By Kevin McCauley
Kobo, the e-book retailer, is looking for a PR firm to handle its $400K-$500K budget.
Indigo Books & Music, Borders, REDgroup and Cheung Kong Holdings back the Toronto-based company that supports “open standards” for e-books, believing consumers should be able to buy a book and read it on any digital device (e-readers, desktops, laptops, smartphones) they choose. Kobo’s chief competitors—Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook —are closed systems.
Kobo is looking for a firm to work U.S., Canada audiences and potentially overseas. It wants PR to build the Kobo brand and further develop corporate identity.
Mike Serbinis heads Kobo. He was president of Indigo’s “Shortcovers” digital operation that was rebranded as Kobo in Dec. 2009.
Liz Ridout, Kobo’s VP-marketing is handling the PR search. She is at lridout [at] kobo.com.
A PR firm is expected to be in place by late February.
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