BlackDog & Leventhal
Black Dog & Leventhal is a New York-based publishing imprint under Hachette Book Group that produces visually distinctive reference and pop-culture books on film, music, art, science, sports, and cooking for general readers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What BlackDog & Leventhal does
Black Dog & Leventhal is a publishing imprint of Hachette Book Group (HBG), itself a division of Hachette Livre, the third-largest publisher globally. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in New York, BDL specializes in visually distinctive, high-design books that function as deep-dive reference and leisure reads across pop culture (film, music, television, performing arts), art and photography, math and science, sports, and reference topics. The imprint operates with 1–10 employees and is organized around repeatable franchise series such as "All the Songs," "All the Films," and titles built around Theodore Gray's scientific photography and Jacques Pépin's cooking techniques.
The imprint's product is physical and digital books distributed through HBG's global wholesale, bookstore, and eCommerce channels, with no proprietary consumer-facing technology platform. BDL does not operate an independent storefront or app; consumers are directed to purchase through the HBG ordering platform and partner retailers. Recent releases (2025–2026) include Taylor Swift All the Songs, Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese All the Films, the 50th Anniversary Edition of Jacques Pépin Complete Techniques, Martha Graham Dance Company 100 Years, and E Is for Edward, demonstrating active pipeline development across multiple verticals.
BDL monetizes through standard one-time book sales at retail pricing under standard trade-publisher economics, with no disclosed subscription, licensing, or platform revenue streams. Pricing is not publicly disclosed at the title level and the imprint does not publish revenue, headcount growth, or financial KPIs; all economic activity is consolidated within HBG/Hachette Livre reporting. Marketing is executed via HBG's newsletter infrastructure (offering 20% off sitewide promotions), the HBG imprint webpage, and an Instagram presence (@bdlev), with no independent sales force or DTC infrastructure.
BlackDog & Leventhal firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BlackDog & Leventhal
- Legal name
- Hachette Book Group
- Website
- https://blackdogandleventhal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Black Dog & Leventhal is a New York-based publishing imprint under Hachette Book Group that produces visually distinctive reference and pop-culture books on film, music, art, science, sports, and cooking for general readers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BlackDog & Leventhal industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hardcover & Premium Editions Publishing (MPAJAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN)
Keywords
Where BlackDog & Leventhal is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BlackDog & Leventhal business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of published books through retail distribution channels, eCommerce platforms, and bookstore partnerships. Books are sold as physical products with one-time purchase transactions at retail pricing.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
BlackDog & Leventhal product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Dog & Leventhal is a publishing imprint under Hachette Book Group that produces visually captivating, distinctively packaged books across Arts/Entertainment/Pop Culture, History & Culture, Pop Science, Health & Wellness, and Sports & Outdoors. Titles are sold as one-time-purchase physical and digital editions through Hachette's wholesale, eCommerce, and retail bookstore channels, targeting general readers seeking comprehensive single-volume reference and leisure reads on favorite subjects.
Product overview
Black Dog & Leventhal is a book publishing imprint under Hachette Book Group that publishes visually captivating books across several categories: Arts/Entertainment/Pop Culture, History & Culture, Pop Science, Health & Wellness, and Sports & Outdoors. The imprint specializes in deep-dive reference books on subjects like film, music, television, performing arts, art, photography, math, science, and sports. Notable book series include 'All the Songs' (covering artists like Taylor Swift, U2, and Martin Scorsese), 'All the Films' (covering directors like Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese), and cooking technique books like Jacques Pépin Complete Techniques. The company operates as a single imprints producing physical and digital books distributed through Hachette Book Group.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- All the Songs: Book series featuring song-by-song analysis of musicians' complete catalogs, including Taylor Swift, U2, and other artists.
- All the Films
- Theo Gray
Products and services
- Black Dog & Leventhal Book Catalog Curated catalog of visually captivating and distinctively packaged nonfiction books published under the Black Dog & Leventhal imprint of Hachette Book Group, spanning Arts/Entertainment/Pop Culture, History & Culture, Pop Science, Health & Wellness, and Sports & Outdoors, sold as physical and digital editions to general readers worldwide.
Companies that use BlackDog & Leventhal
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
BlackDog & Leventhal technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BlackDog & Leventhal partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
BlackDog & Leventhal competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quirk Books: Mid-size publisher known for quirkily packaged trade titles, gift books, and pop-culture reference — a comparable niche publisher competing for similar visual/reference shelf space.
- Workman Publishing: Now part of Hachette Book Group, Workman publishes visually-driven, gift and reference titles (calendars, cookbooks, humor) — a direct peer that is in fact a sister imprint under the same parent.
- Phaidon Press: Publisher of visual books on art, architecture, design, photography, and food. Comparable in visually-driven, premium-format publishing serving a similar gifting and reference market.
- Running Press: Also under Hachette, Running Press publishes gift-format illustrated books, mini editions, and pop culture titles — directly comparable format and audience to Black Dog & Leventhal.
- Insight Editions: Publisher of premium, highly-visual books on film, music, gaming, and pop culture. Direct competitor in the celebrity/film-analysis gift book segment that includes 'All the Films' style titles.
- Chronicle Books: Independent publisher specializing in visually distinctive, gift-quality books across pop culture, art, design, food, and children's categories — the closest direct competitor to Black Dog & Leventhal's positioning.
- Abrams Books: Publisher specializing in illustrated books on art, photography, design, cooking, and pop culture. Closely comparable in subject mix, visual identity, and gift-channel distribution.
- Taschen: Global publisher of premium illustrated and art/photography books. Comparable on visual-design and giftability, though positioned at the high end of the price spectrum.
Broad incumbents
- Penguin Random House: World's largest trade publisher. Competes broadly for the same retail shelf space, author access, and consumer spend that Black Dog & Leventhal targets with its illustrated trade titles.
- DK (Dorling Kindersley): Major illustrated reference publisher owned by Penguin Random House. Direct overlap in the illustrated reference/science category, but at significantly larger scale and as part of a much broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BlackDog & Leventhal social profiles
Digital presenceBlackDog & Leventhal financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BlackDog & Leventhal leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
BlackDog & Leventhal funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BlackDog & Leventhal M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BlackDog & Leventhal
What does BlackDog & Leventhal do?
Black Dog & Leventhal is a publishing imprint under Hachette Book Group that produces visually captivating, distinctively packaged books across Arts/Entertainment/Pop Culture, History & Culture, Pop Science, Health & Wellness, and Sports & Outdoors. Titles are sold as one-time-purchase physical and digital editions through Hachette's wholesale, eCommerce, and retail bookstore channels, targeting general readers seeking comprehensive single-volume reference and leisure reads on favorite subjects.
Is BlackDog & Leventhal a public or private company?
BlackDog & Leventhal is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was BlackDog & Leventhal founded?
BlackDog & Leventhal was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BlackDog & Leventhal based?
BlackDog & Leventhal is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does BlackDog & Leventhal make money?
One revenue line is on record: book Sales.
Who are BlackDog & Leventhal's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quirk Books, Workman Publishing, Phaidon Press, Running Press, Insight Editions, Chronicle Books, Abrams Books and Taschen. Broad incumbents are Penguin Random House and DK (Dorling Kindersley).
Does BlackDog & Leventhal have an API?
No public API is recorded for BlackDog & Leventhal.
What industry is BlackDog & Leventhal in?
BlackDog & Leventhal's product category is Trade Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAE, Hardcover & Premium Editions Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAAAN, Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.