Imagine what it would be like to write this way.  Think what it would do to productivity and morale.  Actually – I don’t even want to think about that.

Instead – let’s celebrate the 67th year of having built-in ink.  

On June 10, 1943 – the Bíró brothers filed a patent for it, named it the Birome and opened a pen shop in Argentina. 

In 1945, Gimbels Department Store ran a full page ad in the New York Times promoting the arrival of it in the United States, describing it as a “fantastic…miraculous fountain pen…guaranteed to write for two years without refilling!”  A crowd of 5,000 crowded at the entrance of the store and it was a sell out on the very first day.  10,000 pens sold at $12.50 each!*  And they did it without Twitter, Facebook, Twongo or Groupon!

A few years later, Marcel Bich bought the patent, improved the construction and introduced his “new wonder:  a clear-barreled, smooth-writing, non-leaky, inexpensive ballpoint pen he called the ‘Ballpoint Bic’.” 

In England, they are still called Biros, and many Bic models also say “Biro” on the side of the pen, as a testament to their primary inventors.*

In addition to the pen’s existence,  its price is worth celebrating as well.   Instead of paying the inflation-adjusted $148.02* – we now pay less than a dollar.

So – let’s hear it for the ball point pen!   

If your promotional products vendor is on his toes, he’s got you all set up with lovely logo’d pens.  If not, go grab a box or two of Biros.  

If you have a staff meeting, celebrate by sharing your choice of tidbits from above and then giving everyone a new pen.   

1. Set up a table at the front of the store piled high with boxes of pens and a huge sign that says “Celebrate Ball Point Pen Day!”  
2. Offer something special if you can –  like buy a dozen, get one free.
3. Tweet about it.
4. Put it on your Facebook page.
5. Announce it to your e-mail subscriber list.

Most of all – have fun with this once-a-year way to celebrate with staff, colleagues, clients and customers.  The investment is small.  The payoff may be priceless.

copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc

* Fact from Ideafinder.com.  There are many more if you’d like to dig deeper into the history of ball point pens.

 For more on Just-for-June opportunities:  

• 10 Marketing Opportunities Just for June
• 10 Morale & Productivity Boosting Ideas for June