REBRANDED: “Good Material“ by Dolly Alderton - MY LAUNCH CAMPAIGN

As someone hoping to break into the publishing world — particularly in PR or Marketing — I’m always thinking about how books meet their readers in ways that feel memorable.

Today, I’m focusing on Good Material by Dolly Alderton: a novel that surprised me with its anti-romantic tone and refreshingly male perspective on heartbreak. In this post, I will follow the novel’s original campaign and share how I’d reimagine it if I were in charge. This is part of my ongoing series where I rebrand books that I love and explore how publicity can turn stories into moments, movements, and meaningful cultural events.

Original Marketing Strategy

Published on November 2, 2023 by Fig Tree (Penguin), Good Material followed the wide success of Alderton’s previous novel — Everything I Know About Love. The author’s Instagram following, which came to around 370,000 at the time, was another undeniable factor in ensuring the book’s success.

It is no surprise that social media was widely used in the marketing campaign for Good Material, with Alderton teasing quotes and revealing the book cover months in advance, as well posting about endorsements from high-profile figures like Richard E. Grant and Claudia Winkleman.

Promotional poster in Leonard Street, London. Read more.

In support of the official launch date for the book, Dolly Alderton announced a tour of events around the UK — “An Audience with Dolly Alderton”, that would later on move to the US and Australia, turning Good Material into the international success that it continues to be.

Check out Dolly Alderton’s Instagram page here.

The marketing team at Fig Tree created a collection of promotional materials that were given to readers upon purchase, including posters, postcards and bookmarks in Good Material’s signature style. Limited signed editions of the book were also available at wide range of bookshops.

An overall great campaign with unforgettable design that focused largely on Alderton’s existing readership: female, millennial demographic.

My Reimagined Campaign

If I were to design my own campaign for Good Material, my main goal would be to capture its blend of grief and comedy and to also invite male readers into the conversation. Here’s how I’d make that happen:

🎤 “The Breakup Set”: Stand-up Special

I would rebrand the author’s traditional book tour and instead organise intimate comedy gigs across UK venues featuring real stand-up artists performing breakup-inspired material. Each show would mimic the tone of the novel: bittersweet, awkward, and brutally honest. It would also be fun to include couple therapy roleplay sets to exaggerate Andy’s journey towards moving on. This tour would be sponsored by Penguin, with Dolly Alderton herself appearing as a guest (or even doing her own comedic monologue).

📱 #MyGoodMaterial Social Media Trend

Given the author’s online presence and following, I would launch a viral TikTok/Instagram campaign where influencers and fans can share their most embarrassing post-breakup stories: bad text messages, failed rebound attempts, unconventional coping mechanisms. These would all be posted with the hashtag #MyGoodMaterial. The aim would be to reframe these low moments of hurt as inspiration for laughter and creativity, much like Andy does in the novel himself.

🧴 Hair Loss Prevention Shampoo Collaboration

A substantial amount of Andy’s story deals with his balding problem. It would be a shame not to use that as a joke and partner with a trendy men’s grooming brand to create a limited edition hair loss prevention shampoo. The packaging will be vibrant and minimalist, like the book’s cover design, with quotes on the back like “Grow Your Good Material” or “Reasons Why I’m Not On Good Terms With Jen: I Own This”. This is not only playful, but also highlights one of the novel’s central themes, that is masculine vulnerability.

📚 “Men Talking Feelings” Book Club

I think the fact that the novel was released during Men’s Mental Health Month (November) is not accidental. I would use that opportunity to target middle-aged male readers post-publication and host book clubs in unexpected locations — canal boats, theatres, or rented flats. The events will be advertised in the format of a spare room listing, and they will be a space for men to open up and process their feelings through fiction and conversations.

Why This Matters

For me, a great book campaign isn’t just about selling copies — it’s about creating moments that resonate and linger. While Dolly Alderton’s existing brand attracts a mainly female readership, Good Material opens a door into the often underrepresented male experience of heartbreak and grief. This campaign leans into the novel’s comedic tone and masculine POV to expand its audience and spark broader conversations about emotional vulnerability. By following this approach we can position Good Material as not just another breakup story, but as essential reading for those who are stuck in life’s messier chapters and try to laugh their way out.