Century reveals campaign to launch Harlan Coben’s new thriller

Century has “huge activity” planned for the launch of Harlan Coben’s new thriller I Will Find You – out on 14th March – which will see the author tour the UK for the first time since the pandemic.

An adaptation of Coben’s Fool Me Once is currently filming in Manchester and as well as visiting the set, the author will be in conversation with one of its stars, Richard Armitage, for the book’s flagship launch event – now sold out, but being streamed due to demand.

The author will also be appearing on “BBC Breakfast”, Radio 4’s “Saturday Live”, Radio 5’s “Afternoon Edition” and Sky TV, as well as on Magic FM, LBC and podcasts including Paul McKenna and Simon Mayo’s "Books of the Year".

To announce publication, Century has also booked a variety of outdoor advertising sites which will run from 13th March to 9th April in both London and Manchester, including on the London Underground. “To capitalise on the filming in Manchester of Fool Me Once this spring, we have planned selective roadside ads across Manchester,” said Sarah Ridley, deputy marketing director. She added: “In addition to the big format outdoor advertising, we have created a trailer to use in advertising packages across Netflix and ITVX.

“Through Netflix advertising in particular, we can capitalise on Harlan’s TV series success and dial up desire for the new hardback. We will be running the ads for two weeks from publication with a 30’’ asset. We’ll also have social ads too.”

There will also be an influencer stunt. Charlotte Bush, director of publicity and media relations at Cornerstone, said: “When Harlan was here before Christmas we ran an influencer event at the Covent Garden Hotel in central London. The influencers loved meeting him and were adamant that they wanted to be involved in anything else we had planned for this year. Little did they know what we would be asking them to do next…”

On Friday 24th March they will be set on a mission by Coben to break out from prison. Escorted by prison officer “Curly” (the prison guard from the book) to a locked escape room bunker via a prison van, the influencers/inmates will be provided with clues from Harlan that will help them secure their release.

The clues and storyline for the escape room will all centred around the plot of I Will Find You whereby the influencers will have to find evidence to prove the protagonist David’s innocence. Each influencer will film their own content and post Instagram reels throughout the experience."

Bush added: “We will also film the event and use it as part of our ongoing campaign creative. Once the influencers have solved the clues and proved their innocence, Harlan will set them free and they will get to meet Harlan in person and he will sign their books.”