It’s Wildcard Wednesday! On Wildcard Wednesday, we bring you whimsical, yet relevant insight that helps to connect our world to the worlds of both our clients and their customers.

Today’s Wildcard Wednesday is inspired by a recent conversation we had with our brand partner, Montblanc, maker of luxury writing instruments.

On a recent visit to Rymax’s offices, they asked us “are you a ballpoint or a rollerball?”

Most of us weren’t sure how to respond.

The truth is, whether we’re conscious of it or not, we all have a favorite pen (or favorite type of pen) that we gravitate towards… without really knowing why. Luckily, Montblanc was able to share important knowledge with us about the nuances of pens, the differences between Rollerball and Ballpoint and why we like what we like.

Here’s what they pointed out:

• A ballpoint uses a thick oil-based ink, while a rollerball uses liquid ink.
• A rollerball writes with a thicker, rich line. A Ballpoint writes a thinner, less vivid line.
• Ballpoint pens dry instantly on paper and do not smudge. But because of the oil-ink formula, the ball is not very reactive and may feel ‘scratchy’ when writing.
• Rollerball pens provide a more vivid line. The liquid ink in a rollerball distributes 3 to 4 more times the amount of a ballpoint pen. The increase in the ink allows the pen to have a smoother and easier feel, but because of the increase, the rollerball takes longer to dry and is more likely to smudge.

Thanks to Montblanc’s expertise, each of us at Rymax can now clearly pinpoint why our ‘favorite’ pen is actually our favorite. This quick, fun, yet important lesson helps to reinforce Montblanc’s position as an industry expert and category leader.

At Rymax, we take pride in aligning ourselves with the very best brands in the world, so that we may offer the highest-quality, most in-demand products in the marketplace. We continue to be the #1 loyalty marketing provider, due in part by the knowledge, dedication and commitment of likeminded brands such as Montblanc.

So now that we know which type of pen best suits each of us, we’re asking you the same question: Are you a ballpoint or rollerball?

Go ahead. Make a few scribbles in your notebook to help you decide…and have a ball!