View source for Imprint (trade name)

{{Short description|Trade name under which works are published}}
An '''imprint''' of a publisher is a [[trade name]] under which it publishes a work. A single [[Publishing|publishing company]] may have multiple imprints, often using the different names as [[brand]]s to [[marketing|market]] works to various [[Demography|demographic]] [[Market segmentation|consumer segments]].<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2015/02/a-quick-lesson-about-publishers-imprints-createspace-and-bowker/
|title= A Quick Lesson About Publishers, Imprints, CreateSpace, and Bowker
|first= Joel|last= Friedlander
|publisher= The Book Designer
|date= 2015-02-09|access-date= 2016-07-29}}</ref>

== Description ==
An imprint of a publisher is a [[trade name]]—a name that a business uses for trading commercial products or services—under which a work is [[Publishing|publish]]ed. Imprints typically have a defining character or [[Goal|mission]]. In some cases, the diversity results from the [[Takeover|takeover]] of smaller publishers (or parts of their business) by a larger company.

In the video game industry, some game companies operate various publishing labels. [[Electronic Arts]]' (EA) 2008 CEO, [[John Riccitiello]], stated that, with the establishing of Rockstar, [[Take-Two Interactive]] effectively invented the "label" corporate structure, which EA followed into in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-08-riccitiello-lords-over-city-state-studio-model/1100-6185814/ |title=D.I.C.E. '08: Riccitiello lords over "city-state" studio model |first=Tor |last=Thorsen |date=February 8, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904011243/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-08-riccitiello-lords-over-city-state-studio-model/1100-6185814/ |archive-date=September 4, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> This model has influenced rivals including [[Activision Blizzard]], [[ZeniMax Media|ZeniMax]], Electronic Arts from 2008 to 2018, [[Warner Bros. Games|Warner Bros. Interactive]], [[Embracer Group]], and [[Koei Tecmo]]. Take-Two have had such models in place since 1997–1998. Take-Two is seen as "a game holding company with autonomous game publishing and development subsidiaries".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/06/18/take-two-ceo-strauss-zelnick-im-charged-with-making-hard-decisions/|title=Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick: 'I'm charged with making hard decisions'|date=18 June 2018|access-date=3 September 2018|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127031144/https://venturebeat.com/2018/06/18/take-two-ceo-strauss-zelnick-im-charged-with-making-hard-decisions/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/03/02/ea-ceo-pledges-freedom-to-take-two-interactives-developers/|title=EA CEO pledges freedom to Take-Two Interactive's developers|date=3 March 2008}}</ref> Independently-owned game publishers like [[Devolver Digital]] also use the word "label" to describe themselves.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

== Use ==
A single publishing company may have multiple imprints, with the different imprints often used by the publisher to [[Marketing|market]] works to different [[Demography|demographic]] [[Market segmentation|consumer segments]]. For example, the objective of [[Viking Press|Viking]]—an imprint of the [[Penguin Group]]—is "[t]o publish a strictly limited list of good nonfiction, such as biography, history and works on contemporary affairs, and distinguished fiction with some claim to permanent importance rather than ephemeral popular interest".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yodiwan.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/what-is-an-imprint |title=What is an imprint? |work=The Book Publicity Blog |date=2009-07-14}}</ref>

== References ==
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{{Book publishing process}}
{{Academic publishing}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Publishing]]

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