Selling pens is boring! Yes, it can be. But people tell us we’ve been making it interesting because we passionately believe in pens and have been innovative with our marketing,” says Colin Loughran, General Manager of Goldstar.
“Let’s put promotional pens into perspective. In any research or tables produced by the BPMA or PPAI, pens are always in the top three; in the best-selling lists, in what’s on your desk, what’s in your pocket or bag surveys etc. Why? Because there is no more practical, effective, reliable, trusted way to keep a brand name in front of a client, and in their hand day after day. However far marketers go in looking for different promotional merchandise, they come back to pens – that’s what makes them so successful and popular.
Martin Luther said; “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” How can a product that plays such an essential role in the world ever be boring?
“From signing historic treaties and agreements to business contracts, from telling stories to sharing our feelings, pens are important in our lives. They bring brands to life, they tell brands’ stories, they express their personalities. They are a fantastic medium for branding. We believe wholeheartedly that pens are interesting and are too often wrongly dismissed as boring. We also passionately believe that buying and selling pens should be fun – and we want to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone around us.”
“We started with that philosophy when we launched our business five years ago, and we remain committed to it making the pen business lively and dynamic, making it fun, is in our DNA, running throughout our company from product development and marketing to our sales and customer service.
“That’s why we offer so many branding options, different ways to help branding on pens to make a powerful impact, plus an array of colours to match any brand image.
Sprinkling stardust
“We believe that pens have star quality and we sprinkle stardust on the brands they convey. That’s why we name our pens after stars of stage and screen like Bogart and Brosnan and after stars of the music world such as Bowie and Sinatra.
“At exhibitions we try to start the fun. We make our stands different with fabulous designs and music that makes our marketing come alive; we host lively parties to which everyone is welcome – as we say in Ireland, we love the craic.
‘Many of our customers tell us that we have succeeded in making the pens market interesting, fun, and vibrant – pens are no longer boring!
“Selling pens should be really enjoyable …. and we’re here to add the fun.”
Published on: February 5th, 2019
