The Latest and Greatest from CAMEX

As promised (and being reminded by a faithful reader), here is an update on some of the new things to look for in the coming months on the college market:

Peace Signs
Apparently, 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the peace sign. This means that the fashion powers-that-be have decided that the peace sign will adorn as many clothing items and accessories as possible this year. Everything at the show from sweatshirts to wallets were covered in peace signs and silly paisley prints. After a short visit to Disney Land, we reluctantly confirmed that this fashion does exist and must be embraced.

Go Green
We all know that the environment is a hot topic right now, and the exhibitors at CAMEX confirmed it. Reusable bags, pens and paper made of recycled materials, organic clothing and stainless steel water bottles littered (no pun intended) the trade show floor.

Pen Technology
This was my first buying experience with office supplies, and one would think they are boring, but wowzers did the pen companies impress me with some of the things they came up with. In addition to pens made with recycled, earth friendly materials packaged in recycled packaging, you would be shocked at what Bic, Sanford, Pentel and Zebra are capable of coming up with. Sanford featured a mechanical pencil that rotates the lead every time you touch the pencil to paper so you are always using the sharpest end of the lead. Zebra featured a pen that donates a majority of the profit to Breast Cancer. Bic had my favorite new pen, the Reaction. The Reaction pen has a shock absorber built in so that the pen compresses when you push on the paper, reducing fatigue in your wimpy hands.

Save the Tatas
A company with a goal of freeing the world from cancer, Save the Tatas stole the show at CAMEX with their blunt marketing campaign to raise money for breast cancer research. Buttons and stickers saying things like "Save the Tatas" and "Caught you looking at my tatas" were found all over the convention center. Visit this website to learn more about the campaign: www.savethetatas.com.