PLEDGEMUSIC CHOSEN BY MAX STRÖM PUBLISHING TO LAUNCH COLLECTOR’S EDITION OF ‘ABBA - THE OFFICIAL PHOTO BOOK’
DIRECT-TO-FAN PRE-SALE CAMPAIGN
PledgeMusic will be working with one of Europe’s leading photographic publishing houses - Max Ström Publishing - on the international launch of the ‘Super Trouper’ collector’s edition of ABBA - The Official Photo Book, the first authorised photographic biography of one of the best-selling music acts of all time.
In choosing PledgeMusic’s direct-to-fan platform, Max Ström Publishing is giving ABBA fans the opportunity to pre-order the special ‘Super Trouper’ collector’s edition of ABBA – The Official Photo Book: for delivery in March ahead of the publication of the main consumer version which will be available in more than 20 countries in 2014, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of ABBA's Eurovision win and resulting international breakthrough.
The ‘Super Trouper’ collector’s edition of ABBA – The Official Photo Book has a limited print-run of 5,000 copies, each individually numbered and signed by the authors: award-winning picture editor, Bengt Wanselius, and leading Swedish writer, Petter Karlsson. The collector’s edition’s 460 pages feature more than 600 pictures (100 of which are previously unseen), 40 bonus pages of images (not available in the main consumer version), and is delivered in a presentation box. This will also contain a section with all the names of the dedicated fans who made the limited edition possible by ordering the book before 15th December 2013. Fans who pre-order the book will also gain access to private ‘Pledgers only’ updates from the making of the book.
The collector’s edition also features a DVD with a specially produced documentary on ABBA in pictures, and is included with a numbered print which is a rare alternative shot from the cover session for the Super Trouper album (1980) printed on high-quality photographic paper.
Frida: “I am thrilled with all of these pictures, some of which I am seeing now for the very first time. The book provides a real trip down memory lane.”
PledgeMusic Managing Director Malcolm Dunbar comments, “We are honoured that Max Ström has chosen PledgeMusic’s technology and platform to deliver this unique tribute to one of the world’s most iconic bands. ABBA - The Official Photo Book has the endorsement of all four members and this way of delivering it will give fans an unparalleled insight into the career of the one of the world’s most respected and successful bands.”
Jeppe Wikström, publisher at Stockholm and London-based Max Ström comments, “ABBA - The Official Photo Book will provide the definitive photographic documentation of the story of one of the world’s most popular bands. We are delighted to be working with PledgeMusic to market the limited edition Super Trouper edition for the band’s super fans.”
ABBA – The Official Photo Book - Background
ABBA - The Official Photo Book has the full co-operation of Björn, Benny, Frida and Agnetha, who have contributed a foreword (as well as personal commentaries on many of the images featured) and charts the four members careers before the formation of the band as well as the band’s career from their winning performance at 1974‘s Eurovision Song Contest to the present day. The book contains more than 600 pictures, more than 100 of which have never previously been published. These images include private photographs, behind-the-scenes tour shots, unpublished photos by eminent photographers and photos of all four members taken in recent months.
Max Ström Publishing has worked with award-winning picture editor, Bengt Wanselius, and Petter Karlsson, one of Sweden’s most talented writers, to create this unique book, more than 400 pages-thick, and in the format of a classic LP. It is printed on high quality photo-book paper and is designed by Patric Leo who also designed Benny Andersson’s latest records.
PledgeMusic - Background
PledgeMusic is the leading international direct-to-fan platform offering artists a unique way to engage their fans in the music making process whilst interacting with PledgeMusic’s global audience of music consumers. Since it’s inception in 2009 PledgeMusic has worked with labels and artists to deliver high impact campaigns focusing on quality messaging, content and presentation, resulting in ten top 40 albums to date with top 5 chart placings in the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia. Successful campaigns have included Slash, Bring Me The Horizon, Ginger Wildheart, Ben Folds Five, Killing Joke, Emmy The Great and Rachel Yamagata amongst others.
To pre-order the Super Trouper collector’s edition of ABBA - The Official Photo Book, visit – www.pledgemusic.com/abba
Media release 15 September 2013
SPECIAL NINE MONTH CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED FOR ‘ABBA – THE
OFFICIAL PHOTO BOOK’
The first authorised photographic biography of the pop group
ABBA is set for publication in
April 2014, marking precisely 40 years to the month since the band’s
international career was launched by its winning performance of Waterloo at
the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.
Max Ström (www.maxstrom.se),
one of Europe’s most prestigious illustrated publishers, is putting a
nine month extensive marketing plan
into action in the run up to the anniversary, and publication of
ABBA – The Official Photo Book,
culminating in an exciting international launch, at the beginning of
The London Book Fair (8-10
April 2014).
