The Penguin books blog has been online since July, 2006 (at least according to their archives), but it provides an excellent example of a passion-based industry leader reaching out to its customer base via engagement.

The comment count looks good, and the level of discussion is literate. It looks like they’re off to a strong start.

In this post, readers react to the suggestion that books are old-fashioned and due for replacement by less “linear” forms of entertainment.

Yet another post announced Penguin’s interesting “buy a classic with a blank cover and make your own” series. A nice touch? The editor in charge of the line says:

However … Just over two months ago I was standing in the corridor talking with my boss about books, and suddenly we had a new idea: why not publish our favourite books without front covers?!

Even more human was this admission:

So this might be the stupidest thing we’ve ever done.

Brilliant. Honesty goes a long ways towards putting a human face on what is (to most people) a monolithic publishing company. The writing itself is open, breezy and (seemingly) honest, with little pretension or intimacy-killing “corporatespeak” sneaking in.

A simple, clean blog design enhances the impression that there’s little separating reader and blogger, though I admit I wouldn’t mind a few more graphics.

Suddenly, Penguin’s not simply an imprint - it’s people who love books. Engagement marketing relies on the ability to connect around shared passions, and this is exactly what’s happening on the Penguin blog.

Given that Penguin is engaging with readers around publishing and a love of literature (instead of taking the easy route and focusing entirely on new titles), I’d say they’re off to a great start. A reader couldn’t help but come away from this blog with a wholly improved vision of the Penguin brand.

(Just a side note: this blog is for Penguin books U.K. Why is it the Brits seem to get engagement so much better than the Yanks?)

Penguin lists new book titles in a sidebar, linking to their catalog Web site. One wonders if authors are suddenly jockeying for a place in the sidebar for their new titles…

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