They come top of the list in London, Paris, Sydney and Berlin when talk turns to the popularity of promotional products: stationery items. In the USA alone, 56 per cent of consumers own a printed promotional pen, according to the recent 2014 study of promotional products by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). This is hardly surprising, as they are, after all, cost-effective to manufacture, available in numerous colours and shapes, handy and also practical like no other promotional product is. Stationery items and office goods are also important aspects at PSI, Europe’s leading trade fair for the promotional product industry, which takes places from 13-15 January 2016 in Düsseldorf. Around 32 per cent of the visitors in 2014 were especially interested in stationery. The trends the industry can expect in this field in 2016 will be showcased by numerous top exhibitors at PSI 2016.
Prodir, Plastoria, Lensen Toppoint, uma Schreibgeräte and Schwan-STABILO: all will be exhibiting their product highlights at PSI 2016.BRUNNEN will also be there in January. According to the Heilbronn-based company, the trendy area of “writing and note-taking” is currently enjoying increasing popularity. The demand for personalisation is also increasing, especially special designs related to events. Also evident at the moment are increased demands in terms of product quality: “Made in Germany” or certified “green” products are becoming ever more important. BRUNNEN is already focused on these new challenges in the market. For instance, they offer FSC-certified paper and the option of having products manufactured using a carbon-neutral procedure. “We will be attendance at PSI 2016 with a wide variety of products”, says Günter Eisele, Manager of Promotional Product Sales at BRUNNEN. “We will be unveiling attractive and effective promotional products and concepts based around calendars, notebooks and writing materials. For our customers, there will also be a special surprise at our stand – but to say any more would give it away”.
Other highlights from the world of stationery and office goods will be exhibited at PSI by companies such as Klio-Eterna Schreibgeräte, Suthor Papierverarbeitung, Geiger-Notes, Ritter-Pen and Lediberg. Stilolinea from Italy, DreamPen and PromoNotes from Poland and The Pen Warehouse from the UK will also be taking part at the fair. From Switzerland, the company burger pen has already booked its stand at PSI. teNeues Calendars & Stationery, Schneider Schreibgeräte, Kaai Kalender, LEUCHTTURM ALBENVERLAG, NOTEDECO, Viva-Plus II and Hauff Schreibgeräte complete the line-up of famous names from the stationery industry.
For STAEDTLER, who will also be at the fair, “the focus of the promotional product industry, in addition to classic pencils, has for many years been the product area of “creative painting and design for children”, and the company also intends to expand its creative brand products in the future. It’s precisely in the field of children’s products that the advertising industry has recognised that, in the sense of brand commitment, it is worthwhile using high-quality and pedagogically useful promotional products for its future customers. Brand commitment and customer retention in childhood can hardly be replaced or paid for by other forms of advertising in adulthood. In addition, it’s precisely for children that attractive product bundles can be put together with related products”, explains Oliver Leykam, Head of STAEDTLER Promotional Products. Other important themes are sustainability and exclusive products: “Thanks to our production location in Germany, we are of course in a fortuitous position in terms of the current return to products “Made in Germany”. It goes without saying that all our products fulfil the relevant directives and laws. And thanks to our own digital printing machines, our products can be finished in small runs and with manageable costs”. At PSI in Düsseldorf, “our customers can look forward to a completely new product segment in the area of premium and luxury writing implements. The new range combines unique materials, our own distinctive “Made in Germany” design and the option of personalisation starting with just a single item. So a visit to our stand in hall 12 is a must, and not just for the curious”.
