Make It Write in 2012!

Make the New Year more personal through the simple act of handwriting with tips and advice from the experts at BIC^®

TORONTO, Jan. 19, 2012 /CNW/ - Make 2012 better than ever! The New Year is a time to reflect on the changes we want to make and a commitment to personal goals, projects or the reforming of a habit or lifestyle change.

BIC — a global leader and distributor of ballpoint pens — is declaring that it's time for Canadians to put pen to paper and handwrite a list of goals to help make 2012 more personal and the best year to stay connected with friends and family!

"The simple act of handwriting is more than the sum of its words; it's extremely personal and very powerful," says Michael Salfi, Brand Manager, Stationery, BIC Inc. "Even in this digital age, leading research reveals that handwriting information enhances retention better than typing on a keyboard. The process of putting our personal pledges in writing helps retain the ideas more firmly in our minds, leading to greater recall, ownership and dedication throughout the year."

Get a fresh start to the New Year with BIC's Top Ten Tips to help make 2012 better than ever!

1. Handwrite your New Year's Resolutions. This personal touch will motivate and give ownership to your commitment.
2. Reduce emails and connect with family and friends by sending them handwritten notes and birthday cards throughout the year.
3. Create a handwritten "Bucket List" to keep track of all the exciting stuff you want to accomplish in life!
4. Handwrite a letter together as a family, describing where you hope to be in five years. It's a great keepsake to look back at your children's handwriting and how it has progressed.
5. Encourage parents and grandparents to handwrite their children/grandchildren's favourite story in a journal as a keepsake for when the children get older.
6. Include a handwritten note in your husband's suitcase before a business trip and your child's lunchbox or overnight bag for their first sleepover.
7. Why wait until Valentine's Day?  Write a love note to your loved one - a personal way to show how much you care.
8. Stay connected during family vacations and send postcards to loved ones so they know you were thinking of them and sharing your vacation memories.
9. Start a diary or journal to record memorable occasions. Try and write daily about little anecdotes about your day.
10. Keep a pen and pad of paper by your bed at night. Write down any ideas you have through the night so you can clear your mind and have restful, worry-free sleep.

A New Year Brings New Beginnings
Birth and marriage announcements, expressions of love or thanks, congratulations and sympathies were once the domain of the handwritten note. Today, they are more commonly expressed by informal emotions in a text or email message using LOL … ☺ … SETE …TYVM.^†

Expressing emotion or thoughts through text-messaged acronyms or cryptically crafted emails cannot replace the thrill of personalized handwriting. While technology helps Canadians stay in touch, there is no substitute for a personal handwritten note.

"A person's handwriting is unique, expressive and very personal," says Michael Salfi.  "Knowing your family or friend took the time to handwrite a note is very intimate and comforting, bridging the distance and showing the thought and care that went into the communication."

Research also indicates that 65% of Canadians feel that people judge the quality of a note or ideas based on the handwriting. Handwriting should be smooth and polished and a good quality writing instrument is key! To help Canadians make a smooth transition into 2012, BIC offers the Smoothest Pen in the Universe™ — the Velocity Bold ball pen.

This retractable pen features the Easy-Glide System^® - BIC's exclusive ink technology, for smoother writing and a more vivid line. Its full length moulded rubber grip and 1.6 mm bold point gives the user writing control when using the pen while drafting an important list or note with a bolder, vivid line of ink. Velocity Bold ball pens are available at major retailers. Manufacturer's suggested retail price is $4.49, for a package of four.

About BIC Inc.
BIC Inc. (Canada) is a subsidiary of BIC Corporation (www.bicworld.com) , a leading distributor of stationery products, lighters and shavers. Since its founding more than 50 years ago, BIC has honoured the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable products to consumers everywhere. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC has become one of the most recognized brands in the world today.

^†LOL = Laughing out loud
☺  = Smile
SETE = Smiling ear to ear
TYVM = Thank you very much

** On April 15, 2011, Canadian Omnibus conducted an online survey among 1,011 randomly selected Canadians. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples are representative of the Canadian adult population.

For further information:

Ive Balins or Adriana Lurz at Strategic Objectives.  Tel: [phone].  Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]