Submission Guidelines for Artists, Photographers & Writers
Smart Alex welcomes submissions from artists, photographers and
writers who share Smart Alex's philosophy of keeping greeting cards strictly,
"funny, edgy & risqué". This type of material is our specialty,
our niche, which is what we are known for the greeting card industry, we DO NOT
deviate from this format. If your
work obviously falls out of our parameters, please do not submit.
Please get yourself acquainted with our Smart Alex's sense of humor
(see http://www.smartalexinc.com/pages/greeting_cards/117.php),
as you can see through our large selections, it should be apparent the type of
greeting cards that we publish. If your work style is consistent with our Smart
Alex's publishing strategy, your work can be submitted as finished, a working
model, or in conceptual form. Our only requirement is that the subject
matter be humorous. Here's a specific breakdown of what we are looking
for:
• Purchase Photograph: Black & white or color.
Retro, Glamour, Women to Women, Older Folks and Beefcake will be given
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION! Strong emphasis on expressive features or humorous
situations. We will pay $150.00 for one time payment to purchase exclusive
rights.
• Purchase Illustration: From graphic artwork to
cartooning, we employ a wide variety of artistic styles in our greeting
cards. We will pay $150.00 for one time payment to purchase exclusive
rights.
• Purchase Copy: We're always on the lookout
for funny lines, with a definite emphasis on humor for grown-ups. Our
style of humor tends to be topical, witty, smart, ironic, or sexually
suggestive. We will pay $125.00 for each submission we selected to be
published. We like our cards to be surprising without being shocking, a
bit dirty without being filthy, and we like to poke fun without being
insulting. We prefer no sexual themes on Christmas Holidays cards, just funny
and humorous.
Royalty: Package of 5 or more
photos/illustrations with copy lines.
• 5% -
8% royalties.
• Retention
of copyright.
• Credit
with your name on the back of the card.
• 6
greeting cards sample of each.
One of the most important considerations for us when accepting
submissions is the submitter's willingness to work with us. It is very rare
that we receive a submission that does not need at least a few minor
adjustments. The technical requirements and limitations of the 4-color printing
process almost guarantees that a submission will need to be adjusted. Colors, fonts,
image scale, orientation, speech bubbles – all of these elements need to
achieve a certain harmony with our line in order to produce a salable greeting
cards. If these elements are out of proportion, even just a little, an
otherwise wonderful greeting card will simply disappear on the retail ranks.
Fortunately, after 30 years as a greeting card manufacturer, these adjustments
have become instinctual to us. Let’s be clear – we would never alter or adjust
anything without your consent, and any adjustments that we would recommend or
make ourselves would, of course, be subject to the submitter's final approval.
There are two ways you can submit your work to us:
1.
Email your submissions to: Submissions@smartalexinc.com. Graphic
submissions should be
sent as an email attachment, in .jpeg format and at a
resolution of 72 dpi. “Copy only”
submissions may be included as part of an
email. Please do not send large graphic files via
email.
2.
If you have a larger body of work, or if you feel that the low resolution email
option will not
properly represent your submission, please burn your work to a
disc and send it to our office via
ground mail. jpeg, .tiff and .es are all acceptable for this method of submission. We also
accept written copy
through the mail. We ask that the copy be typed or printed - no hand-written
copy please. Send your submissions to the following:
Smart Alex Inc.
1700 West Irving Park Road
Suite 105
Chicago IL 60613
Attn: Art Director, Submissions
•
Please remember to include your contact information with your submission -
name, daytime phone number, email address and also include self-addressed,
stamped envelope so that we could return your materials.
We understand and respect that you have invested a good deal of
time and effort into your work, and please be assured that your submission will
be review on a timely a manner. Please do not call us to check on the status of
your submission. If what you have sent us fits in with the Smart Alex line, we
will definitely contact you. We appreciate your taking the time to send us your
materials for us to review. Thank you in advance.
Revised: February 23, 2010
773.244.9275
Home |
Customer Assistance |
Artist Submissions |
About Smart Alex |
Store Locator |
Contact Us 
OUR TOP
BEST SELLERS
