ABSTRACT
Book covers can be an important part of the branding process in the case of authors from abroad. The branding of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s novels in the Netherlands is a paradigmatic case in point. The front cover of his Dutch debut De schaduw van de wind became a classic: it is a crucial element of the Dutch Zafón brand, while essential features from it have been used to frame a considerable number of other Spanish authors’ novels that have since been launched onto the Dutch market. We examine three cases: Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Elia Barceló, and María Dueñas. Emulating successful cover branding seems to have the best chance of succeeding in the case of ‘new’ authors and appears to be most effective in the short term.
