| We are all very familiar with conventional promotional | | | | portion of the pen is the memory stick and the lower |
| pens and what they can offer in terms of advertising | | | | portion is the fully functional pen. The top when |
| opportunities but there is a vast range of, often | | | | removed reveals the USB connector. There are |
| overlooked, unconventional promotional items | | | | virtually no market sectors where this product would |
| available to today's marketer that offer dual | | | | be unsuitable. |
| functionality. This article will look at the top 10 | | | | 5. Laser Pens: With a laser light at one end and a |
| promotional gadgets that contain promotional pens. | | | | promotional pen at the other this is the ideal |
| | | | promotional product for training and seminar venues. |
| 1. Keyring Pens: Promotional pens and promotional | | | | It looks and feels like a normal pen but with the |
| keyrings are high volume sellers when sold individually, | | | | added benefit of a functional laser pointer concealed |
| so imagine the appeal when they are combined into | | | | at one end that is activated usually by pressing the |
| one business gift. The pen is usually quite small so it | | | | clip or a spring loaded button. They are usually |
| can be easily carried in the pocket but nevertheless it | | | | cylindrical in shape with print areas similar to |
| usually has an adequate print area to take your | | | | promotional pens. |
| advertising message. They tend to be fairly | | | | 6. Recording Pens: These used to be the preserve of |
| inexpensive and comparable to the cost of buying | | | | undercover agents for audio recording but they are |
| either a pen or a keyring individually. It has | | | | readily available in the promotions industry these days |
| applications in virtually all market sectors, particularly | | | | at relatively low cost. They are great for recording |
| the automotive industry. | | | | meetings and those occasional on-the-go notes. |
| 2. Torch Pens: By adding a torch to a small pen we | | | | 7. Camera Pens: In very recent times we have seen |
| have the perfect nighttime companion. The retention | | | | the recoding pen evolve into audio-visual devices at |
| value of this product is high because of its practical | | | | relatively modest prices. The image quality is not |
| nature and this ensures exposure for any advertising | | | | exactly HD standard, but is acceptable for meetings |
| message throughout its life. It finds its place in many | | | | and general conversation. The camera lens is normally |
| product sectors but is particularly popular in the | | | | fairly unobtrusive, a legacy no doubt of its |
| leisure and lifestyle sectors of business. | | | | undercover origins. It seems perfectly innocuous as it |
| 3. Screwdriver Pens: Promotional pens are readily | | | | looks and performs like any typical promotional pen. |
| adaptable to taking a screwdriver bit because of their | | | | 8. Puzzle Pens: This type of pen is mainly used in the |
| shape and consequently there are many styles | | | | souvenir trade and can be seen in many gift shops in |
| available on the market. In this case, the construction | | | | different guises. The most popular type consists of a |
| of the pen is much more rugged than you would | | | | small steel ball that must be carefully directed through |
| expect from a conventional promotional pen as it has | | | | a maze running the length of the pen. |
| to be strong enough to perform as a working tool. | | | | 9. Bottle Opener Pens: These are mainly used in the |
| Applications for this product are quite general as | | | | hotel and restaurant trade as a waiter's aid. Print |
| there are so many areas of everyday life where | | | | areas are generous for corporate messages. |
| both a pen and a screwdriver would come in handy. | | | | 10. Robotic or Transformer Pens: These are recent |
| 4. USB Pens: This product emerged from the far-east | | | | creations from China and have great novelty value. |
| several years ago and is now a major selling device in | | | | They are invariably very compact to start with but |
| the promotions industry. It is chunkier than a normal | | | | with the press of a button transform automatically |
| promotional pen, as you would expect, but in every | | | | into a full-length pen. It is now a very popular |
| other respect looks just like a pen. Usually the top | | | | souvenir pen and promotional item. |