PPB July 2020

The Write Stuff I Ink, I Can Affordable, desirable and useful, end users depend on quality writing instruments to serve their everyday needs, from signing a bill to writing out grocery lists. No matter how many writing instruments someone has, there will always be a desire for more. Wr i t i ng I ns t rumen t s by Kristina Valdez E very day, writing instruments fulfill an important role in our lives. Pens, pencils, markers and highlighters help us to remember important details, brainstorm ideas and communicate with each other. Consumers want writing instruments, which is why they are amongst the most popular promotional items. “Gone are the days of the communal pen, so it makes sense that everyone keeps their own pen and carries it with them to sign receipts and the like,” says Pam Baker, sales and marketing manager at Hub Pen. “We started the Keep the Pen campaign, and distributors and other pen suppliers have run with it. Pens have always been a low-cost way to advertise and now, more than ever, they are a vital part of any marketing campaign.” Writing instruments, along with bags, have the lowest cost per impression of any promotional item in the U.S. Seventy- three percent of people always keep one writing instrument with them, according to PPAI’s study “Writing Instruments in U.S. Households.” Most people have at least 10 writing instruments in their homes, and of these, about 25 percent are promotional products. By 2022, the global writing and marking instrument market is expected to reach $24 billion, according to Technavio, a global technology research and advisory firm. Increased demand for multifunctional pens—with features such as erasers, highlighters, styluses, etc.—is driving growth in this market. In response to stay-at-home orders and social distancing, sales for books, toys and art supplies soared during the mhatzapa / Sharlotta / Shutterstock.com . Photo illustration by SPARK Publications. 50 | JULY 2020 | GROW