Hardcover Discarded, Pocket-Sized... 'Penguin Books' Leading the Popularization of Reading [Hidden Industry Story]

'Penguin Logo' Paperback That Changed the Expensive Book Market
Essential for Expanding Knowledge with Consistent Design and Quality Content
Occupies 25% of the English-Speaking Market... Grows into a Leading Publisher

Founder of Penguin Books, Allen Lane. Photo by Penguin Books website

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A book bearing the Penguin logo appeared in a publishing market once dominated by thick and heavy hardcover books. 'Penguin Books' is cited as a company that led the 'popularization of reading' by offering 'high-quality affordable books' in the high-priced book market. Founded in the UK, this company has maintained a strong position in the publishing industry even after 86 years since its establishment. How did Penguin Books come to be known as a symbol of the paperback revolution?

◆ The happiness of knowledge at the price of 'a pack of cigarettes'

Penguin Books was founded in 1935 by Allen Lane, a professional manager at Bodley Head publishing. One day, a year earlier, Lane was browsing books at a train station kiosk but could not find a suitable book to read. The kiosk only had popular magazines and Victorian-era classic novels.

At that moment, Lane thought it would be good to publish contemporary authors' works as affordable paperbacks, specifically coming up with the idea to "make books available everywhere at the cheap price of 6 pence, equivalent to a pack of cigarettes." Later that July, Lane published ten detective and general novels, including Agatha Christie's "The Murder at the Vicarage" and Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms."

However, the publishing industry was not pleased with the books produced by Penguin Books, judging that the low price would not generate profits. Most bookstores were reluctant to stock Penguin Books, so Lane had no choice but to turn to other sales channels such as chain stores outside bookstores and kiosks. Nevertheless, Penguin Books' affordable price made them surprisingly popular in places other than bookstores.

Woolworths, a store that sold various inexpensive goods, ordered about 60,000 copies of Penguin Books, and they sold like hotcakes as soon as they were placed on the sales counter. This unexpected response showed that Lane's idea accurately grasped the public's thirst for knowledge at the time.

One year after its founding, Penguin Books sold about 3 million copies and gained great popularity. The affordable editions changed the then-prevailing perception that cheap books were low quality and disrupted the publishing industry's trend of producing only expensive, bulky books.

George Orwell's "Animal Farm," published by Penguin Books in 1951./Photo by Penguin Books Instagram

◆ Emphasizing brand identity through consistent design

Penguin Books was not the first company to publish paperbacks. At the time, other publishers had already released paperbacks several times. However, most paperbacks varied in size and price, and the quality of the writing was not good. Publishers at the time were not active in marketing to attract consumers and focused more on book titles or authors rather than branding.

Lane focused on this very point. He emphasized the brand by engraving the penguin-shaped logo so that anyone could recognize the book as a Penguin Books publication. He also aimed to maintain consistency in size and design. For example, Penguin Books introduced a modern design that divided the book cover horizontally into three sections. The top section contained the phrase 'PENGUIN BOOK' inside a long oval shape, the middle section displayed the book title, and the bottom center featured the penguin logo.

Additionally, all books applied different cover colors according to genre for easy distinction. Although this design approach is commonly used by many publishers today, it was an uncommon marketing strategy at the time. Penguin Books expanded its influence by consecutively releasing series collections such as 'Penguin Classics,' which compiled classic literary works, and 'Penguin Specials,' which dealt deeply with specific social issues.

Penguin Books' success continued during World War II. The pocket-sized paperbacks were essential items that provided entertainment to soldiers in harsh conditions. Particularly, the non-fiction humanities series 'Pelican Books,' created to broaden knowledge in philosophy, history, and science, was very popular among soldiers who had limited educational opportunities. With stylish cover designs and high-quality content, Penguin Books itself became a symbol of paperbacks.

Penguin Books logo. Photo by Penguin Books website

◆ Allen Lane's philosophy: 'Books are for reading, not collecting'

Of course, Penguin Books' growth was not without challenges. After Lane's death in July 1970, Penguin Books faced a crisis of losing its brand identity and was acquired by the Pearson Group, which focused on educational publishing. Moreover, with the spread of e-books in the 2000s, demand for paperbacks, whose strength was low price, gradually declined. To meet consumers' desires for diverse designs, Penguin Books had to abandon the original three-part cover design that had been synonymous with its brand identity.

Despite these challenges, Penguin Books remains the number one publisher in both the UK and the US. This is because it has adhered to the consistent principle of 'producing high-quality books' that Lane emphasized from the company's inception. Lane believed that books are 'for reading, not for collecting.' Penguin Books continues Lane's philosophy by publishing various series collections to this day. The cover design guidelines established early on are still widely used among Penguin Books' designers.

To respond to the e-book market, Penguin Books merged with the German publisher Random House in 2012, reborn as Penguin Random House. Currently, Penguin Random House is considered the world's largest publisher, accounting for 25% of the English-speaking publishing market. It publishes about 15,000 books annually, with estimated annual sales reaching $3.7 billion (approximately 4 trillion KRW).