BALTICON 47 ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP

BALTICON 47, the Maryland Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, is scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27, 2013, at the Hunt Valley Hilton Inn just north of Baltimore, MD. Guest of Honor: Joe Haldeman; Artist Guest of Honor: Rick Sternbach; Music/Filk Guest of Honor: Ada Palmer; Special Guest: Nnedi Okorafor; Featured Filkers: Sassafrass; 2012 Compton Crook Award Winner: T.C. McCarthy; 2013 Compton Crook Award Winner: TBA at Balticon 47.

BSFAN Advertising

The BSFAN is an award-winning annual publication of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc., and it features original art, original science fiction and fantasy writing, and highlights the accomplishments of program participants at the annual science fiction convention known as Balticon. Ad space is available for purchase or exchange in the next issue of the’s BSFAN, the Balticon convention souvenir book. Deadline for receipt of copy is March 31, 2013. Fan organizations may purchase ads at a 50% discount, or for like-kind exchange. We can accept electronic files or camera-ready hard copy for scanning.

Circulation: Estimated readership/distribution is 1,800-2,200, based on previous conventions.                           

Bona-fide non-profit fan organizations are eligible for a 50% discount off the pro rates. Fan publications wishing to trade ads must request to do so in writing by March 15, 2013. Please email your reservation request along with your advertising deadlines and specifications to: bsfan AT bsfs DOT org.

Publication Format for Ads: Two column format, 8.5” x 11" (W x H). Ads may run either vertically or horizontally. Please allow 1/2” border on all sides (please size ads to the above print specifications). Bleed to edge may be charged extra.

COLOR ADS: A limited number of interior color pages are available; sorry, no covers. A full color page (full bleed to edge if desired) is $350. Please make sure electronic files for color printing are saved using the CMYK (not RGB) colorspace.

Acceptable Printing Materials: Please provide camera-ready copy via one of the following methods (please include a SASE with adequate postage if you would like your materials returned; if not, they will be discarded):

1. Email attachment (pdf, psd, tiff, or jpeg formats preferred) to bsfan AT bsfs DOT org or elwynsattic AT gmail DOT com.
2. CDROM or flash drive (formatted to be read on a Windows-based PC) mailed to the address below.
3. Hardcopy, camera-ready and suitable for scanning, mailed to the address below.

Closing Date: Final camera-ready copy must be received no later than March 31, 2013. Please query concerning other arrangements.

Mailing Address: Send all advertising reservations and copy to: Balticon 47, Attn: Advertising, PO Box 686, Baltimore, MD 21203-0686.

Email Address: bsfan AT bsfs DOT org

For further information, contact Patti Kinlock at bsfan AT bsfs DOT org or phone BSFS headquarters at (410) 563-2737 and ask for a Balticon committee member or leave a message (BSFS headquarters is not staffed, so you will most likely get our answering machine). Please make all monies payable in U.S. currency to: Balticon 47. Please specify if you require an invoice. 

ADVERTISING OUTSIDE BSFAN:

1. Freebie Table: You can send us up to 500 pieces each of posters or other promotional items to put on the freebies table, managed by Filthy Pierre. This does not constitute a sponsorship, so no charge, but no perks either.
2. Registration Packets
1. At no cost to you, we will include your discount coupon for 10% or more off of food, goods or services or with a value of $2.00 or greater in the Balticon members’ registration packets (1,800 piece minimum — but we recommend you go for 2,000 pieces).
2. You can support Balticon and your own marketing goals by having your promotional literature or other promotional items (a.k.a. "swag") placed in the Balticon registration bags. The fee for this service is seven cents ($.07) per item per bag for a minimum of 1,800 pieces ($126.00)
3. Sponsorships: As a Balticon Sponsor, your donation can be in the form of cash (see #2 below for ideas), goods (see #4 below for ideas), equipmment (see #5 below) or services (see #6 below). Cash donations can be untargeted (going into the general Balticon operating fund), or you can choose to sponsor a specific event (see #3 below), one or more days of a function space, or specific expenses like truck and van rentals, tech equipment rentals, or transportation or lodging for guests of honor.


1. We offer the following incentives to encourage Balticon sponsorship:

"Friend of Balticon" sponsor donations are valued up to $126. "Friend of Balticon" sponsor names are included on the Balticon sponsors list in the BSFAN.

"We Balticon" sponsor donations are valued from $126 to $294. "We Balticon" sponsor names are included on the Balticon sponsors list on the web and in the BSFAN.

