Waterstones bags get Malala theme

Waterstones is to change the black and white design of its shopping bags for the first time in its history this Thursday (9th October) to champion Malala Yousafzai’s autobiography I Am Malala (Weidenfeld & Nicolson).

The bags will be taken over by a quote from Yousafzai on a pink background on one side, along with an appeal to join the campaign for global education on Twitter @malalafund, and quotes from reviews of the book on the other with the hashtag #IAmMalala.

The bags will be available for two weeks from this Thursday, which is Super Thursday for the industry, and the date of the paperback release of the book.

Waterstones said it was taking the “unusual step of supporting I Am Malala so visibly during the busiest bookselling period of the year because of its belief in Malala’s campaign for global education”.

James Daunt, m.d. of Waterstones, said: “I Am Malala is as inspirational as it is remarkable and everyone at Waterstones is passionate in their recommendation of the book. We are proud to support Malala’s campaign for education.”

Yousafzai said: "The message of I Am Malala is that every child is entitled to a good education. I want all of us to get behind this cause. I am absolutely thrilled that Waterstones is supporting my book and my cause. Let's make a difference."

Waterstones will highlight its collaboration with Yousafzai with banners and book displays in each of its stores, and with Point of Sale at every till explaining the significance of the book and Yousafzai’s campaign for global education.

The retailer will also participate in a social media campaign run with Orion Publishing and the Malala Fund asking readers to choose the most inspirational line from I Am Malala for the chance to meet Yousafzai at a special Waterstones event in 2015.