fb

The latest adventure of “Harry Potter and the case of the extending tail”.

The latest adventure of “Harry Potter and the case of the extending tail”.

Earlier this week Bloomsbury released their latest set of financial results. Bloomsbury are a publisher and their list of titles includes the ubiquitous Harry Potter books.

Their 2009 results showed a fall in pre-tax profits of 35% with earnings falling from £11.6 million to £7.7 million.

As keen muggles know (if you don’t know what a muggle is then ask somebody that has read a Harry Potter book!), there hasn’t been a new Harry Potter book for a while now and such was the success of them that without new ones coming into the pipeline there was bound to be an impact on the results.

Students will be aware of the product life cycle where products go through different stages ranging from introduction, growth, maturity and ultimately to decline. The decline stage of the product life cycle is often referred to as the “tail”.

Efforts are often made to extend the tail by use of the marketing mix (product, price, place and promotion).

Bloomsbury have announced that in November of this year they are planning on re-releasing all seven Harry Potter books.

Will the stories be different?

No they won’t but what will be different are the covers. Each book cover will be illustrated by artist Clare Melinsky. In other words, the product will remain largely the same (in terms of the story) but there will be small changes (the “collectors” covers).

This is a good example of amending the Product within the marketing mix to extend the tail.

Of course, the launch date of November 2010 is no accident as I’m sure there will be some happy people on Christmas day opening some new gift sets of Harry Potter books.

Share this entry

Recent articles

View All Articles
PwC Australia and the “Rule of Three”
Sep 21, 2023
Title
PwC Australia and the “Rule of Three”
Excerpt

As the future business leaders of tomorrow, it’s crucial for students to stay updated on key developments in […]

CIMA VS ACCA: which is best for you? (and what about CMA?)
Sep 15, 2023
Title
CIMA VS ACCA: which is best for you? (and what about CMA?)
Excerpt

When it comes to a career in accounting or finance, deciding which professional qualification to pursue can be […]

How’s your lipstick?
Sep 12, 2023
Title
How’s your lipstick?
Excerpt

In the world of business, understanding consumer behavior is crucial. The “lipstick effect” offers a fascinating glimpse into […]

How an online Certified Management Accountant (CMA) course can advance your career.
Sep 05, 2023
Title
How an online Certified Management Accountant (CMA) course can advance your career.
Excerpt

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business world, professionals are constantly looking for ways to differentiate themselves and advance […]

Waiting for your ACCA exam results…
Sep 01, 2023
Title
Waiting for your ACCA exam results…
Excerpt

Waiting for the results of your ACCA exams can be an incredibly stressful time. The uncertainty, the anticipation, […]

APM vs AFM ACCA: which path suits your career goals?
Aug 30, 2023
Title
APM vs AFM ACCA: which path suits your career goals?
Excerpt

“Which is easier – Advanced Performance Management (APM) or Advanced Financial Management (AFM)?”

ROI: how enrolling employees on ACCA courses will yield long-term business success
Aug 18, 2023
Title
ROI: how enrolling employees on ACCA courses will yield long-term business success
Excerpt

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is one of the most respected global accounting qualifications. Organisations across […]

Would Michael Porter sleep in this bed?
Aug 14, 2023
Title
Would Michael Porter sleep in this bed?
Excerpt

Management theories play a significant role in guiding corporate strategy. And when it comes to strategy and management […]