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Random House of Canada Begina a New Chapter with Canada's Book-Loving Community

Random House of Canada partners with Delvinia Interactive to provide unique, enhanced digital experience to engage, inform and involve today’s book readers

Toronto, October 19, 2006 – Random House of Canada has launched five new customer-centric websites that provide exclusive access to enhanced content about their books and authors, including video and audio podcasts and blogging features.  Recognizing how the Internet and social media are re-defining the relationship between companies and customers, Random House of Canada has partnered with digital customer experience expert Delvinia Interactive to launch a unique online strategy that changes the way book readers look for their next great read.  The company has also launched an online panel of Canadian booklovers that enables Random House of Canada to gain valuable insights into their customers’ reading habits.

“Today’s book readers are increasingly turning to the Internet to research and choose the book they’ll read next,” says Lisa Charters, Vice President, Director Online Sales & Marketing, Random House of Canada.  “With the phenomenal amount of choice in today’s book marketplace, we have designed a digital experience that provides interesting information on books and authors to help consumers make purchasing decisions before entering a conventional or online store.”

Random House of Canada worked with Delvinia Interactive and their digital experience methodology to engage, inform and involve book readers. 
The publisher has launched five websites with common personal URLs that readers can relate to, such as www.mysterybooks.ca, www.bookclubs.ca and www.booklounge.ca, while re-designing core sites including www.randomhouse.ca and www.mcclelland.com.  Random House of Canada’s new family of sites relate closely to what readers are looking for, attracting book lovers through existing social media like YouTube and iTunes and by optimizing search engine techniques.

Random House of Canada further engages Canadian readers with its new online community, www.booklounge.ca.  By joining Booklounge.ca, avid readers instantly become registered VIP members and have access to exclusive audio and video interviews from bestselling authors published by Doubleday, Knopf, Random House, McClelland & Stewart and more.  Currently featured are Margaret Atwood, Mark Haddon, Diana Gabaldon, Kevin Patterson, Robert Wiersema and Anita Rau Badami.  Members also receive unprecedented access in the Virtual Water Cooler section of the site, where publishers share insights into future books to be published.  In addition, members are eligible for contests and VIP events.

As an added experience for those who join the Booklounge, members are invited to become involved in the new Booklounge.ca Editorial Board online panel, hosted by Delvinia Interactive’s data collection group.  Comprised of book readers from coast to coast, Editorial Board members will have the opportunity to get involved in the publishing experience, giving feedback on unreleased books and participating in such things as book jacket design.

“Random House has always been known as a leader in the book industry, but few consumers have had a direct experience with the publisher,” said Adam Froman, President, Delvinia Interactive.  “Random House of Canada recognizes the digital experience is a vital part of the total book reader experience and we’re thrilled that they embraced our methodology to provide the leading digital customer experience in the Canadian publishing industry.”

About Random House of Canada
Random House of Canada is the Canadian division of Random House, Inc., the world’s largest publisher of general interest hardcover, paperback and audio adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction books. Random House is the book publishing division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world’s foremost media companies

About Delvinia Interactive
Delvinia interactive is a leader in the creation and implementation of interactive marketing strategies that deliver a true Digital Customer Experience.  Founded in 1998 and based in Toronto, Delvinia integrates insight at every step of the digital and interactive process, from experience design and use of research to production, execution and measurement of results. Delvinia has received awards for its work from Sympatico/MSN, CMA, CANARIE and MarketingSherpa.

To receive further information, please contact:

Random House of Canada
CATHY PAINE
416-957-1571
cpaine@randomhouse.com

Delvinia Interactive
ROBERT MANNE
Edelman
416-979-1120 x 252
robert.manne@edelman.com

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