Barnes & Noble is introducing its holiday ad campaign, which also unveils the new Nook GlowLight, made especially for reading in bed. That introduction comes as a time when Nook
sales have been plummeting, and consumers are opting for low-priced tablets over e-readers.
The new spots star Jack McBrayer, of "30 Rock" -- who brings his own goofy charm to Christmas
shopping, finding something for everyone on his list inside a single Barnes & Noble location, including books, toys, gift cards and the new Nook GlowLight. (B&N says it is its lightest eReader
yet, designed with lighting that makes it easier to read in bed than other Nook products.)
Themed “It All Happens at Barnes & Noble,” the Mullen-created campaign is
airing on major networks, running in such shows as “The Voice,” “NCIS,” “2 Broke Girls” and “Two and a Half Men.” Spots are also running on such cable
networks as Bravo, the Food Network, and HGTV, as well as on digital channels.
In its most recent quarterly results, B&N posted an overall 20.2% slump in Nook sales, based on a 23.1% dive
in device and accessory sales, and a 15.8% fall in the sale of digital content.
Nor does Nook’s future look brighter in the weeks ahead: The Consumer Electronics Association
predicts overall spending on consumer electronics will rise just 2.6% this holiday season, from about 4% last year. And e-readers have fallen off the must-have list. “Dedicated e-readers
are starting to feel the pressure from tablet computers as purchase intent declined slightly from 2012 (14% versus 18%),” the industry trade group says in its forecast.
Among e-readers,
Amazon continues to lead the market with a 43.2% share, according to IDC, followed by Sony (6.3%); TrekStor (5.2%); Kobo Books (5.1%), and Barnes & Noble (5.1%).