Richard Castle is a pretty awesome guy.  He’s good-humored, likable, and he’s someone you can depend on when things are tough.  Sound too good to be true?  No – he really is like that.  So what’s the catch, then?  Well, he’s not real . . . sort of.  Richard Castle exists Monday nights for one hour beginning at 9 o’clock.  In case you haven’t heard of or seen the show (and I recommend you do; it’s pretty entertaining) Richard Castle is a bestselling thriller writer living in New York, who, in an attempt to draw inspiration for his writing, spends his time solving crimes with NYPD detectives.  He’s not real.  Yet something strange is occurring, because by some weird turn of events, Richard Castle’s novels are being published in our world – and they’re available at a bookstore near you!

 Castle, a member of the ABC family of television programs, has so far proved relatively successful for ABC, currently airing its third season.  In fact, it seems to have become so successful that a series of books, entitled the Nikki Heat Series, has begun to be published.  Its first title, Heat Wave, was published in 2009, with its second installment, Naked Heat, following earlier this year.  However, these aren’t your normal TV-tie-in books.  Reading the book synopsis and author biography, one begins to see that the publisher, Hyperion, treats both Heat Wave and Naked Heat as if they were, in fact, the actual novels from the Castle show.  For example, the author biography goes so far as to reference an earlier series of books written by Richard Castle.  A fusion of realities has occurred, in which the “real” world of Castle has become part of our everyday life – for the benefit of creating a “Castle Culture” for the program’s fan base.  A pretty smart move by ABC and Hyperion; and if Castle continues to entertain, it can be assumed a new Nikki Heat novel won’t be far off.

For a person entering a bookstore, the purchasing of a book is generally not considered to be a life-changing decision; therefore it would be an example of a low-effort decision.  So, being low-effort, what could compel a shopper to pick up a Richard Castle novel?  For one, there is the availability heuristic, where the shopper may recall details from Castle which would create a positive and vivid show-related experience that has the potential to not only spur them to purchase the novel, but to remind them to tune in as well.  The novels can really be an extension of the DVD products, and if placed together or in close proximity, they may increase the creation of the “Castle Culture” for fans. 

 Buying books, being a fan of a television program – it all comes down to the feelings that one gets from reading a good book or watching an awesome program.  We read the types of books that we like, right?  We watch shows that give us positive feelings, correct?  We do this because of feeling-based decision making, a part of low-effort processing.  ABC has tried to capitalize on this fact – in a rather successful manner, it would seem.  Let’s go back to the bookstore shopper: so they are browsing and come across Heat Wave.  What goes through their mind?  If they pick up the book, flip a few pages, and tuck it under their arms to buy on their way out, they’ve probably undergone affect referral.  Seeing the book reminded them of Castle, which, being a show they like, they associate it with feelings of happiness (it’s part comedy, after all), and as a result the intent to buy the book has happened.  However, not only has the book been sold, but there’s also been a reinforcement and reminder to watch the upcoming episode of Castle.  This same situation plays out on the ABC website for Castle.  Fans logging on to catch the latest episode online will see the advertisement for Heat Wave or Naked Heat.  This may prompt them to stop by the bookstore and buy a copy.  These techniques are serving to increase the brand familiarity of ABC, reinforcing their current viewers and hopefully also championing new ones.  Bookstores and websites are also performing another task: together they are engaging in co-branding.  The shopper who buys the book tunes in later to watch Castle; the viewer who goes online stops by Barnes & Noble or Borders to buy Heat Wave – in both cases, ABC and Hyperion are reaping the benefits.  Co-branding is allowing them to reach an even wider audience then they would be able to alone. 

In partnership, both companies are growing in popularity – not to mention profits.  And we, the consumers, are enjoying immersing ourselves in the life of Richard Castle, through print and images.  ABC’s on to a good idea – combining the imaginary and the real into one and the same.  What’s next?  How about airline tickets to the island of Lost . . .