Guinness Book of World Records is an iconic book that has been published since 1954 and began as a book to settle pub disputes. It has become the source for all world records and sell more than 2 million copies annually. The book itself is a world record holder – as the “world’s most sold copyrighted book.”
Although it has offered a digital version of its book for several years, this year the editors are launching a series of new digital options, and apps for readers.
Guinness World Records has: “undergone a revolution; embracing new technology, engaging new audiences and reinventing its brand to bring relevance to a new era”.
Offering readers an “augmented reality app” where they can animate the photographs in the digital book. Guinness launched the app in early 2013, but hadn’t seen a spike in sales until the 2014 edition was unveiled. They state that app downloads have increased nearly 250% with the release of the latest edition.
They have also opened a YouTube channel that boasts nearly 200 million viewers worldwide. Their website has created a new area called “Challengers“. This area allows viewers to upload videos of themselves ‘challenging’ record holders. Their Facebook and Twitter accounts are also setting records with “most shared posts” among users.
While the records included in the book might be “old school” like jumping rope, Guinness has embraced the digital age with style.
