Find high-quality promotional pens with our Pen Shopping Do’s & Don’ts

Promotional pens are tried and tested when it comes to their branding effectiveness in promotional campaigns. Since they are essentials, they expose brands to people day in and day out, serving as constant reminders of your brand. They also provide long-term advertising as promotional pens are typically kept by people for an average of 9 months (Global Ad Impressions Study 2020). According to the same study, they are also the most cost-efficient as a $1 pen delivers a cost-per-impression (CPI) of less than 1/10 of a cent.

However, you can’t just buy any pen and expect results. There’s an art to choosing the right promotional pen for your target, purpose, and brand. What are the things to consider when shopping for pens? Read our ultimate promo pen shopping guide to learn more.

1. What message do you want to convey to your target audience?

The most crucial part of a promotional pen (aside from its writing functionalities) is the branding opportunity it presents for companies. For brands to reap marketing benefits, promotional pens should have an eye-catching message that reflects their business, industry, and the kind of targets that they are trying to captivate.

The brand message encompasses the decoration as well as the aesthetics of the promotional item. For example, creative brands such as advertising agencies can showcase their creativity and innovation by choosing unique and colourful pens and decorations.

Promotional pens have a small surface area for printing so the information you choose to include should be important. You can include the company name, logo, tagline, and contact information (such as social media, phone number, and website address). Be careful not to overcrowd the pen with information though as there is only so much that can fit.

2. What type of promotional pen should you choose?

There are so many promotional pens to choose from. Plastic pens may be affordable but they are not for everybody. Here are the different types of pen and their pros and cons.

Plastic Pens

Pros:

• Affordable and generally long-lasting so they’re ideal as giveaways for mailers and low-budget campaigns, as well as office and school supplies.
• They are also versatile in terms of style and colours as well as the sectors that can use them as giveaways.
• They are the most commonly used type of pens as they can be found and used anywhere.

Cons:

• Doesn’t make a lot of impressions, especially in a higher-brow audience.
• Even the higher-end ones can still seem cheap so they may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Eco-Friendly Pens

Pros:

• On trend right now due to the growing eco-consciousness movement.
• Consumers also form a better perception of the brand that gives away eco-friendly items, according to the Global Ad Impressions Study 2020.
• They are typically made of sustainable materials, such as bamboo, recycled cardboard, and wheat straw, which make them good for the environment.
• They come in different types, from affordable retractable pens to executive pens.

Cons:

• Limited in terms of designs and colours.

Metal Pens

Pros:

• Metal pens are more durable and long-lasting, providing more brand exposure for companies.
• They are also eco-friendlier as metals can be recycled multiple times.
• They look classier so they look more impressive to recipients.

Cons:

• They are more expensive than plastic pens, so prepare to shell out more especially for high-volume orders.

Executive Pens

Pros:

• They make the perfect gifts for recipients that you need to impress, such as ultra-luxe clients and C-level executives.
• As they have finer craftsmanship, they are also more expensive than other pens.
• They are available in a wide range of price points, from reasonably priced unbranded ones to high-end ones from the world’s most popular pen brands such as Cutter & Buck, Cross, Scripto, Sheaffer, Lamy, Pierre Cardin, and Swiss Peak.
• They come in different types: fountain-type, stylus pens, and the typical ballpoint pen.
  Some of them come with a lifetime warranty so these are pens that can also be passed down from generation to generation.

Cons:

• They have a hefty price tag.

Stylus Pens

Pros:

• If you’re a technology-based brand or planning to target those that work in tech and creative fields, stylus pens are the perfect promo giveaway for you.
• They are popular accessories for large smartphones and tablets, especially when used for drawing, note-taking, or daily usage.

Cons:

• Not a lot of people use them, so they won’t provide a lot of exposure for brands.
• They can also be more expensive than regular pens, so they work better as gifts rather than giveaways.

Novelty Pens

Pros:

• Novelty pens are great conversation pieces to get people talking about your brand. These are usually designed to be whimsical or wacky, ranging from cute character toppers to tongue-in-cheek designs.
• Organisations that can use these as giveaways are libraries, schools, veterinary clinics, and trendy brands that are geared towards Gen Z and millennials, among others.

Cons:

• They are more expensive than typical plastic pens.
• They are bulkier with some of them requiring batteries (such as light-up pens and fan pens), so people might prefer something more compact or toss them away once they run out of batteries.

