December 19, 2009
Promotional pens make their mark on the brandscape
Pens are essential items in everyday lives and not many people will pass up an opportunity for a complimentary one.The truth is, pens from hotel rooms, banking counters and conference tables don’t lie around for long.
Of course people are more likely to look after a Mont Blanc than a Bic, but it does require close attention to detail to hang on to a pen for the course of its life. We use them – and we lose them.A bit annoying for the user and the loser, but not for the company whose branded pen it is.Their most important thought is that their brand is out there in the marketplace, visible and useful.
Marketers are always on the prowl for new ideas for promotional products but time and again, they return to the tried and trusted promotional pen because they know it’s a safe bet.
There’s a myriad different types of promotional pens on the market these days - from plastic disposable novelties to hand-made works of art in precious metals. There’s something to suit every occasion and every budget, but as with any investment, it’s always worth talking to reputable promotional product companies before making a commitment.Look for a company that has the experience to advise in terms of marekting strategy and budget.
David Schneiderman of leading promotional pens company in WA, has some suggestions.”There is such a vast choice of options for imprinting an organisation’s logo, name, website etc onto just about anything. The range is huge, from confectionery and apparel, sports goods, digital products, glassware and electronic goods. The popularity of pens however, remains sky-high as they are among the simplest and most cost-effective products to print onto, and there is such a vast choice available,” says David Schneiderman of Cyberpens.
Here’s a little bit of history around some of the most common types of pens :
Ballpoints and Rollerballs
The foundation for the ballpoint came in 1943 from Hungarian journalist, Lazlo Biro, who, together with his brother Georg, a chemist, patented and made the first commercial Biro pens using a tiny rotating metal ball and quick drying ink.Two years later in 1945, Frenchman Marcel Bich invented a way to produce pens at low-cost and these were called Bics - a brand which is still around today.
Pressurized pens
These are also known as astronaut or space pens and they have a special viscoelastic ink which is turned into liquid by the roller.These last for years, and can operate under extreme weather conditions, and even under water.
Fountain Pens
L E Waterman, an insurance salesman, is believed to have pioneered the fountain pen, coming up with his design at a kitchen table at the back of a cigar store.In 1884, he patented his design which has only been slightly modified during the years and still today, fountain pens are regarded as the pinnacle of stylish and elegant writing.
Erasable pens
These were first introduced in the early 1980s and use a liquid rubber cement instead of ink. The mark on the paper left by these pens is in fact a black or coloured trace of rubber, which looks like ink, but which can be easily erased for up to 10 hours after writing.
We can’t live without pens.Have a quick glance around - can you see one within easy reach.And that’s the reason why pens are perenially popular promotional products because they literally put your organisation at your customers’ fingertips.
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Filed under Marketing & Branding by artnet