Penguin Books - Ruth Jones Window Art Advertising Campaign UK
WeTheSeeds (Public Arts Placemaking UK) were commissioned by Penguin Random House UK to design and install two bespoke Window Art Advertising displays across the UK for Ruth Jones’ (co-creator of BAFTA award-winning Gavin and Stacey) latest novel, By Your Side.
Penguin Books x Ruth Jones
The process
In anticipation of the release of By Your Side, our team took inspiration from Ruth Jones’ book cover artwork to design two unique hand-painted window installations across the UK.
Each display was tailored to fit the scale and character of the high street storefronts, bringing the book’s themes to life in a striking visual window design format.
Before installation, digital mock-ups featuring the novel’s title and author were created and shared with Penguin Random House UK. These windows not only celebrate Ruth Jones’ latest work but also encourage passersby to connect with literature, spark conversation, and create culturally engaging experiences within the localised community.
Digital pre-install mockup below:
Growing the seeds
Once our digital window concept was approved by stakeholders, our team of qualified window artists hand-painted the designs directly onto the booksellers’ storefronts - Free hand scaling the design in real life on the glass window panels!
Through a careful, 9 hour layering painting process, we worked closely with each bookseller to ensure the finished window mural illustrations faithfully translated the approved concept, capturing the depth, mood, and striking imagery of Ruth Jones’ By Your Side.
The bespoke window installations were unveiled in time for the release of “By Your Side” at Linghams Booksellers (Wirral, CH60 7SG) and Booka Bookshop(Oswestry, SY11 2SP), turning the shopfronts into striking, thought-provoking displays. These installations highlighted Ruth Jones’ work, engaged local readers, and added cultural vibrancy to each community. The Window Art Advertising campaign celebrated the book’s launch while emphasizing the role of bookselling spaces as centres of creativity and localised cultural connection.
Images of the final windows can be found below:
Collaborating with our bookseller partners, we amplified the impact of the window installations through a coordinated social media collaboration campaign, helping Ruth Jones’ “By Your Side” reach and engage audiences wider across the UK.
The window art is AMAZING! I also had emails from the booksellers to say how much they love the windows and how many lovely comments they’re getting on them as well. Great positive engagement and response from the community!
— Senior brand manager, Penguin Random House UK