Alex Ovechkin has had no shortage of public appreciation lately. First it was a tribute in the form of a street sign, and now he’s being honored by the almighty Hallmark.
On Saturday, Hallmark is releasing this year’s anticipated collection of featured holiday ornaments. Among them, an official Ovi keepsake.
“It's tricky because our product hits the marketplace 12-18 months after we make our selection” said Diedre Mize, campaign manager for Hallmark. “In effect, we're looking into our ‘crystal ball’ hoping that the player we select is still relevant with our consumers.”
But that’s the beauty of Ovi. He’s always relevant!
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Ovechkin was the only NHL player to receive the honor this year. It was an ambitious pick for Hallmark, as our favorite Russian’s face isn’t exactly cookie cutter.
“We pick a photo of the player in action and base our sculpt from that,” said Mize. “We will tweak the pose as needed to get the action we think is needed to bring the player to life.”
A very limited quantity of the ornaments are being released at select stores on July 16 and 17, and demand for Ovi is expected to be very high in this area. Those who miss out will have to wait until October for another chance to have their favorite Cap in miniature form.
But, it’s only July you say? There are many things you can do with your Ovi ornament while waiting for the holidays. You can hang him from your rear view mirror. Put him in your garden to scare away veggie-eating critters. Or, best yet, take him around the world (or around town) and take pictures of him enjoying his travels, a la Amelie.
We’re going to sit him on our desk to intimidate us into working harder.
If you are one of the lucky few to secure the precious Ovi keepsake, send us a pic of what you’re doing with it. We’ll post our favorites here.
You can find your closest Hallmark store using this locator. Good luck!
Questions, comments or tips? Email Sarah at sarahskogod@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter (@sarahschorno).
