HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LAUNCHES “HARPERCOLLINS UNBOUND”

New App Enables Unique, Interactive Content to Come Alive From the Pages of Print Books

Debuts with The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays and YOU: The Owner’s Manual

New York, NY (November 4, 2013) – HarperCollins Publishers today announced the launch of HarperCollins Unbound, a multi-platform interactive experience that takes readers beyond the pages of the physical book. Through HarperCollins Unbound, consumers are able to explore multimedia and interactive content related to specific topics from within a book, enhancing their understanding of certain sections, providing access to demonstrations, and bringing readers closer to authors with personal interviews, recorded readings, and more. Readers can download the free HarperCollins Unbound mobile app (compatible with iOS and Android) and scan specially marked pages in the print edition to reveal one-of-a-kind bonus content.

The program launches with The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays (on sale now), by Ree Drummond, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning blogger and Food Network personality. In her largest cookbook yet, Ree shares more than 140 delectable recipes. By using the Unbound app to scan specific pages, readers can bring the Pioneer Woman to life with six brand-new cooking videos that can be found through the Unbound experience.

The upcoming trade paperback edition of YOU: The Owner’s Manual by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, on sale December 17, 2013, will be the second book to feature HarperCollins Unbound technology. The book will include a total of 30 interactive print service pages, 20 of which will launch videos of Dr. Roizen sharing healthy living tips from Sharecare, the online health and wellness engagement platform created by Dr. Oz and WebMD founder Jeff Arnold. To enhance the interactive experience – and help readers engage in the book’s details and test their own knowledge – ten of the pages will launch interactive quizzes from Sharecare, such as “Ways to Love Your Heart” and “Cholesterol Check.” 

“One of the most interesting questions in technology today is how we are going to ultimately bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds,” said Angela Tribelli, Chief Marketing Officer, HarperCollins Publishers. “We’re thrilled to be taking the lead in bridging that gap through this new offering. Thanks to Shortcut’s pioneering technology, consumers can scan a book and instantly download multimedia content straight to a mobile device – content that brings them closer to our authors. We’re especially excited to launch this new feature with authors Ree Drummond, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen.”

The HarperCollins Unbound app is powered by Shortcut Media’s interactive-print solution. The Shortcut technology allows the app to recognize symbols in a book, automatically launching content such as video clips, pictures, additional content, and more.

                       

“Shortcut is the leading solution for creating interactive print products, and we are excited to partner with HarperCollins,” said Herbert Bay, Chief Executive Officer, Shortcut Media AG. “Shortcut is all about a better reader experience and connecting readers to the digital world directly from print, and the Unbound app offers a new dimension for HarperCollins books!"

For more information about HarperCollins Unbound please visit www.harpercollinsunbound.com.

About HarperCollins Publishers 
HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corp (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NNC, NNCLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children's books, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, mystery, romance, reference, pop culture, design, health, wellness, and religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history, HarperCollins has published some of the world's foremost authors, including winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery Medal, and the Caldecott Medal. HarperCollins is consistently at the forefront of innovation, using digital technology to create unique reading experiences and expand the reach of its authors. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers online at: http://www.harpercollins.com.