The Booker Prize Foundation appoints Work & Class
Work & Class has been appointed by the Booker Prize Foundation to lead the launch of a new Booker Prizes Quick Read, All Around the World: Stories by Booker Prize Writers, a short story collection curated by Booker Prize-winner Roddy Doyle and featuring Booker and International Booker Prize nominated authors.
Work & Class is tasked with developing a creative consumer PR campaign to generate awareness of the book and encourage more adults to read for pleasure, including audiences who may not currently see themselves as readers or who have fallen out of the habit of reading, and clearly communicating the charitable mission of the Booker Prize Foundation.
The work will focus on presenting the contributing authors and the short story format in a way that feels open, engaging and easy to step into, offering an accessible route into world-class storytelling.
The Booker Prize Foundation is a registered charity designed to inspire more people to read – and write – the world’s best fiction.
The Booker Prizes Quick Read, which is being launched in collaboration with the Reading Agency to celebrate 20 years of Quick Reads, supports that aim by offering high-quality, engaging and accessible short form fiction, that fits around people’s lives and reading habits.
Quick Reads are short, accessible books written by popular authors and made available in communities across the UK. Unlike other short-form fiction, Quick Reads go through a rigorous review process to ensure accessibility – including testing for readability, concentration, and suitability for those building reading confidence.
Laura Burch, Founder and Managing Partner of Work & Class, said: “It is no exaggeration to say that discovering a love of reading as a child changed my life. A mobile library would visit my council estate every week while I was growing up. I’d take my chosen books home and read them from cover to cover, doing the same again week after week. Brilliant fiction opened my world right up; showing me new perspectives, new people, new ideas, and made me believe I could be anything I wanted to be. Over time, I noticed the ‘Booker Prize Shortlisted’ sticker and began to associate those books with stories I knew I would love. So, it’s my actual dream, to be working with the Booker Prize Foundation, and to be doing so on a project that’s all about widening access to great fiction.”
Gaby Wood, Chief Executive at the Booker Prize Foundation added: “Work & Class are the obvious choice for this brief, for their ability to connect with audiences who are often overlooked by traditional cultural marketing. They understand how to meet people where they are, while helping more people see themselves in great fiction. That perspective felt like a natural fit for this project, which is hugely important to the Booker Prize Foundation and of which we’re very proud."
This partnership marks the first client win for Work & Class since leaving Ready Media Group to operate independently this April, adding to their existing roster of clients, including Sky, Greenpeace, Youth Music, Mountain Warehouse, icelolly.com and Sport in Mind.