Madonna
Promotional Items
For the full narrative relating to the release of 'Madonna' please refer to the entry under the ALBUMS tab
Madonna's debut album spawned some of the rarest promotional collectables of Madonna's career but regrettably, due to the sheer indifference of Warner Bros. UK marketing department, none of it is of UK origin! Therefore this webpage is going to bend the rules and allow US promotional items to be featured for each album.
An exception to the exclusion rules has been made not only due to the absence of UK items, but also because these press packs are very desirable to collectors. Sire's marketing department put an effort into producing a quality press pack that consisted of a printed biography on Sire's customised headed yellow paper (collectors should always check the logo at the top is of a two-tone colour and not a photocopy onto yellow paper) along with at least one promotional photos all housed within a glossy 'Sire' wallet. It makes for a very nice item.
Some albums also spawned additional press releases which were issued within a 'Warner Bros.' folders, and these often came with an additional promotional photo - sometimes the same as the one from the press pack, sometimes a rare alternative. As a Sire press kit exists for each album they also provide a nice consistency and, apart from this page where it is the first item featured, they are to be found at the end of each album's promotional page as a rounding off item.
As with many collectables, some press packs are rarer then others. Perhaps due to Madonna being an unknown artist, Sire was not willing to commit to a large print run and accordingly this press pack, which consists of just one photo and a two-page biography, remains one of the rarest. It has only been seen once on Ebay when it sold for around £80.
There is also a press release, which mirrors the text of the official Sire biography in the US promotional press pack and also comes with the same promotional photo.
Of even greater rarity is a unique 20-page promotional booklet with no fewer than three 'Promotional Use Only' disclaimers. The booklet consists of the lyrics to each of the tracks on the debut album along with several rarely seen photos. One of these is the image that appeared on the cover of 'Island' - Madonna's first ever magazine cover in 1982. This item is unique as no other Madonna album has been issued with such a booklet. It's country of origin is unknown and while some sellers market it as a UK item it is believed to be Canadian. The booklet has become one of the rarest Madonna promotional collectables.
Connected to the booklet is a extremely rare promotional poster (measuring 20"x14"/ 36cmx56) using the same cover image. Interestingly, there is a credit to an up-and-coming photographer - 'Steve Meisel' - who would also go on to greater things! This is believed to be the first official Madonna promotional poster and accordingly is regarded as the rarest. It has allegedly sold for anything up to $1000.
Another rare booklet, which at least comes with traceable provenance, is the photography book by Australian photographer Gary Heery. It's rarity is due to the fact that it was only issued in his homeland. Valuation, as with most items, depends on condition. A mint or excellent copy can fetch over £100 particularly if it comes within the original presentation box.
Collectors seeking the Gary Heery book should beware as it has been targeted by bootleggers. Accordingly, smaller booklet exists which consists of various images lifted from the original. Unlike the official book, which consists of over 100 images, professionally printed and bound within stiff covers and a spine label, the bootleg is an amateurish booklet created from twelve sheets of unwieldy glossy A3 photographic paper, folded in half, such paper is unsuited to folding, which has resulted in a bowed A4 booklet with 48 images. The bootleggers have put a barcode on the rear but it is not an official item. This item has been seen on Ebay selling for up to £30.
Bringing up the rear is a photo contact sheet. Not particularly rare - this is churned out on a regular basis - it is included here for completeness as it contains rare out-takes from Madonna's Gary Heery photo shoot.
Madonna's debut album spawned some of the rarest promotional collectables of Madonna's career but regrettably, due to the sheer indifference of Warner Bros. UK marketing department, none of it is of UK origin! Therefore this webpage is going to bend the rules and allow US promotional items to be featured for each album.
An exception to the exclusion rules has been made not only due to the absence of UK items, but also because these press packs are very desirable to collectors. Sire's marketing department put an effort into producing a quality press pack that consisted of a printed biography on Sire's customised headed yellow paper (collectors should always check the logo at the top is of a two-tone colour and not a photocopy onto yellow paper) along with at least one promotional photos all housed within a glossy 'Sire' wallet. It makes for a very nice item.
Some albums also spawned additional press releases which were issued within a 'Warner Bros.' folders, and these often came with an additional promotional photo - sometimes the same as the one from the press pack, sometimes a rare alternative. As a Sire press kit exists for each album they also provide a nice consistency and, apart from this page where it is the first item featured, they are to be found at the end of each album's promotional page as a rounding off item.
As with many collectables, some press packs are rarer then others. Perhaps due to Madonna being an unknown artist, Sire was not willing to commit to a large print run and accordingly this press pack, which consists of just one photo and a two-page biography, remains one of the rarest. It has only been seen once on Ebay when it sold for around £80.
There is also a press release, which mirrors the text of the official Sire biography in the US promotional press pack and also comes with the same promotional photo.
Of even greater rarity is a unique 20-page promotional booklet with no fewer than three 'Promotional Use Only' disclaimers. The booklet consists of the lyrics to each of the tracks on the debut album along with several rarely seen photos. One of these is the image that appeared on the cover of 'Island' - Madonna's first ever magazine cover in 1982. This item is unique as no other Madonna album has been issued with such a booklet. It's country of origin is unknown and while some sellers market it as a UK item it is believed to be Canadian. The booklet has become one of the rarest Madonna promotional collectables.
Connected to the booklet is a extremely rare promotional poster (measuring 20"x14"/ 36cmx56) using the same cover image. Interestingly, there is a credit to an up-and-coming photographer - 'Steve Meisel' - who would also go on to greater things! This is believed to be the first official Madonna promotional poster and accordingly is regarded as the rarest. It has allegedly sold for anything up to $1000.
Another rare booklet, which at least comes with traceable provenance, is the photography book by Australian photographer Gary Heery. It's rarity is due to the fact that it was only issued in his homeland. Valuation, as with most items, depends on condition. A mint or excellent copy can fetch over £100 particularly if it comes within the original presentation box.
Collectors seeking the Gary Heery book should beware as it has been targeted by bootleggers. Accordingly, smaller booklet exists which consists of various images lifted from the original. Unlike the official book, which consists of over 100 images, professionally printed and bound within stiff covers and a spine label, the bootleg is an amateurish booklet created from twelve sheets of unwieldy glossy A3 photographic paper, folded in half, such paper is unsuited to folding, which has resulted in a bowed A4 booklet with 48 images. The bootleggers have put a barcode on the rear but it is not an official item. This item has been seen on Ebay selling for up to £30.
Bringing up the rear is a photo contact sheet. Not particularly rare - this is churned out on a regular basis - it is included here for completeness as it contains rare out-takes from Madonna's Gary Heery photo shoot.
US Promotional Press Kit: two-page biography and photo in a Sire wallet
US Press Release: same reprinted two-page biography and photo in a Warner wallet
Promotional Booklet
Debut Promotional Poster
Gary Heery - Photography Book
Bootleg of Gary Heery Photography Book
Photo Sheet
This is a webpage created purely by collectors for collectors, and is not endorsed by Boy Toy Inc., Geffen Records, Madonna, Maverick, Sire, or Warner Music Group. All logos, images and pictures on this site are the property of their respective owners.
© madonna-decade 2013
© madonna-decade 2013
