Grand Rapids Comic-Con Sponsorship Information
You may download the sponsorship kit for the Grand Rapids Comic-Con here.
photo/William Christopher Burgess
Take advantage of the Grand Rapids Comic-Con by advertising your business at the event through a sponsorship!
The Grand Rapids Comic-Con is now one of the ten largest annual events hosted in downtown Grand Rapids with over 22,000 people going through the turnstiles for the 2015 event. Literally people of all walks of life attend the Grand Rapids Comic-Con ranging in age from infants to their 90’s, so this is a very diverse, family-friendly event. Our demographic is basically anybody who has seen a superhero or science fiction film, so a sponsorship in the Grand Rapids Comic-Con is an excellent opportunity to reach a diverse customer base!
For more information on these opportunities, please contact: Anicia Latter, Community Relations Coordinator at 616.540.3998 or anicia@grcomiccon.com
Exclusive Title Sponsor $25,000
- 10×10 Booth in the Main Lobby of Convention Center
- Corporate logo prominently displayed on main stage banner
- Corporate event banners displayed in Main Vending Area
- Corporate name added to Main Stage title
- Opportunity to hang additional Corporate Banners in Vending Hall (supplied by Sponsor)
- 50 3-day passes to event
- 4 Tickets to the VIP Party
- Corporate logo/design on one side of Event Swag Bags
- Full page color ad in the Event Program
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
- Recognition in press releases, advertisements and TV commercials (based on deadlines)
- Recognition in Event Program and on website
- Floor Graphics with your message placed in predetermined areas
- Advertisement or approved promotional item in Event Swag Bag (supplied by sponsor)
(Additional requests can be submitted for approval)
Celebrity Sponsor (2) $10,000
- Corporate event banner displayed in the Celebrity Autograph Signing area
- Corporate logo displayed by the Main Stage
- 20 3-day passes to event
- 2 Tickets to the VIP Party
- Full page color ad in the Event Program
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
- Recognition in Event Program and website
- Floor Graphics with your message placed in Celebrity Guest area
- Advertisement or approved promotional item in Event Swag Bag (supplied by sponsor)
(Additional requests can be submitted for approval)
Family Center Sponsor (2) $10,000
- Corporate event banner displayed in the Family Center Vending Hall
- 20 3-day passes to event
- 2 Tickets to the VIP Party
- Full page color ad in the Event Program
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
- Recognition in Event Program and website
- Floor Graphics with your message placed in Family Vending Hall area
- Advertisement or approved promotional item in Event Swag Bag (supplied by sponsor)
(Additional requests can be submitted for approval)
GR Comic-Con Concert Sponsor (1) $7,500
- Opportunity to be the exclusive sponsor of our after-hours concert
(Please contact our Community Relations Coordinator for further details)
Programming Sponsor $5,000
- Corporate banner displayed in Main Vending Area
- 10 3-day passes to event
- Half page color ad in the Event Program (discounts available for larger ad)
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
- Recognition in the Event Program and website
- Advertisement or approved promotional item in Event Swag Bag (supplied by sponsor)
Main Lobby Sponsor (2) $5,000
- 10×10 Booth in the Main Lobby of Convention Center
- Half page color ad in the Event Program (discounts available for larger ad)
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
(these spots are limited and require approval by management)
VIP Party Sponsor (1) $5,000
- Corporate banner and/or signs displayed at the exclusive VIP Party
- Corporate name added as a host of the party
- 4 Tickets to the VIP Party
- Half page color ad in the Event Program (discounts available for larger ad)
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
Auto Show Sponsor (4) $2,500
- Corporate logo included on banners and/or event signs displayed in the Auto Show area
- 4 3-day passes to event
- Quarter page ad in Event Program (discounts available for larger ad)
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
- Recognition in the Event Program and website
Costume Contest Sponsor (1) $2,000
- Recognized on website, social media and at event as the sponsor of all costume contests that take place at the event as well as any done through social media
- 4 3-day passes to event
- Quarter page color ad in the Event Program (discounts available for larger ad)
- Digital Banner ad with link on website
- Advertisement piece in Event Swag Bag (supplied by sponsor)
- Opportunity to present a special award, prize, or package provided by the sponsor to all winners
Panel Room Sponsor $1,500
- Corporate logo included on signs displayed in or outside of a panel room where multiple presentations will be taking place throughout the weekend
- 2 3-day passes to event
- Recognition in the Event Program and website
- Digital Banner ad on website
- Advertisement piece in Event Swag Bag (supplied by sponsor)
Floor Graphics $1,200
- Deliver your message to attendees in the Lobby and Exhibit Hall. Graphics will be adhered to the floor in predetermined areas.
