Raising Brand Awareness Through the ‘Pen Pincher’ Campaign for Codex

Codex, Ireland’s leading B2B office solutions company, aimed to extend its brand recognition to consumers through the ‘Pen Pincher’ campaign. The idea stemmed from a light-hearted moment on SPIN 1038’s breakfast show, where the hosts joked about missing pens in their office. Codex seized the opportunity by gifting personalised pens and a pen-safe, turning the relatable issue of “pen pinching” into a creative campaign. The initiative unfolded in two key phases.

The first part featured a week-long competition on SPIN 1038’s ‘Fully Charged‘ show. Daily and overall prize winners were announced alongside ad spots and live listener interactions on a station with 266,000 weekly listeners. To complement this, the station’s on-street team, the ‘SPINIs,’ distributed branded Codex pens at key commuter locations in Dublin. Passers-by could take part in a fun ‘pick and win’ activity, with the chance to win a premium gold Codex pen, adding an interactive element to the campaign.

The second part focused on earned media coverage. Cullen Communications conducted a survey on pen pinching habits in Irish offices and used the findings to craft a data-driven press release. Insights revealed that nearly nine in ten workers have had a pen taken from their desk, while 70% admitted to taking a colleague’s pen themselves. These statistics created engaging content for media outreach.

By blending paid media, on-street activations, and earned media efforts, the campaign positioned Codex as a trusted office solutions provider. It also boosted consumer engagement and brand awareness among a core demographic of office workers.