Reasons why Hyping the books is bad
Extension activity
Devise a completely honest marketing strategy for a well known cola drink or fast food restaurant.
Plenary
What would our society be like if all advertising was completely honest?
Are younger people more likely to be misled by advertising than adults?
Teachers' Background
Big profits
- Online bookseller Amazon (UK) received over 350,000 pre-orders for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
- Their previous record of 65,000 was set by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
- Publisher Bloomsbury says the latest Potter novel will lift profits by more than a third, pre-tax profits of not less than £15m were expected for 2003.
- In the USA alone 8.5m copies of the book are being shipped to stores.
Midnight queues are not new
- In 1821, when the poet Byron had the latest parts of his popular Don Juan published, excited crowds banged on his publisher's door and windows.
- Charles Dickens' novel, The Old Curiosity Shop, was published in parts. In 1841, crowds of fans in New York greeted the ship bringing in the latest part by shouting: "Is Little Nell dead?"
- In 1854, The Bronze Soldier by GWM Reynolds sold 100,000 copies on the day it came out.
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What's all the fuss about? 
I'm going to be queuing up
Guide to debates
Proposer's points
Opposer's points
What's all the fuss about Potter for?
Video report:
