Osprey Takes Flight on Brands, Tribes, Clonefiles and the Crowd | Publishing Perspectives

"We found that growth was difficult in military because anything we did was cannibalizing ourselves," Smart explains. "Enthusiasts only spend so much per year. So we took a step back and asked ourselves what are we good at, and it came down to three things: publishing in niches, focusing on consumers and managing a brand. We decided to see what other areas we could apply that to." Rebecca Smart: "you only have a brand where it's a distinct niche."

The process began in 2007 with the purchase of heritage publisher Shire and was followed in 2010 by the acquisition of facsimile publisher Old House, described by Smart as "the best deal I'll ever do." Sales at Old House increased from £250,000 up to one million-plus, in part thanks to republishing Bradshaw's Handbook, a 19th-century railway journey guide that has iconic status in the UK and was used in a recent BBC TV series.