Publishing & literary campaign strategy
Batis Books
BATIS BOOKS
Scotland-based publisher, Batis Books, commissioned Stoep Collective to provide literary campaign strategy for its 2025 launch in the United Kingdom and Ireland. For this new, independent press in Edinburgh, our studio shaped the digital content, messaging and overall content strategy to build a clearer route to market, appealing to readers, booksellers, reviewers and cultural communities alike.
LITERARY CAMPAIGN STRATEGY FOR A NEW BRITISH PUBLISHER
Batis Books is a small independent publishing company based in Edinburgh. The press publishes fine writing from Southern Africa and Scotland, including literary novels, stories, poetry, selected non-fiction and books in translation. Its 2026 list focuses on writers from South Africa and Scotland.
Stoep Collective was commissioned by British publisher Nick Mulgrew to support the public life of the press as Batis prepared to bring its first titles to readers. The work spans literary campaign strategy, digital content, title positioning, pre-order messaging and press-facing copy.
THE COMMERCIAL CHALLENGE
Batis has entered a notoriously difficult publishing landscape.
UK publishing revenue reached £7.4 billion in 2025, with consumer publishing worth £2.6 billion. Print still accounted for 79% of consumer publishing revenue, but the market remained incredibly uneven: UK print book spending fell by 0.5% in 2025, while purchase numbers fell by 2.5%.
The challenge then is to ensure each title is visible, legible and desirable enough to be noticed by readers, booksellers, reviewers, critics and cultural communities before it disappears into the ether.
THE BRIEF
Stoep’s role was to help Batis strategise and execute a considered campaign to launch the press, and partner on ongoing editorial, content and digital support. Batis required digital content and messaging that could support sales without losing what made the press an ‘indie’ in the first place.
WHAT WE DID
Stoep developed a title-by-title campaign approach for the Batis 2026 list.
Each book was given its own campaign lens and month-by-month direction across pre-publication, publication and post-publication. Dayspring was framed around an exiled freedom fighter’s voice, Jonty Driver; Chatsworth around the everyday uncanny; Inheritance, an exciting translation from the original isiXhosa; Among Willows around floristry, botany and migration.
This needed to function as a strategic, holistic publishing campaign while also featuring a more tailored approach to position and launch each title’s distinct literary identity in a compelling and commercial way.
THE DIFFERENCE
Through intentional campaign structure, editorial strategy and commercial intent, Stoep Collective has carved out a clear route to market within a cluttered, incredibly complex and competitive landscape for Batis Books.
