I just got off the phone with my rep at Gina Alexander, and I can hardly contain myself!

I was calling to ask about an order, and I was told that BIG stuff is happening there today...
Gina Alexander Inc was just chosen to make the presentation bags for the Oscars this year! They told me that they're making a really cool duffel bag with montage/collage from all of the best-picture-nominated movies and best actor and best actress nominees -- I can hardly wait to see one! Inside the bag, the Oscar folks ("The Academy" I suppose) will put in all the gifts for the stars. Inside that bag will also go a really snazzy high-end brochure from Gina Alexander Inc, describing the company and their philanthropic projects as well (they do a lot with Hope Worldwide). Of course, Gina Alexander bags are photo-based, and good portraits make the best bags, so they're going to be featuring photographers in the brochure/card! They're opening up ad/feature space in the brochure so photographers can buy that ad space.
How cool is that!?! You can have your business info handed out in the luxurious bags to all of the stars and Hollywood elite at the Academy Awards this year!!
They told me that photographers should contact their rep (Samuel, Erica, etc) to find out more...

I do know that the Gina Alexander Inc is donating the proceeds to Hope Worldwide (awesome ad & helping a great cause -- win win)

I jumped at the chance to get one of the spaces! So I know there's one spot taken already, and I don't know how many more are available.
Talk about BRANDING smile.gif

I'm off to try to get a cool ad designed!

If you're a SoCal photographer (LA especially), this would be super cool!!

Yeah, I just got the email. I've got to check it out!

UPDATE: I just called them because I needed to know about the ad specs (RGB or CMYK -- they're getting back to me). Anyway, they told me that the ad will be going out to the entire Gina Alexander Inc mailing list -- not the photographer program list, but their retail-side customer mailing list!
They'll be doing multiple email blasts talking about their stuff and the Oscars and how their fabulous photographer partners are helping the Hope Worldwide cause along with them, so the emails with the ads included will go out to thousands of folks who love photo bags (and good photography ... duh). That's some good branding! I'm so glad I signed up for an ad!

That is really cool.

Hi Carey,

Very interesting, thanks for sharing. I've been wanting to start carrying these bags.

Would you mind telling how much the ad space is? And how many ads they are going to accept? I'm not in CA anymore (just moved), but lots of people travel...

Thanks,
Shari

PS - Do you have a favorite bag?

It's $200 for a 1/4 page, $400 for a 1/2 page. I don't know how many ads they're selling, but I just sent a rough draft of mine in, and they told me they don't have many left...

A favorite bag? Melody will be laughing her arse off now (she loves to make fun of my bag collection). I have a Nicole, a Fairfax, a classic Small, a Tote, an Audrey, a backpack... I say they're samples to show clients
My favorite right now is my tote, but it's a little big for me. But I love it cuz it's different w/the illustration instead of a photo on one side...

Thanks. I just went to your website to see if you had any photos of the bags. Wonderful photography!

I want to get my first sample -- I'm trying to decide which bag to get. And, of course, which image to use. Decisions, decisions...

Sounds like you're their best customer! Do you sell a lot of them?

This is the one...

Click to view attachment

I bought one of the ads. Thanks for the tip!... we'll see what happens.

completely unrelated to your ad (which sounds great by the way) -

i can't see any stars hauling around that bag in their real lives...can you imagine if the paparazzi caught two of them with the same bag???

I signed up too! Can't wait to see it actually in print! They said they'd be sending us one, so that will be cool!

I can't imagine them really using the bag either, but at least it's good publicity