| While the landscape of publishing has continued to evolve since the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in 1439, the face of reading took a dramatic turn during the last few years. Prior to the millennium, one could not completely separate printing on the one hand and the retailing of printed matter on the other. Publishing platforms have advanced greatly as the digitization of books becomes the norm. The challenge is finding the most efficient ways in which traditional and non-traditional publishers can reach the consumer effectively while providing the widest variety of product at competitive prices in a fluctuating marketplace. This paper posits the OCTOPUS Theory as a way to address the current volatility in the publishing industry and provides a blueprint for public relations professionals in today's marketplace by analyzing multiple publishing platforms, integrated technologies that allow the reader to access content efficiently and the strategic combination of effective publicity and marketing tactics. |
