BERTELSMANN
A.T. Kearney Inc. · 2000
When Bertelsmann entered the book-club market 50 years ago, the rules of the game did not exist; in fact, the company played a decisive role in creating them. Its innovative strategies helped make Bertelsmann a world leader in the book-club business. Every consumer who has received a direct-mail piece to join a book or record club knows how the business operates. What consumers may not know is that Bertelsmann has been able to analyze and adapt its lists to target consumers in microspecialized niches. For example, people interested in military history are sent catalogs that cater to that interest; those interested in cooking are targeted with catalogs of cookbooks and products for the home chef.