Harrah’s Partners with Jackie Collins for Book Bus Tour
Casino property Harrah’s Entertainment is teaming up with best-selling author Jackie Collins and St. Martins Press to launch a national book bus tour.
The tour, which will hit casinos and bookstores and is designed to promote Collins’ latest book, “Married Lovers,” makes its first stop Saturday at Book Expo America in Los Angeles.
The branded bus, which will act as a rolling billboard, will stop at 14 Harrah’s properties spanning 20,000 miles through July 26. At each location, Collins will host book signings and other events for the public and VIP guests. Inside, visitors, media and Harrah’s guests get a glimpse of the rich life in a lounge outfitted with a bar, entertainment system and Harrah’s poker table.
Visitors at each Harrah’s stop will receive premiums, including Collins’ new book, or branded bookmarks or luggage tags. Harrah’s sees the bus as offering “unique experiences” to its guests, said Kathy Hickman, senior director of lifestyle events for Harrah’s Entertainment.
“The book tour gives us the opportunity to offer our guests a new form of entertainment and attraction,” Hickman said. “Our casinos attract a lot of people. We felt Jackie Collins fits that profile of something unique and different to offer guests.”
The bus tour is a first for Harrah’s. The casino firm ran a book tour last year with Collins, but without the moving bus as an attraction. About 500 to 1,000 people attended each event, Hickman said. This year, Harrah’s anticipates drawing close to 14,000 visitors to its special Collins-hosted events, she said.
“Married Lovers,” Collins’ 26th novel, is about a personal trainer who flees Hawaii from her abusive husband and makes a new life in Los Angeles where new men enter her life, including an independent movie producer and a talk show host.
Harrah’s is promoting the tour via direct mail, online marketing and PR.
