When Mary McAveney took over as CEO of Abrams Books in November 2022, the company was coming off the back of solid sales figures boosted by the pandemic. However, by the time McAveney completed her first full year in 2023, book sales had started to slow. Despite this, McAveney is confident that Abrams will finish 2024 strong, with sales expected to outperform last year’s figures.
But for McAveney, Abrams Books is at a crucial crossroads. As the publishing industry faces the fallout from the pandemic, McAveney has had to make tough decisions to steer the company into a new era. With strategic restructuring and a heavy focus on digital marketing and consumer relationships, McAveney’s vision for Abrams Books is already taking shape. Let’s dive deeper into how she’s shaping the future of one of the world’s most renowned publishing houses.
Mary McAveney: Steering Abrams Through Transition
Mary McAveney’s tenure at Abrams Books comes at a time when the entire publishing industry is grappling with post-pandemic challenges. While sales surged during the pandemic, the industry has seen a return to more normal levels of sales, leading many companies to rethink their strategies.
Here’s how McAveney is addressing these challenges:
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Restructuring for Efficiency: In spring 2023, McAveney made the difficult decision to eliminate jobs across various departments at Abrams. This was followed by a restructuring of the marketing and publicity teams, aimed at unifying efforts across both adult and children’s book imprints. In 2024, McAveney also led another restructuring initiative focused on data-driven marketing strategies.
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Driving Digital Marketing Innovation: One of McAveney’s key strengths, honed at her previous role at Open Road Integrated Media, is direct-to-consumer marketing. She’s applying this expertise at Abrams Books to better understand consumer behaviour and enhance the company’s digital presence. With consumers spending more time online, McAveney is focused on driving traffic to Abrams’ website, making it a central hub for book discovery.
Abrams Books Embraces Digital Transformation
One of the most notable changes McAveney has championed at Abrams Books is the increased emphasis on data and analytics.
“Understanding what consumers want is key,” McAveney stated in a recent interview. She’s committed to ensuring that Abrams Books remains a leader in digital book marketing, leveraging tools to better reach customers. This change reflects McAveney’s belief that direct engagement with readers will create a flywheel effect, boosting sales both on Abrams’ site and in physical stores.
For example, one of Abrams’ most successful recent titles, Spooky Lakes by Geo Rutherford, benefitted from targeted promotions that tapped into TikTok’s influence. With a growing number of social media influencers promoting books, Abrams Books is keen to stay ahead of this trend.
Print Remains at the Core of Abrams’ Strategy
While McAveney is embracing digital transformation, she remains committed to the print aspect of the business, particularly with Abrams’ renowned illustrated books.
Abrams is one of the top publishers of high-quality illustrated books and has maintained a strong focus on books-as-objects — luxury editions and collectible books that offer more than just reading material. For example, the $175 deluxe edition of Marvel Studios: The Art of Ryan Meinerding was a huge success, featuring limited-edition prints signed by the head of Marvel Studios’ visual development, Ryan Meinerding.
This commitment to high-quality special editions is also seen in the release of the $150 deluxe edition of The Art of DreamWorks The Wild Robot and various YA editions, such as Alex Aster’s Lightlark saga. These products capitalise on collectibility, a trend that continues to thrive despite the growing influence of digital media.
Expanding Abrams’ Frontlist and Backlist
Another key move McAveney made was to expand Abrams’ frontlist and backlist offerings. In May 2024, Abrams acquired Taunton Books, which brought a 900-title list of books covering topics like crafts, food, gardening, homebuilding, and woodworking. This acquisition not only enriched the company’s catalogue but also provided more robust direct-to-consumer data and distribution channels.
Additionally, McAveney helped oversee the launch of Abrams ComicsArts as a separate division within the company, bringing comics and graphic novels into the fold. The fall 2024 launch of titles like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation* and Frank Miller’s Ronin Rising Manga Edition have positioned Abrams as a key player in the graphic novel and manga sectors.
Successes with Bestselling Titles and New Projects
In November 2024, Abrams Books achieved a historic milestone when Jeff Kinney’s Hot Mess and Alex Aster’s Skyshade held the top two spots on the USA Today bestseller list. This was the first time in the company’s history that two titles from its catalogue occupied the number one and two positions simultaneously.
These successes demonstrate the impact of McAveney’s leadership and her focus on building a diverse and commercially viable roster of books. Abrams’ ability to combine established authors like Jeff Kinney with emerging voices like Alex Aster shows McAveney’s understanding of both long-term publishing strategy and the need for fresh talent.
Artificial Intelligence: A Measured Approach
Finally, McAveney has a cautious view on artificial intelligence (AI) in publishing. While AI can be a useful tool for administrative tasks, she doesn’t see it playing a creative role at Abrams Books.
“We won’t be seeing any AI-generated covers at Abrams Books,” McAveney said. She sees AI’s potential in streamlining processes but insists that the creative aspects of publishing — such as designing covers and curating content — will remain in human hands.
Final Thoughts: Mary McAveney and the Future of Abrams Books
Mary McAveney has made significant strides in reshaping Abrams Books for the future. From her focus on digital marketing and consumer engagement to her commitment to high-quality printed books, McAveney’s approach combines the best of traditional publishing with the demands of the digital age.
Under her leadership, Abrams Books is poised to navigate the challenges of a changing industry and continue its legacy as a publisher of world-class books.