Bronze level donations are valued from $294 to $504. Bronze sponsors are offered:

Silver level donations are valued from $504 to $840. Silver sponsors are offered:

Gold level donations are valued from $840 to $1764. Gold sponsors are offered:

Platinum level donations are valued from $1764

Diamond level donations are valued at over $4200. Diamond sponsors are offered:

2. Ideas for cash donations:
1. Contribute a Prepaid Debit or Amex or Visa Gift Card to be applied to the restaurant tab for dinner with the Con Chair (we treat our Guests of Honor, staff pay their own tabs) Any amount over the guests' tab will be used first to pay the tip on the entire tab, then to reduce staff members' meal expense.
2. Send us your check for any amount to be placed in the Balticon general operating fund. We'll use it where it's needed!
3. Send us a Hilton gift card or a check to pay for one or more room nights for one of our Guests of Honor, the Berserker Lair, Con-Ops/Security den, Tech Crew den, or one of the Parlor Suites which we use as function space for programming.
4. Send us $50 to $100 coupons, gift cards, or prepaid debit cards to be used as prizes in the various competitions at Balticon.


3. To sponsor a specific event, tell us where you want your donation applied, such as:
1. Friday Face Time—Meet The Guests, Artists, Scientists ($300-$500)
2. KaffeeKlatsches ($200 - $300)
3. Staff Volunteer Lunches ($100 per day)
4. A Con Suite day ($600-$1,200)
5. Dinner with the Con Chair ($500-$1,000)
6. Needleworkers Tea or Regency Tea and Gaming ($150 each)
7. Balticon Sunday Night Short Film Festival ($500)
8. A day of Volunteer/Staff lunches or dinners ($100 - $600)
9. Art Show Monday Workshops and other Art Program events ($100 - $500)
10. Masquerade Green Room ($100 - $300)


4. Contact the Sponsor Liaison to make arrangements to donate goods such as:
1. pizza or subs for Thursday or Monday night truck crews
2. snack foods (bread, crackers, sliced or cubed cheese, chips, cookies, candy) for the Green Rooms and Con Suite
3. cases of drinks
4. paper supplies such as paper plates, paper cups, napkins
5. art and craft supplies like drawing paper, construction paper, origami paper, sculpting clay, pencils, crayons, pastels, child-safe paints and markers, play dough, colored pencils, colored pipe cleaners, craft (popsicle) sticks
6. 300-1,000 poly, fabric, or heavy plastic tote bags
7. film-related items (SF/F DVD's, movie posters, movie passes, etc.) for Film Festival door prizes
8. cool stuff for the raffle basket


5. Contact us to make arrangements to donate new or used equipment in good condition, such as:
1. coffee makers and carafes, chafing dishes, microwave ovens, crock pots
2. sewing machines or sergers for the Masquerage Green Room or Custuming Program
3. good quality, late model projectors
4. 6-foot, 10-foot and 12-foot portable screens for video projection
5. High resolution DVD players
6. audio and video recording equipment
7. literature display racks
8. grid wall sections
9. wheel chairs
10. folding easels
11. music stands
12. laser printers (B&W or color)
13. free-standing room air conditioners
14. 84" long flame-retardant-treated drapes


6. Contact us to make arrangements to donate or fund services, such as:
1. professional shuttle or limousine services between the convention hotel and airports or train stations
2. printing of 11X17 room schedules and/or Rocket Mail
3. a convention schedule app for mobile devices
4. moving van service to transport equipment to and from the convention (between New Jersey and Balticon, Baltimore and Balticon or Massachusetts and Balticon
5. made-to-order baked goods for Balticon events
6. air conditioned event tents or classroom trailers (including delivery, setup and removal) for auxiliary Saturday and Sunday function space


7. We are open to suggestions for other sponsorship ideas! (We are always open to cool ideas!)

Please provide us with either camera-ready copy or an electronic copy of your ad or logo to be included with your qualifying listing. For your ad to be placed in the BSFAN, we must receive your donation and qualifying ad copy by April 15, 2013. See above for BSFAN advertising information.

We request that boxes be marked with heavy black marker—either "B47 Reg Packets," "B47 [Event or Department Name]" or "B47 Freebie Table" so that we know exactly where it goes. You can email Sponsors' Liaison to make arrangements to drop off packages or have us pick up your packages from any Baltimore area location any time before May 20, 2013, or shipments can be sent to our package shipping address to arrive by that date:

Balticon, Sponsorships Coordinator, PMB 61, 8775 Cloud Leap Court, Columbia, MD 21045

Please include a letter with monetary donations specifying how you would like us to use the funds if other than applied to the general Balticon operating fund. Promotional literature and items for Registration Packets should be received before Monday, May 20, 2013, The mailing and shipping address for Registration packet promotional literature and items (and remittance, if applicable) is:

Balticon, Inc., Registration Packets, PMB 61, 8775 Cloud Leap Court, Columbia, MD 21045

The mailing address for monetary donations, is:

BSFS, Inc., Sponsorships Coordinator, PMB 61, 8775 Cloud Leap Court, Columbia, MD 21045.

For further information, contact the Sponsors' Liaison

Please feel free to distribute this information to interested parties.