At the very least, BookExpo means one thing to attendees (many of whom came from across the United States for the show last week): There’s a lot of stuff to take home. Catalogs, galleys, assorted swag—anyway you slice it, in the end, it’s all really heavy, and it needs to be carried as one makes the rounds. FedEx Kinko’s was on-site and doing a brisk business, but in the short term, for everyone who’s walking the floor, it’s all about The Bag.
Throughout the convention, competition is stiff to be the bag of choice, as having a few hundred people advertising your company to its target audience for free is, well, free. Here are a few of the standouts in our eyes, from the big guns to the creative upstarts.
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Hyperion Teens' bag, promoting Endless Summer Reads, featured hot colors, a Velcro closure, and durable oilcloth material.
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The giant red bag from McGraw-Hill was definitely a front-runner for most popular tote; it was everywhere. Its size and rugged (enough) construction made it capable of carrying a big and heavy load. A McGraw-Hill marketing rep indicated that the red bag is somewhat of a tradition at BookExpo, but she was perturbed to hear that some publishers were handing people bags as they walked into the venue in an effort to supplant what, according to her, was the reigning champ.
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Oxford University Press gave out totes advertising the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Sixth Edition that would fit right in on campus.
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How Books' clever tie-in for Milk Eggs Vodka, a book of found grocery lists: a brown paper bag.
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DK Publishing's bold logo-emblazoned bag excelled in functionality, offering multiple pockets of varying sizes, long arm straps, a zipper close, and tough construction.
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While not made of a tough material such as canvas, Chronicle's durable and well-designed paper bag had plenty of fans.
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Self-described radical publisher Verso created a strikingpaper bag that advertised one of its more accessible (and printing-friendly)titles Che: A Graphic Biography.
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Workman’s simple bag promoted a single title, The Official Filthy Rich Handbook.
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Rodale's smart-looking canvas bag wasn't just visually appealing—it boasted an especially wide bottom to accommodate lots of material.
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