Writing instruments, which includes pens, pencils and highlighters, are the top-selling category of promotional items. There are so many different type pens available now that we thought it would be good to give an overview.
We typically recommend to our clients buying promotional pens with a name brand like BIC, Sheaffer, PaperMate, etc.
Pen Weight - Pens are often judged by their weight, which has always seemed strange to me. Metal pens generally have a higher perceived value.
Ink Choices - As far as ink goes, you can get ballpoint pens, gel pens, black or blue ink (blue preferred for legal documents) and even pens with “Super Ink” which cannot be erased and are used for fraud protection.
Stylus Pens – Pens with a stylus have become much more popular in recent years. In fact we recommend clients buy pens with a stylus whenever possible. The more uses an item has the greater the likelihood it will be kept. Some styluses are on the tip of the pen where the clip is, the top. Some are on the writing end where the cartridge comes out. Maybe it is just me but I do not like those for fear the cartridge will be out or partially out when you go to use the stylus.
Interesting fact - The tip of a pen is commonly referred to by pen manufacturers as the nib.
There is a wide range of different type pens. They range widely in price also as you can get them with a plastic barrel or metal, different types of cartridges, and generally different levels of quality. They can go all the way from a Stick Pen that would be under $.20, a BIC Clic Stic, which should be under $.50 all the way up to this Montegrappa Italia pen that is over $69,000!
Here are the different type of pens (there may be others but this would get incredibly long):
Stick Pens - At the bottom of the pen chain is the Stick pen. These are the ones that have a cap and no plunger (that is what the clicker thingy is called). They start in the $.10 - $.20 price range. You typically see these at conventions, hotel rooms, etc. These type pens are not likely to be kept by the recipients but are more for short-term use.
Plunger Action (Click) – The most popular is the BIC Clic Stic and similar types from other brands. There are inexpensive ones, and pricier ones.
Twist Action – These also come in relatively inexpensive plastic models all the way up to nicer ones like Mont Blanc. About the least expensive you will find with a metal body is this SmoothScript pen.
Cap Action Pens – These are like stick pens in that they have a cap you remove when ready to write, but are a nicer and usually larger body style. They can come in inexpensive models and very nice pricier ones also!
Clip Action Pens are ones where you press on the clip of the pen, that is generally used to clip it in your pocket, to make the cartridge come out for writing.
Grip Pens – A lot of people like grip pens. They think they are easier to hold when writing.
Wide Body Pens – Just like the grip pens above people generally like these because they are easier to hold when writing. You can get them with a grip also. They are generally the less expensive plastic body pens.
Pen/Marker/Highlighter Combinations - Most of these are relatively inexpensive. As noted on the stylus pens though, if they serve two uses then they are more likely to be kept, meaning your message stays around longer!
Executive Pens – Most people would think of Mont Blanc or maybe Cross pens when they think of these, though there are many others. They are generally made of a nicer material of some type of resin or metal. The resin ones would have a nicer lacquer finish also. The most expensive pen in the promotional product industry, the Montegrappa Italia, costs $69,350. That is not a typo.
Ink differences:
Ballpoint pens – This is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". The metal commonly used is steel, brass, or tungsten carbide. The inks are usually oil based. This is the most popular type pen.
Rollerball pens – Rollerball pens are a ballpoint pen that uses a thinner liquid ink that puts more ink on the ball tip than a regular ballpoint pen.
Gel Ink Pens – From Wikipedia: A gel pen uses ink in which pigment is suspended in a water-based gel. Because the ink is thick and opaque, it shows up more clearly on dark or slick surfaces than the typical inks used in ballpoint or felt tip pens.
Super Ink/Anti Fraud Pens - The pigmented ink in the pen permanently binds itself to the paper fibers in the check, and cannot be washed off or removed! This is considered a gel type pen with just a better ink.
Fountain Pens - A pen with a reservoir or cartridge from which ink flows continuously to the nib/tip.