FREE will be released in the US this week (July 7th in hardcover; July 9th in ebooks) and I’ll be updating this blog with the various ways you can get it for free as they come online. But in the meantime, here’s how we made the physical book free in the UK.
Above, you can see the UK hardcover on the right and a special sponsored paperback on the left.
Here’s the description of the paperback give-away from Random House, the UK publisher, which will kick off at the end of the week.
Adobe and Brand Republic
We have concluded a sponsorship partnership with Adobe - who, like Spotify [which is distributing the free audiobook, UK only], adopt a freemium model with both free and paid for goods and services. In association with Adobe we will be offering a limited number of abridged sponsored versions of FREE in paperback and e-Book through BrandRepublic.com.
The free paperbacks and e-Book will be promoted to an audience of over 689,000 unique users through Brand Republic’s website, the leading online business portal for the advertising, media, marketing and PR industries. UK users will be directed to a page where they will be presented with a choice to download their free abridged ebook, register and receive a free abridged paperback, or buy the full ‘premium’ hardback version (at a discount).
Brand Republic’s considerable user audience is a great fit for FREE’s target market, attracting consumers across the media industry. Through Brand Republic the promotion will be supported by over £30,000 of online advertising.
This special sponsored paperback edition is the entire book minus, if memory serves, the appendixes.
Will the US Edition have a similar "special sponsored paperback edition"?
Posted by: Bradley Hall | July 05, 2009 at 08:06 PM
Bradley,
We don't have anything to announce yet, but that is our aim.
Posted by: Chris Anderson | July 06, 2009 at 03:37 AM
Where is the BrandRepublic page? I read it daily and can't see mention of Free in relation to this offer.
Posted by: bassnote | July 06, 2009 at 06:49 AM
Is the spotify version also abridged?
Posted by: bobmv | July 06, 2009 at 09:35 AM
Hey Chris,
Thanks for sending me a free copy. I just finished it and enjoyed it from cover to cover. BTW is this how the cover will look for the US version, minus the adobe ad?
Barry in Carmichael
Posted by: barry | July 06, 2009 at 10:15 AM
How do i get this book in india? Is it available for free download here?
Posted by: Samir | July 06, 2009 at 12:34 PM
very interesting
Posted by: yona loriner | July 06, 2009 at 01:57 PM
I bet folks would pay a premium just to up their street-cred by powning a copy of that UK version Adobe ad paper back....I know that I have already spoof'd a proxy server to appear as a UK visitor to that BR site...laff, but alas no can findy...a scarcity ploy methinks....
Posted by: OldeWorldeMe | July 06, 2009 at 05:56 PM
Hey Chris,
How does 'sponsorship' from Adobe differ from 'being paid for by' Adobe? I haven't read the book yet, as I'm waiting for the version I don't have to pay for online...
But prima facie it seems FREE is just an umbrella buzzword for traditional concepts like loss leaders or advertising or sponsorship. In other words, shifting the cost component from the enduser to someone else who wants the end user's attention.
Maybe 'LOSS LEADER' didn't have the right ring to it as a title.
Posted by: Stu | July 07, 2009 at 01:34 AM
When would we have a PDF to download?
Posted by: Nitin Nanivadekar | July 08, 2009 at 01:07 AM
"When would we have a PDF to download?"
no way
it doesn't mean real "free"
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Posted by: Senior Living | July 15, 2009 at 06:14 AM
Same as Nitin: When a simple pdf ? Why not ? Is it too much free ? ;-)
Do you know the sales of your book in Amazon ? Is it more than 20% of download of google book ?
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Posted by: fire departments | July 28, 2009 at 01:03 AM
This is extremely helpful info!!! Especially since you guys are offering it for free!! Very good listing. Everything is true. Thanx.
Posted by: UK thesis | August 05, 2009 at 10:41 PM
That's a great thing you're doing, giving it away in ebook format. Very much appreciated!
Posted by: Affiliate marketing | August 24, 2009 at 05:05 AM
This is a great move for you, making this free. A great PR boost probably.
Posted by: Affiliate marketing | August 24, 2009 at 05:07 AM
An actual book that is free doesn't make sense because it costs money to make.
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Posted by: Marc Hughes | September 29, 2009 at 05:49 AM
Hi Chris, really great going man! I really didn't know that you are providing free copies of this book. Great task. Keep going.
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