From affordable gifts you can give away to thousands of attendees to high-caliber recognition awards for speakers and VIPS, few promos are as versatile as the pen. With over 90% of consumers owning and using a branded pen, it’s no surprise that writing instruments were the second best-selling promotional item of 2022. With pens ranging from a cost-effective mass marketing tool to personalized executive gifts, navigating the in-between can be as frustrating as it is time-consuming.
Below we’ll explore the styles, materials, and features of branded writing instruments and what to consider when making your decision. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your options can help you drill down your search efforts and help you find the perfect pen to check all of your boxes.
Styles
Pens come in all shapes and sizes, but did you know their ink type largely determines their style? No doubt you've used all kinds of pens before, and you (likely) have a favorite style - a perfect example of just how distinct each of these ink types is.
Ballpoint: Made by a metal ball at the writing point that is saturated with water-based liquid ink. Ballpoint pens are available in a variety of price points. Typically these feel like a higher quality than rollerball or gel pens.
Why We Love It: The ink from ballpoint pens seeps into the paper creating smooth, clean lines that dry almost instantly. When your recipient's note-taking speed is put to the test in a fast-paced company meeting or breakout session, they’ll be thanking your ballpoint pen for the pristine paper they finish with (without any extra effort on their end to keep things from smearing or running)!
When Shopping: Ballpoint pens use a thicker ink than traditional rollerball pens, requiring a bit more pressure to be applied, but the thin lines dry nearly instantly, making them favored by left-hand writers. While they are available in a variety of price points, the high quality of the ink makes even the least expensive option pricier than a rollerball pen.
Rollerball: When most of us think of pens, the rollerball is the ink style that comes to mind. A tried and true design, rollerballs are designed to write like a traditional fountain pen. As a result, rollerball pens move effortlessly over the paper, allowing users to write faster and more clearly.
Why We Love It: You’ve undoubtedly used a rollerball pen at some point in your career, and chances are it was branded! The cost-effective nature of rollerball pens makes them a great mass marketing option, so if you’re looking for a gift for a large number of people and don’t necessarily have a large budget, rollerball pens may be the option for you.
When Shopping: As a free-flowing ink option, rollerball pens can dry out more quickly than the alternatives. Look for options with easy or convenient tip storage (like a clicking style pen) rather than one with caps that can be misplaced and potentially dry out your gift. This free-flowing ink is also more prone to smudging than the other options, typically making it a less appealing choice for high-end executive gift options.
Gel: Can’t decide between a rollerball or ballpoint ink type? Why not have the best of both worlds with a gel pen! Gel pens use a roller ball tip with thicker ink that saturates the paper in the same way a ballpoint pen does. As a result, they can be used on dark or slick surfaces and are resistant to drying out.
Why We Love It: Aside from offering the best of both worlds in ink quality and disbursement, gel pens offer many more customizable ink colors (allowing you to get a little more creative with your purchase). Imagine your recipient jotting down their grocery list with a vibrant color or even using your giveaway to color code it! Gel pens let you bring your branding to the printed page and will keep you in your recipient’s mind even after they’re done writing.
When Shopping: Gel pens, like ballpoint pens, can offer a refillable function to keep your pen writing for years to come. Try to ensure the gel pen you land on can not only be refilled but doesn’t require a specific type of ink when refilling. By being both reusable and accessible, the pen can keep writing for years, and you can get the most out of your investment.
Felt Tip: If you’re looking for a big and bold alternative to traditional ink styles, the felt tip style is for you. The tips of these pens are extremely porous and come in an assortment of quick-drying, water-based inks. Felt tip pens are available in everything from broad highlighter tips to more traditional pointed tips for precise writing.
Why We Love It: The real appeal of a felt tip pen is how niche its use is. While it’s great to give someone a gift they’ll regularly use, being the gift they reach for in a particular circumstance makes your gift all the more unique. Whether it’s to highlight parts of their latest business memo or simply to get creative in their sketchbook, your recipient will know just the pen to reach for. When Shopping: Unlike traditional pens, the size of a felt tip pen can make all the difference in the pen’s functionality. Thinner tips offer a precise editing tool, while thicker tips offer a heavy-duty whole-line highlighter. Pay close attention to your tip size when selecting your felt tip pen to ensure you get exactly what you want.
Materials
Plastic and Resin: The most affordable option when it comes to pens, plastic has long been a staple for writing instrument materials. Plastic pens are durable, colorful, and can be outfitted with various features and functions.
Why We Love It: Similar to the rollerball ink style, plastic is an easy choice when it comes to material for large run orders. The low cost and high customization options that plastic offers mean you can get creative with showing your brand off to all your supporters, no matter how numerous they may be!
