Penguin Modern Classics at 50: Fighting Bytes with Bites

Penguin, the orange-spined iconic British paperback publisher, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Penguin Modern Classics this year.

Rather than rerelease titles as an app or some other digital/mobile item, it's celebrating the book (remember books?) with mini paper versions of 50 titles, some forgotten but all intended to delight and surprise and be read on the go.

Beautifully designed (of course), the Mini Modern Classics (which recalls VW's classic "Think Small" campaign and another iconic Brit brand, Mini) is a bold move for a brand whose stock in trade — the paper book — is fighting for its existence.

And who doesn't need to read more inspiring, engaging works of the imagination?

Here is Penguin's campaign promo...

...and a year-old video from the Penguin Group that bears rewatching. Produced for a Dorling Kindersley Books sales conference, it was such a hit internally that it was released to the public: