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`(e.g., golf), and
`ish for Dummies has been an especially
`games
`(e.g.,
`strong-selling mobileapp).
`poker).
`Wiley is celebrating the anniversary
`These days,
`with authorinterviews, local events, con-
`the Dummies
`sumer sweepstakes and prizes, piveaways
`franchiseis esti-
`on Dummies social media sites, recailer
`mated to bring
`and library contests, and Dummies man
`in approximately
`appearances. On March 1, Wiley will
`$100 million to
`launch a 20th anniversary landing page
`Wiley annually.
`on Dummies.com.
`Oneof the most
`There are manyreasons for Dummies’
`recent successful
`success, but Mikulich sums up Dum-
`Dummies licens-
`mies’ allure this way: “It gives people
`ing programs is
`permission to try things chat are beyond
`musical
`instru-
`their reach,”
`—Lynn Andriani
`ments. Acoustic
`Guitar Starter Pack for Dummies comes =
`with a Konasteel-string acoustic guitar,
`a book, an audio CD, a “pig bag,”a digi-
`
`||
`
`cial that says “there's an app
`for that”? Chances are, if
`there's somerhing you want to learn
`how to do, there's a Dummies book
`for chat. With some 1,800 ticles in
`princ, there are guides to 329s and
`other college savings plans, auto
`repair, budget weddings, building
`chicken coops, and even self-publish-
`ing. But as the brandhits its 20th
`anniversary, books are just a portion
`of the vast business that has spunoff
`of what started as DOS for Dummies
`in 199]
`Within three years of that book's
`7,500-copy initial print
`run (by
`IDG, which Wiley acquired in 2001), it
`had 10 million booksin print, and a besr-
`selling series was well underway. Typical
`
`
`
`book series spinoffs like page-a-daycal-
`
`endars came next. The big move beyond
`books happened in 1996, when Dum-
`mies partnered with music company
`EMI on Classics for Dummies, a series thar
`paired books with CDs containing more
`than 60 minutes of music. They sold very
`well, with Beethoven far Diemmies hitting
`#2 on a Billboard chart. “That was the
`beginning of Dummies being treared asa
`:
`brand thar could belicensed out for prod-
`ucts and services beyondits core publish-
`ing program,” said Marc Mikulich, v-p of
`brand management, who has been with
`Dummies sinceits inception.
`Board games, exercise videos, and
`sewing patterns followed, all cied to
`Dummies books.
`In fact,
`the sewing
`patterns license, held by pattern com-
`pany Simplicity, continues cothis day.
`More than 100 patterns are sold primar
`ily in JoAnn’s and Wal-Mart. They've
`sold so well ac Wal-Mart thac theretailer
`changed the way they are displayed,
`oS
`=a
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`the tradirional
`file cabinets that retailers have used for
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`
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`
`tal cuner,andthreepicks. Thelise priceis
`
`$159.99, and Amazonsells it for $99.97
`There's an electric guitar version, too.
`Mikulich said the packs were “extremely
`successful’ this past holiday seasonon
`|
`Amazon. Tech Support for Dummies,
`whichlaunched ac CES in January, isalso |
`doing well. For $14.95 a month, cus-
`tomers get unlimited tech support for
`30) days, covering PCs, printers, scan-
`z
`ae
`ners, digital cameras, 1Tunes, and other
`devices and applications. GPS Naviga-
`tion for Dummiesis another popular pro-
`gram, complete with the familiar Dum-
`mies manandhis triangular head right
`on the GPSscreen.
`Dummies’ licensing team continues
`se
`co look for opportunities to exrend the
`brand into new channels and products.
`Employees working on the Dummies
`brand even go through extensive “Dum-
`mies brand training.”
`Of course, all Dummies licensing
`comes back to the books, and the Dum-
`Sai
`mies publishing program continues ro
`be a robust onefor Wiley. There are more
`than 250 million copies of Dummies
`
`|
`
`(\
`
`
`
`PENGUIN GROUP
`(USA) DWE Gad
`DK PUBLISHING
`wish to remind the trade
`that their published terms
`of sale provide that they
`ie
`:
`will accept and credit
`returns only from the direct
`purchaser identified on the
`invoice evidencing the
`sale.” This term applies to
`:
`alas
`publishers distributed by
`y
`E
`Penguin as well, Penguin
`and DK therefore will reject
`and return books returned
`for credit by anyone who is
`not the direct invoice
`purchaser.
`
`Penguin Group (USA)
`Inc.
`| penguin.com
`Tennant Company
`www.eustisuensorselbit1015 5
`
`
`
`Tennant Company
`Exhibit 1015
`
`

`

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`
`IDG Books is no dummy in the business world
`
`Author: Alastair Goldfisher
`Date: Mar. 12, 1999
`From: The Business Journal(Vol. 16, Issue 47)
`Publisher: American City Business Journals, Inc.
`Document Type: Article
`Length: 1,104 words
`
`Full Text:
`John Kilcullen is no dummy.
`
`But he's capitalized on helping millions of so-called "dummies" do everything from working on their computers to selecting the right
`wine with dinner.
`
`Mr. Kilcullen is chairman and CEO of IDG Books Worldwide Inc. a Foster City publisher of technology, financial and other guide
`books.
`
`IDG publishes about 700 titles within 18 brands, but the public company is perhaps best known for its "For Dummies" series.
`
`This includes its top-selling "Windows For Dummies" and 360 other "For Dummies" titles, such as "Beauty Secrets For Dummies,"
`"The Internet For Dummies" and "Wine For Dummies," which is used in the hospitality management course at Cornell University, in
`Ithaca, N.Y.
`
`Most experts agree that IDG was a pioneer in creating a line of easy-to-read guide books.
`
`"For Dummies" books are characterized by easy-to-read charts and graphs that break down a complex subject into at digestible
`course.
`
`The books, which cost up to $25 each, incorporate pop culture, such as top 10 lists, and their yellow arid black covers have made
`them an easily recognizable brand, much like people associate the trademark "Rollerblades" with in-line skates.
`
`"The people who buy our books feel intimidated and left out," Mr. Kilcullen said. "With our cartoons and approach to educating, we
`make them empowered."
`
`Mr. Kilcullen, 40, co-founded the company in 1990 as a subsidiary of International Data Group Inc., a Boston publisher of computer
`magazines such as Infoworld.
`
`Mr. Kilcullen, along with three others from the parent company, started IDG Books to publish computer reference books, and after the
`first year had nine titles. But the information was old, and the company lost more than $1 million in its first two fiscal years, before the
`"For Dummies" line was invented.
`
`"Thankfully we had the support of a benevolent investor to keep us in business," Mr. Kilcullen said of IDG's parent, which still owns
`about 75 percent of the firm.
`
`Then IDG decided to dummy-down the information. The company inserted catchy icons, humor and friendly graphics to come up with
`"DOS For Dummies" in 1991, months after DOS 5.0 was released.
`
`Waldenbooks rejected the book because the "Dummies" moniker sounded too negative and the information wasn't technical enough.
`
`But a brand was born.
`
`More than four million copies of "DOS For Dummies" have been sold.
`
`The book originally had a white cover, but after Mr. Kilcullen read a Forbes magazine article about how can stir an emotional
`
`