When Shopping: Historically, plastic has been the go-to option for cost-effective durability, but strides in sustainable alternatives mean there are affordable green options. With the meetings and event industry’s increasing demand for sustainability, check to see if the pen of your choice is available in a bioplastic or a wheat straw option. Compromising on design options like color can be a worthwhile trade if it means cultivating goodwill with your gift.
Bioplastic: From water bottles to tech gear, alternatives to plastics bring a bit of sustainability to your gift without compromising durability. Bioplastic is a type of plastic made from plant materials rather than petroleum and can be used to make your pens a little more eco-friendly.
Why We Love It: No matter how great a pen is, no option lasts forever. Bioplastic pens are made with the product’s end of life in mind and are 100% biodegradable. Did you know most consumers say they prefer brands that help them to be more sustainable in their everyday lives? Helping your recipient do good by keeping plastic out of a landfill helps them feel good, a feeling that is extended to your brand and makes it more likely that your pen is the one in the desk organizer that they reach for first.
When Shopping: While the bioplastic is 100% biodegradable, some bioplastic pens have other components like metal or petroleum plastics that do not break down and need to be removed before discarding. Try to be aware of these components when shopping to either avoid them for easy disposal or let your attendees know how to properly discard them - a move that strengthens the notion that your company “walks the walk” in sustainability.
Wheat Straw: Another new face in the plastic alternative crowd is wheat straw. This durable material is derived from the discarded tops of wheat. Because these tops are considered waste, wheat straw products are green from the get-go. What’s great about wheat straw as a plastic alternative is that the hand feel is almost identical to a traditional plastic pen, and most consumers can’t even tell the difference!
Why We Love It: It just doesn’t get much greener than wheat straw! Not only is this material made from farm waste for a green start, but they are also 100% biodegradable and compostable, which can have implications far outside the functionality of a pen. Helping your recipient be more sustainable is just as great for your brand image as for the environment.
When Shopping: With the increased popularity of sustainable items, it’s not surprising that some bad actors are making picking green options a little murkier. Greenwashing (or misrepresenting how eco-friendly a product is) is an obstacle you need to be aware of when shopping for any green option (not just wheat straw). Look for certifications when you can, and don’t be afraid to involve your vendor to ensure you’re actually getting the sustainability you’re expecting.
Renewable: While plastic alternatives are great for keeping end-of-life in mind, there are other green options that focus on reusability! Options like bamboo, wood, and rPET pens are all refillable and made with sustainable materials. If you’re able to compromise on the pen format, treeless graphic pencils are also a fantastic eco-friendly option. Be sure to check out our Eco-Friendly Material blog for an in-depth look at all these sustainable substrates!
Why We Love It: Bamboo and wood pens bring a modern, stylish look to your pen and the heavy feel usually seen in metal pens that recipients typically associate with quality. Coupling that with the renewable nature of these materials makes it a great option at any level of gifting.
When Shopping: Certifications are especially important for wood and bamboo items to ensure your gift comes from a sustainable origin. Look for certifications like FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) that indicate the forest your product is coming from is an ethically managed forest, other certifications like Certified B Corps, or initiatives like 1% To the Planet. These can not only help you avoid greenwashing but bring some added green value to your gift!
Metal: Metal pens have long had a high perceived quality. From the weighty hand-feel to the refillable wells for a long life, metal pens are an easy choice when you’re looking for high-quality VIP or executive gifts.
Why We Love It: In terms of reusability, you’d be hard-pressed to find an option that’s as hearty as a metal pen. This durability makes them an excellent candidate for more elegant decoration options like laser engraving. When your recipient needs to sign an important document, they’ll no doubt reach for their personalized metal pen in the bamboo case you provided. Given as an achievement award, they make for a trophy that the recipient can actually make use of in their day-to-day life, allowing them to relive their achievement time and time again.
When Shopping: A metal pen's high quality usually means a higher price tag. While budget-friendly options do exist, pay attention to the quality of the other features. You may find that you can get a higher quality ink style in a plastic or plastic alternative around the same price. Look for recycled aluminum options for a little added green value.
Features
Grips: Quite simply, grips enable users to write in comfort. Non-slip rubber, foam, or silicone grips come in various vibrant colors that can match your branding, allowing for even more customization options.
Why We Love It: While grips aren’t something we usually think about when it comes to pen features, they can make a significant difference in the feel of a pen. Think of your favorite pen. Is it comfortable to write, even after a long time? Sometimes the pen we reach for isn’t necessarily the most expensive one we have but the one that feels most comfortable. Grips are a great way to elevate budget-friendly pens into one that sees daily use.