Highlighters

Pros:

• Branded highlighters are good promotional tools for educational institutions, libraries, and accounting and insurance firms.
• Since they are wider than pens, they have a bigger printing surface for your logo.
• Schools and universities can include them in their back-to-school packs to welcome new and returning students.

Cons:

• Although they are useful, there isn’t a high demand for them as only specific people still use them, such as students, accountants, and actuarial staff. Therefore, they won’t provide a lot of marketing benefits and exposure for your brand.
• Traditional highlighters are not long-lasting but this can be solved by purchasing the wax highlighters instead.

Pencils

Pros:

• Pencils are affordable alternatives to pens.
• They are available in three types: mechanical pencils, lead pencils, and coloured pencils.
• Mechanical pencils suit professionals, architects, and engineers while lead pencils are used by almost everyone, but most especially students. Coloured pencils, on the other hand, are typically used for creative and artistic pursuits.

Cons:

• They are not as commonly used by people compared to promotional pens.
• They are not as long-lasting and the wooden ones need to be sharpened from time to time before they can be used.
• On the contrary, mechanical pencils can last a long time. However, they require lead refills. * They are expensive.

Other factors to consider

Pens also come in different mechanisms and ink types. The types of mechanisms include click-action pens (where you click a button on the other end to use the pen), twist pens (where the tip of the pen only comes out of the chamber upon twisting the other end), and cap-on pens .

On the other hand, the most popular ink types are fountain pens , gel pens , and ballpoint, with the latter being the most popular and affordable. They vary in how they deposit the ink on paper.

3. What decoration method can show off your messaging or logo?

How you present your brand message is crucial to the success of your promotional campaign. The type of decoration you choose should reflect your brand, message, and the recipients of your promo pens. Here are the decoration options available.

Pad Printing

Pad printing works by transferring the ink to the pen using a silicone pad.

Pros:

• Most affordable option
• Ideal even for items with jagged, uneven, and curved surfaces
• Closely matches PMS colours on white and light-coloured products.
• Gold, silver, and other metallic colours are available.
• Prints small artwork in full detail

Cons:

• Only suitable for designs with up to two colours
• Variable data printing is not allowed
• Curved surfaces have limited branding areas
• Slightly distorted prints on uneven or curved surfaces
• Each colour used incurs a setup fee
• Longer curing time
• Dark-coloured items have difficulty in PMS colour matching and can only achieve an approximate match

Screen Printing

Screen Printing is the process of marking an item by squeezing ink through a fine screen mesh with the use of a squeegee.

Pros:

• Ideal for surfaces with solid colour areas
• PMS matching of colours on white or light-coloured products is possible
• Inks dry fast so items can be shipped right after printing
• Metallic gold and silver inks are available

Cons:

• Not recommended for designs with fine details and halftones
• Doesn’t have the ability for variable data printing
• Dark-coloured items don’t show PMS colour matches
• Each colour incurs a setup fee

Digital Printing

Digital printing works by printing directly on an item using an inkjet printer, producing high-quality images.

Pros:

• Produces vivid, full-colour images and designs
• Variable data printing is possible
• One setup fee for multiple colours
• Recommended for dark-coloured items as it prints a white base before the artwork
• Dries immediately so the items can be shipped after printing

Cons:

• Only reproduces approximate PMS colours
• Metallic colours can’t be reproduced
• Slow printing time
• Rotary digital printing doesn’t wrap around the item completely

Laser Engraving

• Laser engraving marks a permanent, high-quality design on an item.

Pros:

• Sleek and classy finish that elevates the value of a product
• Permanent decoration that will never fade or wear off
• Recommended for uneven or curved surfaces
• Variable data printing is possible
• Products can be shipped after engraving

Cons:

• Curved surfaces have limited branding sizes
• Intricate details are not recommended
• Subtle branding

4. Should your promotional pens have special features?

Promotional pens can come with special features depending on the needs of the recipients or what your brand stands for. Construction companies can give away branded pens with screwdrivers so that they’ll be convenient for carpenters and construction workers, while pens with a USB drive attachment are perfect for office staff and IT professionals. They can also be bundled with other items to make them the perfect gift.

Ready to order your first batch of promotional pens?

Whether you need them as promo giveaways, gifts, or office supplies, let us design your promotional pens to meet your needs! Get custom recommendations when you contact us today!