Corporate Banner Supporter $1,000
- Display your corporate banner in predetermined area of event. Size restrictions apply; banner to be supplied by supporter (offered only to sponsors of the event)
Promotional Insert $250
- You supply the approved insert; attendees will receive the information in their Event Swag Bag
Badge, Lanyard and Swag Bag Sponsorships
- Sponsorships for these are available; please contact the Community Relations Department for more information
For more information on these opportunities, please contact: Anicia Latter, Community Relations Coordinator at 616.540.3998 or anicia@grcomiccon.com
You may download the sponsorship kit for the Grand Rapids Comic-Con here.
Grand Rapids Comic-Con: A Local Feel-Good Story
photo/William Christopher Burgess
The Grand Rapids Comic-Con is a feel good story of determination and old fashioned hard work that created one of the premiere family-friendly events in West Michigan. With an investment of $7500 and a relative putting in an additional $1500, Mark and Jennifer Hodges along with a dedicated staff of college convention operators produced the first show on October 12, 2013. The inaugural show was a tremendous success as almost 10,000 people showed up for the one day event, thousands of which being turned away due to fire code restrictions.
The second annual Grand Rapids Comic-Con was moved into the much larger confines of the DeltaPlex and added Hollywood celebrities to their guest list including “Star Trek” alumni Nichelle Nichols and “Supernatural” and “Stargate: Atlantis” veteran Alaina Huffman. Held on November 21-23, 2014, the Grand Rapids Comic-Con quickly outgrew its new digs with a turnstile attendance of 16,000 people—and they turned away as many as 4000 people again on Saturday due to building limitations.
Our third year was another one of transition, as we moved into the spacious DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids for our annual event on October 16-18, 2015. With a guest list that included comic book legends Neal Adams and Mike Grell as well as “Arrow” villainess Katrina Law, the Grand Rapids Comic-Con has a huge increase in attendance yet again with over 22,000 people through the turnstiles.
Events at the 2016 Grand Rapids Comic-Con will include the following:
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photo/William Christopher Burgess
Over a dozen Hollywood celebrities from television and movies including Julian Glover (“Game Of Thrones”, Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back, James Bond, Harry Potter), Denise Crosby (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “The Walking Dead”), and Doug Jones (“Arrow”, “The Flash”, Hellboy)
- Over twenty nationally known comic book writers and illustrators including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman and Batman/Superman artist Jae Lee.
- Over 100 hours of seminars and presentations
- An anime room broadcasting the newest television shows from Japan
- A vending hall totaling over 100,000 square feet
- Dan’s Dream sketch art show
- A short film festival
- An expanded vehicle show that will include television and movie vehicles
- Costumed clubs such as the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers and the Kalamazoo Ghostbusters
- Displays by Hall Of Heroes, the largest superhero museum in the United States
- The Wes Shank Historical Museum, featuring original props & costumes from 1950’s & 60’s science fiction movies and TV shows
- West Michigan LEGOs Train Club display
- A wildly popular costume contest attended in 2015 by over 2000 people
- …and a lot more!
The advertising campaign for the 2016 Grand Rapids Comic-Con will be extensive and aggressive on a local and regional level and will include but not be exclusive to the following:
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photo/William Christopher Burgess
Radio advertising campaigns on 101.3 The Brew FM, WMRR-FM and HOT-FM
- Television advertising campaigns on specific shows geared toward our demographic as well as targeting fans of our guest list (“Once Upon A Time”, “The Flash”, “The Walking Dead”, etc.)
- Select billboards around West Michigan
- Print ads in local and regional entertainment magazines such as Revue and Flint Comix
- Booths at local events such as the Kids and Family Expo and the Women’s Expo
- Booths at over thirty comic book, science fiction, anime, and horror conventions throughout the Midwest such as C2E2, Indiana Comic-Con, Youmacon, and many more.
- Over 75,000 postcards distributed at conventions, local shops, comic book stores, and other special events
- Floats in several parades including Grandville’s July 4th parade and the Coast Guard Festival parade
- Hundreds of full color posters designed by local comic book professionals
- Banner ads on local entertainment sites as well as national comic book and convention sites
- Banners on the side of GRATA buses throughout Grand Rapids
- Extensive social networking on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube
- …plus other opportunities!
The Grand Rapids Comic-Con is primed and ready for massive growth. We will be expanding into multiple buildings starting in 2017 including a series of after-hours concerts at the newly constructed The Venue.