`

`response, he changed it to yellow.
`
`He may be on to something.
`
`The Color Association of the United States reports that yellow is the most luminous color and can be used to signify wisdom. The
`New York-based association lists black type on a yellow background as the color combination that's easiest on the eyes.
`
`IDG went on to earn about $1 million in sales in the fiscal year after the DOS book debuted.
`
`For the 1998 fiscal year ended in September, IDG reported profit of $10 million on revenue of $140 million, compared with a profit of
`$7 million on $120 million in revenue the year before.
`
`It launched the ninth-largest initial public offering in Silicon Valley in 1998, raising $50 million when it debuted on the stock market
`Sept. 30.
`
`Though the company is indelibly associated with "For Dummies," those books and sundry products - CDs, calendars and games -
`now account for only 60 percent of the firm's revenue, compared with 90 percent in earlier years. IDG's 17 other lines of products
`make up its remaining revenue base.
`
`"IDG knows how to package and sell books; that's their success," said Malcolm Kushner, a Santa Cruz consultant and author of
`"Public Speaking For Dummies."
`
`"Their books are easy, simple and they read just like how people think," he added.
`
`IDG's 450 or so employees have a host of competitors, such as Simon & Schuster, McGraw-Hill and Microsoft Press. But probably
`none more so than Macmillan, which publishes some 300 titles under the "Idiot's Guide" series. such as "The Complete Idiot's Guide
`to Dating."
`
`The books are similar to "For Dummies," though "Idiot's" come with a white cover. Last year, Macmillan's line reportedly earned sales
`of about one-fourth that of what "For Dummies" earned for IDG.
`
`"Being called a dummy is cute and friendly, but being called an idiot is not so nice," said Karen Park, marketing manager for Stanford
`Bookstore.
`
`She said "For Dummies" outsells "Idiot's" 10 to one at Stanford Bookstore.
`
`"There's a universe of possibilities out there and we get a lot of title ideas," said 40-year-old IDG president Steven Berkowitz. "That
`says how well our brands have penetrated the market."
`
`During IDG's road show - when soon-to-be public companies meet potential investors - Mr. Berkowitz said many of the staunch
`bankers recommended titles such as "Funeral For Dummies" and "Judaism For Dummies."
`
`But IDG is more than "For Dummies."
`
`The publisher bought MIS: Press and M&T Books from Henry Holt & Co. of New York in 1991; IDG has extended globally by
`becoming a 40 percent partner in a Canadian joint venture called CDG Books Canada; and IDG is 25 percent owner of TransQuest
`Publishers, a book distributor in Southeast Asia.
`
`IDG also has teamed with Netscape Communications Corp. to publish books and CD-ROMs under the name Netscape Press.
`
`At the end of last year, IDG bought the venerated student-aid publisher Cliffs Notes of Lincoln, Neb, for $18 million. Coincidentally,
`the 300 titles of Cliffs Notes feature yellow covers and black lettering.
`
`Messrs. Kilcullen and Berkowitz noted that the color scheme of Cliffs :Notes fits well with IDG. They also said the concept of Cliffs
`helping to educate the masses makes the 40-year-old company an even better sibling of "For Dummies."
`
`"IDG has grown well because their products have a great marketing approach," said Frank Romano, professor of digital publishing at
`the Rochester Institute of Technology. "Who would have thought that insulting your readers by calling them 'dummies' would be so
`successful."
`
`Facts and figures 'For Dummies'
`
`First book in the "For Dummies" series: "DOS For Dummies" by Dan Gookin, November 1991 4.2 million copies in print
`
`First non-computer "For Dummies" book: "Personal Finance For Dummies" by Eric Tyson, April 1994 939,000 copies in print.
`
`Most "For Dummies" books in print:
`
`"Windows For Dummies" by Andy Rathbone"
`
`

`

`First edition published October 1992 7.8 million copies in print
`
`Number of "For Dummies" titles: 369 (260 are about technology)
`
`Number of non-"For Dummies" books published by IDG: More than 300
`
`More than 40 "For Dummies" titles have reached more than 250,000 copies in print
`
`"For Dummies" books are translated into 31 languages
`
`Source: IDG Books Worldwide Inc.
`
`Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1999 Business Journal Publishing Company
`http://www.acbj.com/
`Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
`Goldfisher, Alastair. "IDG Books is no dummy in the business world." The Business Journal, vol. 16, no. 47, 12 Mar. 1999, p. 3+.
`Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A54266402/ITOF?u=hennepin&sid=ITOF&xid=4714ea7a. Accessed 5 Feb. 2021.
`Gale Document Number: GALE|A54266402
`
`