Someone at Quartet needs SEX!

Sex Sells, but for markers?

First, let me say that I am a big fan of Qaurtet, which is a subsidiary of ACCO Brands. You may be familiar with Quartet. They own the dry erase board (whiteboard) market. This post is not to criticize but to help. Several years ago when EXPO was a brand new company, they went to Quartet and asked that the EXPO dry erase markers be added with every purchase of a Quartet whiteboard. The rest is history. Flash forward to about three years ago now. Quartet realizes that owning the whiteboard market makes them the natural choice for dry erase markers as well. Quartet introduces a far superior dry erase marker that actually does last twice as long as the EXPO dry erase markers.

Anyway,  here is the point. The name of these superior Quartet dry erase markers is “EnduraGlide”! Maybe I am the only one with the oversexed mind, but the name EnduraGlide, does not make me think of dry erase markers. The next issue I noticed with these Quartet dry erase markers is the design. The cap is designed to prevent rolling, which is great, however it looks like, well, a phallic symbol to put it nicely. I am not sure if the product design team at Quartet was feeling especially randy at the time or if it’s just my fertile mind that comes up with this, but I can’t help but to come to this conclusion when Quartet has a dry erase marker named EnduraGlide and it’s shaped like a phallic symbol. Is it me or is it part of a subliminal product marketing campaign? I don’t care either way. I just find it funny. When I brought this up with colleagues, they discounted my comments. I’m just being perverted, trying to be funny, they said.

but I noticed in a blind test to determine who likes the design and the name, without offering any bias into the discussion, I found that women liked the name EnduraGlide and the shape of the dry erase marker  by a margin of 7 to 3. The test was unscientific and included 30 female office workers. I’m waiting on the commercial for the Quartet EndraGlide dry erase marker with Barry White singing in the background and a sultry voice explaining the enhanced performance of the EnduraGlide dry erase marker.

I thought it ended there. Maybe it was a coincidence that Quartet is offering a superior dry erase marker that lasts twice as long as the EXPO dry erase marker and its name happens to be EnduraGlide and shaped like a phallic symbol.

I was wrong. A recent trip to a local grocery store revealed the latest Quartet dry erase marker – The Screamers!

Here is part of the description taken from their website “The soft grip enhances comfort while keeping you in control during long writing sessions. The reverse taper design reduces pressure that can build up while holding the marker.”

The link to the product page is HERE.

So, apparently sex now sells dry erase markers. If you’re in the market for some enhanced performance from your dry erase marker and want superior product that lasts twice as long, feels good in your hand, and reduces the pressure that can build up before you are ready to quite, then the Quartet EnduraGlide or Quartet Screamers are the dry erase markers for you.

Keep writing!