File under Marketing Inspiration

I’m not suggesting you get ‘tradeshow pens’. I don’t buy them myself. What I’m telling you to do is to think of something different. It doesn’t need to be expensive. It needs to be new.

Sir Richard (Richard Branson was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on March 30th, 2000) brings us a story of using those very same trade show pens to great success. Here’s the thing, it was 1972. Pens were brand new, and paper had just replaced the stone tablet 😏.

Obviously, pens had been around, and marketing on pens had been around most likely since the ballpoint was invented. Virgin put a witty quip on one and made it triangular, and at that time, it stuck out.

Sir Richard talks a little here about that tactic and another similar one that you can use as inspiration for your idea that will stick in your customers’ minds.

https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/message-pen

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash