The company ended 2022 up 19% in net sales. | Source: Insight Editions
Insight Editions had a year of growth in 2022, defying industry trends.
The independent pop culture publisher ended the year up 19% in net sales, outperforming the 6.4% decline for the industry reported by the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
“I am so grateful to our studio partners and our authors for another year of record growth,” says Raoul Goff, CEO and Publisher of Insight Editions. “The absolute passion of Insight Editions is to deliver extraordinary experiences for fans and readers that explore a wide variety of characters, worlds, and interests in the most creative way possible. In 2023, we are going to announce many new partnerships, as we continue to bring new dimensions to exciting brands in entertainment, gaming, music, and more.”
Key staff hires last year include Chief Operating Officer Tara Catogge formerly of Quarto, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Chris Bauerle formerly of Sourcebooks, Publishing Director Jamie Thompson formerly of Chronicle Books, Executive Editor Edward Ash-Milby formerly of Barnes & Noble, Director of Sales, New Business Development and National Specialty Tim Golden, formerly of Sourcebooks, Director of Business Analytics Stephanie Lewis, formerly of Sourcebooks, and Publishing Director Ben Robinson, Creative Director Stella Bradley and Tracey Hinchliffe, Director, Sourcing, Product Development and DTC, all formerly of Eaglemoss.
Insight Editions also made strategic expansions in staff and logistics by reopening its London office in early 2023 and by launching Insight Workshop, an innovation lab and imprint for deluxe, limited edition, book plus, and non-book collectibles.
“We’re delighted to bring our experience making a wide range of collectibles to the rich legacy of the Insight Editions collectible program and are looking forward to developing new products and formats that will take Insight into some new and exciting areas,” says Insight Workshop Publishing Director Ben Robinson.
In addition to Insight Workshop, the publisher created two new business units in 2022: Reinhart Pop-Up Studio, an imprint and creative home for New York Times Bestselling author and paper engineer Matthew Reinhart, and a partnership with New Regency to create books based on the studio’s film and television titles from its library and upcoming productions, including The Bikeriders, The Revenant, and Fight Club.
“Insight Editions has, in many ways, flown under the radar of many in the publishing community while at the same time being cherished by the fans we serve,” says Chris Bauerle, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Having doubled the size of the business in the last three years, consistently delivered extraordinary growth, and established ourselves as a catalyst for growth for some of the most talented and creative staff and content partners in the business, we aspire every day to be the absolute best pop culture publisher in the world.”
Insight Editions’ success in 2022 was led by pop culture cookbooks, tarot card decks, and advent calendars. Top sellers included Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Official Cookbook, Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot Deck and Guidebook, and Harry Potter: Holiday Magic: The Official Advent Calendar.
Upcoming fall highlights include Yellowstone: The Official Cookbook, Harry Potter: The Official Christmas Cookbook, Star Wars: Cooking the Galaxy, and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Baking Book.
