Carlton hires Asher as digital director

Carlton Publishing Group has hired Japhet Asher as digital director to oversee the company’s augmented reality (AR) and digital product development.

Asher, who was already working with the group on a consultancy basis, has now joined full time.

Carlton Books uses AR technology that allows readers of printed books to access extra information by holding their smartphone or device over the page, and Asher told The Bookseller he wants to build on publisher’s success in this area.

“Carlton has been working in this area for seven years now and the public is now catching on,” he said. “We are a leader in digital/print hybrids and our success with Jurassic World – Where Dinosaurs Come to Life helped build momentum for this kind of work.”

“I want to build on the successes we’ve had in Asia and the US and expand in Europe as well.”

The company will announce new augmented reality projects in the coming months, including books for adults, as well as look at other digital projects. “I’m interested not just in augmented reality but all digital hybrids,” said Asher.

Asher was previously executive producer for CBBC online and launched the BBC’s two YouTube children’s channels.

Carlton has been publishing AR books since 2010 and has partnered with brands such as Disney, 20th Century Fox, Universal, HiT Entertainment and Hasbro. It claims to have sold more than three million AR books worldwide.