Max Ström’s
campaign for the title involves a unique approach, featuring
four different versions of the Photo
Book, enhancing the fan and reader experience. The versions include:
- Swedish language ‘Deluxe’ edition
- English language ‘Deluxe’ limited edition – with 10,000 copy print run
- ‘Super Trouper’ limited edition – with 5,000 copy print run
Trade Edition
ABBA – The Official Photo Book
will be unique in being the first
and only official photographic book that will cover the entire career of
the Swedish band. The book will consist of more than 500 classic, rare and
previously unseen images of the band that, to
date, has sold 380 million albums worldwide, making it one of the
best-selling musical acts of all time, surpassed only by The Beatles and
Elvis.
The book’s images will document the band members’ early years, the
formation and rise in popularity of ABBA, the group’s international
breakthrough performance at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton,
subsequent global superstardom, and eventual break-up – after just 10 years
together – in 1982. ABBA – The Official Photo Book
will
also feature photographs which provide insight into the four band members’
subsequent careers, including the international success of the musicals
Chess and
Mamma Mia (which, in 2008, was
turned into the hit movie starring Meryl Streep). It will be produced in a
large format style which recalls the design and size of a classic LP. The
foreword will be written by all four band members:
Agnetha Fältskog,
Björn Ulvaeus,
Benny Andersson and
Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
Deluxe Edition
The ‘Deluxe’ edition will
have an extra 20 pages, featuring images from major live concerts, and will
also include a new DVD documentary: ‘ABBA in Pictures – The Photographers’
Stories’. The English language version of this edition will be limited to
10,000 copies.
Super Trouper Edition
Max Ström is working with PledgeMusic
(www.pledgemusic.com),
and their pioneering direct-to-fan platform, to give ABBA fans
the opportunity to pre-order the special
‘Super Trouper’ collector’s edition
of
ABBA – The Official Photo Book
for delivery in March, ahead of the publication of the main
consumer version, which will be available in more than 20 countries in 2014.
The ‘Super Trouper’ collector’s
edition of ABBA – The Official Photo Book has a limited print-run
of 5,000 copies, each individually numbered and signed by the authors:
award-winning picture editor, Bengt Wanselius, and leading Swedish writer,
Petter Karlsson. The collector’s edition’s 460 pages feature more than 600
pictures (100 of which are previously unseen), 40 bonus pages of images (not
available in the main consumer version), and is delivered in a presentation
box. This will also contain a section with all the names of the dedicated
fans who made the limited edition possible by ordering the book before 15th
December 2013. Fans who pre-order the book will also gain access to private
‘Pledgers-only’ updates from the making of the book.
The collector’s edition also features a DVD with a specially produced
documentary on ABBA in pictures, and is included with a numbered print which
is a rare alternative shot from the cover session for the Super Trouper
album (1980) printed on high-quality photographic paper.
ABBA – The Official Photo Book will be published
in the UK and Sweden by Max
Ström Publishing, with the company in ongoing discussions with a
number of
international publishing houses regarding publication in other territories.
Quote From ABBA
Frida comments: “I am thrilled with all of these pictures,
some of which I am seeing now for the very first time. The book provides a
real trip down memory lane.”
ABBA – An International Fan
Base And An Enduring Appeal
With the band continuing to sell more than 2 million albums each year,
‘ABBA The Photo Album’ is anticipated to appeal to a sizeable international
fan base, with ABBA having had multiple number 1 albums in the UK,
Australia, Holland, France, Germany, Austria, and high-charting albums in
Canada and the USA. ABBA’s most popular single,
Dancing Queen (1976) was number 1
in the US, UK, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, West Germany, Ireland, Mexico,
the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden. In October
2012, the Official Charts Company identified ABBA’s greatest hits album,
Gold – which features hits including
S.O.S., Money, Money, Money
and Knowing Me, Knowing You – as
the UK's biggest selling CD, with 4 million copies sold since 1992.
The ABBA Museum in Djurgården, Stockholm is set to open in 2013.
Max Ström
Publishing – Background
Max Ström is one of Scandinavia’s most prestigious illustrated
publishers. The company was founded in 1994 by Marika Stolpe and Jeppe
Wikström and is now a part of the Bonnier Group.
The company started publishing in the UK last year with the hugely
successful, A Day In The World.
The Super Trouper Edition of ABBA – The Official Photo
Book will cost £195 ($365 USD /
240 Euros – subject to exchange rates, prices inclusive of delivery
to door)
To pre-order the
Super Trouper collector’s edition of
ABBA - The Official Photo Book,
visit –
www.pledgemusic.com
Max Ström Publishing and Universal Music are delighted to break the exciting news about the upcoming ABBA The International Anniversary Party in London. We will gather more than a thousand of ABBA's most dedicated fans at the very cool Tate Modern in London on April 7 to celebrate 40 years of ABBA's global success. As you have ordered the Super Trouper Edition of ABBA The Official Photo Book, we wanted to give you the very first opportunity to buy tickets for the event. Tomorrow, Wednesday 5th February, a much broader circle of ABBA fans will be offered to buy tickets.
Hope to see you at the Party in London!
4 February 2014
