Sharpie® Invites Celebrities to 'Ink it Pink' in October for City of Hope

OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- This October, pink is the new black in the world of celebrity autographs.  Sharpie®, the preferred autograph marker of celebrities everywhere, is inviting actors, athletes, musicians, chefs and others to "ink it pink" in the fight against breast cancer.  For every pink autograph signed and submitted to www.sharpieuncapped.com during the month of October, Sharpie will donate $1 to City of Hope, one of the nation's leading cancer research, treatment and education centers, up to $10,000.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100922/CG69400)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100922/CG69400)

Sharpie has been a City of Hope partner since 2006 through the sale of its Pink Ribbon marker; a portion of the marker's sales benefit City of Hope.  Since 2006, Sharpie parent company Newell Rubbermaid has donated more than $1 million to City of Hope's lifesaving research and treatment programs.

"We're encouraging everyone, especially celebrities whose autographs have the power to raise awareness and inspire others, to ink it pink in October and help this important cause," said Sally Grimes, vice president of marketing for Sharpie.  

"City of Hope is on the front lines of fighting this disease and saving lives every day.  This is such a simple way to help and a great way for celebrities and their fans to show their support," she said.

A handful of celebrities, including music icon and self-described breast cancer "thriver" Olivia Newton-John, actress and multi-platinum recording artist Miley Cyrus, and pro football legend Jerome Bettis have already have lent their John Hancock to the effort.  Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com to see a collection of celebrity signatures and upload a pink autograph of your own. Anyone can submit a pink autograph because when it comes to giving, everyone's a celebrity.

"Today, more than 2 million women nationally suffer from breast cancer," said Steve Martin, associate vice president of marketing for City of Hope. "City of Hope is at the forefront of research to ensure patients, both at City of Hope and nationwide, benefit from new and improved treatments. The support of brands like Sharpie, and the broader support of Newell Rubbermaid, enables us to push science forward and help patients who are fighting cancer. The 'Ink it Pink' campaign is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of breast cancer and positively impact the lives of women and their families who are facing this disease."

As part of its commitment to women facing cancer, City of Hope maintains a unique, multidisciplinary Women's Cancers Program to advance understanding of breast and gynecological cancers, improve screening and develop new treatments, in addition to improving quality of life for survivors.

Uncap and Tap Into Giving

As the ultimate advocate for self-expression, Sharpie invites consumers to Uncap What's Inside™ with its full range of permanent writing and marking products.  This October, Sharpie encourages people everywhere to uncap their philanthropic side and support an important cause.

The Sharpie Pink Ribbon marker has a suggested retail price of $1.28 and is available wherever office products are sold. For more information on Sharpie products, visit www.sharpie.com.

ABOUT SHARPIE®

For 46 years, Sharpie has been the popular brand of permanent marker associated with the autograph experience.  Newell Rubbermaid, maker of Sharpie® , is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and marketing of writing instruments, art products and office organization and technology products, including such well-known brands as Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, DYMO® Parker®, Waterman®, EXPO®, uni-ball®, and Rolodex®, among others. Visit www.sharpie.com for more information.

ABOUT CITY OF HOPE

City of Hope is a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope's research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, and is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer and urology by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics. For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org.

Terms and Conditions

The Sharpie Ink it Pink Campaign is open to the general public.  For each photograph of a signature made with a Sharpie Pink marker that is uploaded to the www.sharpieuncapped.com website (the "Site") between September 22, 2010 and October 31, 2010 (or such earlier date if maximum donation is reached), Sharpie will donate $1 to City of Hope in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month (up to a maximum donation of $10,000).  Limit one upload per person or email address. The signature must be your own, or it must be from a person who consented to the use of his/her signature for this promotion and for display on the www.sharpieuncapped.com site.  Sharpie may post all, some or none of the signatures uploaded, in its sole discretion.  Sponsored by Newell Rubbermaid Office Products, 2707 Butterfield Rd., Oak Brook, IL  60523 with permission of City of Hope, 1055 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90017

SOURCE Sharpie