When Shopping: Grips can drastically change how a pen feels in the hand. Make sure to consider the size of the pen itself before seeing if adding a grip is necessary or even possible. Too much grip can make the pen cumbersome or less precise, while too little may leave your recipient wondering why it’s there at all.
Decoration: The numerous materials that pens are available in also means you can choose from numerous decoration options. From simple screen printing to stylish laser engraving, how you choose to imprint your branding can do a lot to bring additional value to your pen. Check out our Decoration Method blog for a quick primer on all these options!
Why We Love It: Certain imprint methods can actually bring a dynamic quality to your gift, elevating them higher than just a pen. Imagine giving an award winner a laser engraved pen with their name on it, creating a functional trophy they can enjoy for years to come and be reminded of their achievement!
When Shopping: Because pens are a narrow and small surface, you may need to compromise on your logo. Small taglines or symbols can fill in or be illegible, so using the most basic and bold version of your logo is best. Depending on the colors in your logo, you may also find that certain imprint methods are not feasible due to stacking set-up fees per color. So if you have a single-color version of your logo, you open your options up a lot more for more affordable decorating.
Tech Compatibility: With the prevalence of digital technology, styluses are becoming a popular accessory to pens and integrated tech like laser pointers and USB flash drives. Introducing some versatility into your pen can help ensure it is the one your recipient reaches for when it’s time to get to work.
Why We Love It: We live in a digital age and often find ourselves bouncing back and forth between our notebooks and digital devices at a moment's notice. When your pen is the one allowing for a seamless transition from writing on paper to navigating touchscreen devices and delivering a big presentation stored on the built-in flash drive, they’ll be thanking your brand for your modern sensibilities!
When Shopping: When shopping for a pen with a stylus tip, it is important to consider the compatibility of the stylus with your device's screen and the size and shape of the stylus tip. The quality of the pen's overall build should also be considered to ensure a comfortable experience - few people want to operate their smartphone with an oversized pen.
Multi-Functional: While styluses bring some welcome functionality with tech compatibility, there are a variety of other features you can add to a pen to bring even more use outside of writing. Tools like LED flashlights, keychains, phone holders, tape measures, wrenches, or highlighters are a great way to make your pen a must-have, even when your recipient isn’t note-taking.
Why We Love It: What’s not to love about versatility? From taking notes during the company meeting to doubling as a phone stand during a lunch break and even providing some light under a desk as they attempt to plug their phone charger into a power strip, your recipients will enjoy a single tool that does it all and appreciate your brand for the functional gift.
When Shopping: It’s easy to go overboard when shopping for a multi-functional pen. The important thing to remember here is that the quality of the pen's writing capabilities isn’t compromised for the sake of extra features. Be aware of the pen’s overall durability and reliability to ensure long-term use. A bottle opener pen quickly becomes just a big bottle opener if the pen part cannot be refilled.
Seed Pens: Aside from opting for an eco-conscious material, some ideas that make pens even more green! Pens with built-in seeds that your recipient can use to jumpstart their own garden offer some interactive green living that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Why We Love It: Studies show that gardening can help relieve stress and even help you live longer! What better way to show your attendees you care about their well-being than by giving them an easy way to get into this healthy hobby? The best part? Some of these pens can simply be planted in the ground after being used for an even simpler time getting started!
When Shopping: Look for sustainable materials to complement this eco-friendly feature, and for practical seeds, like produce, that your recipients can use in home-cooked meals. Bonus points if you land on a biodegradable pen that can be planted right along with the seeds - accessibility is a huge value add!
Novelty: When it comes to memorable gifts, sometimes adding a bit of flair may be just the right way to stand out from the crowd! Fun color-changing features, creative or relevant shapes, or pens with fidget toys built right in are just some ways to dazzle your recipients with something they’ve never seen before.
Why We Love It: When a pen is as fun as it is functional, it’s a winning combination for a memorable gift. Unique designs and fun features can increase the likelihood that your pen is used and definitely increases the likelihood that others see it for a boost in brand exposure. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the designs either, like a bone-shaped pen for an orthopedic conference or an airplane shape for an airline’s annual meeting!
When Shopping: The biggest consideration for novelty pens is the environment in which it’s being used. While fun shapes and designs can add a unique touch to a desk or office space, some novelty pens may not be suitable for professional or formal settings, in turn limiting your brand exposure.
Let's Get to the "Point"
Whether it’s taking notes at an office meeting, decompressing with a creative writing project, or simply just trying to remember what to pick up while running errands, we all find ourselves jotting something down at some point in our day. This practicality, coupled with the fact that pens are available in such a diverse range of options, makes them a great choice for just about any promotional giveaway - especially when paired with a notebook or journal! If you’re ready to get writing, contact us for some extra help navigating the selection process!