ year career in the music business. He’s lived in the Twin Cities area since 1994.

For more than ten years, Mallory Hayes has worked as a book publicist in the vibrant literary community of the Twin Cities creating and executing publicity campaigns focused on national and local media, event coordination, and influencer outreach. She’s secured national coverage at places like Marie Claire, The Washington Post, Essence, Vogue, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal. Mallory has led successful campaigns for a variety of book subjects including mind, body, spirit titles, highly-illustrated coffee table car books, adult nonfiction titles, and children and YA fiction.

Recap of May 2023 Event: Modern Marketing Methods

MBPR’s May in-person event, Modern Marketing Methods, featured a panel of marketing and publicity experts. The panel discussed what has changed in book marketing in the last few years; new methods that surfaced during the pandemic and have stuck; generative AI and its place in their work; book banning; and how everyone in the publishing ecosystem can support marketing, among other topics.

Bryan Schmidt is the Sr. Director of Marketing at Britannica Education, where he leverages his nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing across higher education, publishing, and edtech. Bryan is passionate about exploring cutting-edge platforms, practices, and technology to transform the way his team and organization approach content creation to connect with current and future customers. He is currently focused on harnessing the power of ChatGPT and other AI tools to revolutionize the industry. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys summers by one of the many Twin Cities lakes and is a dedicated fan of the Minnesota United soccer team, which is his one true Minnesota sports love.

Rachel Zugschwert is the executive vice president of marketing at Lerner Publishing Group. Previously, she has worked in book marketing at 1517 Media, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, and Simon & Schuster. She has a Masters in Publishing from Pace University, and delights in helping readers find the right books.

Steve Roth is a Senior Marketing Manager with Quarto, doing marketing and publicity for books on transportation, space exploration, gardening, rural living, and pop culture. Steve started with Quarto in 2011 (then known as Quayside Publishing) switching media formats after a 20+ year career in the music business. He’s lived in the Twin Cities area since 1994.

For more than ten years, Mallory Hayes has worked as a book publicist in the vibrant literary community of the Twin Cities creating and executing publicity campaigns focused on national and local media, event coordination, and influencer outreach. She’s secured national coverage at places like Marie Claire, The Washington Post, Essence, Vogue, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal. Mallory has led successful campaigns for a variety of book subjects including mind, body, spirit titles, highly-illustrated coffee table car books, adult nonfiction titles, and children and YA fiction.

Recap of September 2022 Event: Navigating Printing and Supply Chain Challenges

To kick off our 2022–2023 season, MBPR hosted an in-person event at Open Book, our first
since spring of 2020! Our panel featured three paper and printing professionals discussing, of
course, paper, printing, supply and demand, and scheduling, and their effects on the local
publishing industry.

Elizabeth Cleveland represents the US Midwest for Friesens Corporation, a Canadian-based
book manufacturer. At the age of twelve, Elizabeth knew she wanted a career in books. She
visited her dad at work and watched as he deliberated over covers for a catalogue. It was the
coolest thing she could imagine, picking a cover for a book! She likes to think she’s continuing
her dad’s legacy by representing such a professional company as Friesens, which genuinely
understands the importance of high-quality book-making. Elizabeth is based in the Twin Cities,
where she’s lived her whole life, and has worked in various print and publishing roles.

Rachel Holscher is the director of design & digital publisher services at Bookmobile in
Northeast Minneapolis. She has been with the company for twenty-three years and oversees
design, layout, print buying, and eBook conversion and distribution. The design & digital team
works with a wide array of publishers and authors in a variety of ways, from full production and
print management to providing a few of their services on an à la carte basis. They are grateful to
partner with wonderful publishers in Minneapolis such as Graywolf Press, Coffee House Press,
Milkweed Editions, Gryphon Press, Button Poetry, and the University of Minnesota Press.

Dave Lundell is a specification representative at Anchor Paper in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and has
been with the company for more than sixteen years. His main focus is working with the design
community on solutions for packaging and printing paper projects. He also runs the sample
department at Anchor and works closely with mill reps in an effort to find the best paper for each
job.

Members can listen to the full panel discussion in the Resources area on the MBPR website.