By Carly L. Price

With the mountain of office supplies workers need at their fingertips, desktop real estate is highly coveted. Promotional products that make a bold, personal statement and are space efficient, multi-functional and well designed will obtain this premium office space.

“Office supplies have evolved from a necessity to a fashion statement,” says Lindsay Hoylman, marketing specialist for Leed’s (UPIC: LEEDS). “Desktop accessories have developed at an especially fast pace. As employees spend more time at work, employers seek ways for employees to personalize their workspaces. Pen cups, clocks, photo frames (including digital photo frames) and desk organizers have become increasingly popular and sophisticated.”

John LeTourneau, sales manager for Strong Leather Company (UPIC: STRONG), says this has led to an overall rise in demand for promotional office supplies, especially for internal promotions such as sales incentives, anniversaries, motivation, product launches and new employee welcome packages. The external uses for office supplies are endless, ranging from small handouts at tradeshows or sales calls to elegant holiday gifts.

“In general, our orders have increased for office products,” LeTourneau says. “Companies want to advertise not only to end users but also their employees.”