Sharpie
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In the United States, Sharpie is a line of permanent markers manufactured by the Sanford company. It is prized for its ability to write a clear, well-defined, non-smudging, durable line on glossy surfaces. While Sharpie is a brand name, its widespread use has resulted in the use of "sharpie" as a term describing any permanent marker that works on glossy surfaces.
The original Sharpie marker was first introduced in 1964 and has since expanded into a wide product line. Today, Sharpies are sold in seven varieties, according to the shape and size of their tip(s), ranging from "Ultra Fine" to "Chisel". They also come in 17 traditional ink colors, along with a single variety in metallic silver. In 2004, Stanford released a new line of sharpies that have a button-activated contracting tip rather than a cap.
Each Sharpie has a printed seal from the Art & Creative Materials Institute certifying the marker is non-toxic.
Sanford's Sharpie line sponsors two NASCAR races along with the 2004 Nextel Cup Series champion Kurt Busch.
The Terrell Owens "Sharpie" incident
In October 2002 the Sharpie marker made news in the United States when, after scoring a touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers against the Seattle Seahawks, American football player Terrell Owens revealed a pen he had stored in his sock, autographed the ball with which he had just scored, and passed it to his financial advisor, who was sitting in the audience.
Many, including team officials, expressed dismay at the apparent arrogance of the move and the implication that Owens' attention was directed toward commercial exploitation of his athletic successes. Team officials did not, however, discipline him for the incident.
In interviews, he called the pen a "Sharpie" by name. Many speculated that Owens hoped to win an endorsement deal from Sanford. Bob Daenen, brand manager for the Sharpie line, originally said company officials were not interested. However, a year later, Sharpie enlisted Owens for a promotion entitled "Sharpie Metallic AUTOgraphs for Education," involving small donations of cash and school supplies to Bay Area schools.
External links
- Official Sharpie website (http://www.sharpie.com/)
- Official Sharpie Racing website (http://www.sharpieracing.com/)