Trend Tracker: Smooth penmanship

Retailers and manufacturers continue to look for ways to leverage the Internet and social networking to generate brand awareness and drive sales, especially for back-to-school.

Writing instrument manufacturer Pentel has entered the fray with a video contest where college students deliver their “smoothest” lines, which sprung from the idea that the Pentel HyperG pen is one of the smoothest writing pens on the market. Prizes include pens, cameras, gaming systems or a week-long trip to Panama City, Fla.

The videos and lines can be viewed on www.YourSmoothestLine.com (pictured), where anyone can vote to select the winners.