El Marko™ Revived and Better Than Ever!

El Marko™ rides again!

C.H. Hanson®, a provider of construction industry tools, has brought back the El Marko™ permanent marker brand. With roots dating back to 1866 as a stencil manufacturer, C.H. Hanson serves the construction and manufacturing sectors with a range of tools under various brands like Superior Tool and Palmgren, as well as its own product lines encompassing stencils, lumber crayons, layout tools, and hazard barrier tape. Having submitted a statement of use to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on August 18, 2021, the company has revived the original brand that had been dormant for nearly 15 years.

The reintroduced El Marko brand is positioned as a robust marker suitable for commercial applications, capable of writing on diverse surfaces such as wood, cinder blocks, and greeting cards. The revived El Marko brand aligns perfectly with C.H. Hanson's expertise, fitting snugly within a sector the company knows well, marking tools. Leveraging its history of developing and understanding product brands within its market segment, C.H. Hanson knows what it takes in producing "Tools For Generations ™."

History Of The Marker!

The marker pen industry traces its origins back to 1953 with the introduction of the Magic Marker by Signey M. Rosenthal. Subsequently, the El Marko brand emerged as a consumer brand of waterproof marker pens under the Paper Mate division of Gillette, marketed as El Marko by Flair. Introduced in the spring of 1968, the original El Marko quickly gained prominence alongside the Flair pen within the pen industry. Its later iteration featured a distinct profile and shape, advertised as odor-free, addressing a common issue with Sanford's Marker, a competing product known for its industrial smell.

Despite its initial success, Gillette's Paper Mate, later acquired by Newell, eventually lost focus on the El Marko brand in favor of other products like the Sharpie introduced by Sanford in 1964. This shift in focus led to the neglect and eventual disuse of the El Marko brand. Newell, now managing a multitude of brands following mergers, including Expo, Mr. Sketch, Paper Mate, and Parker, has overlooked the potential of the Sanford brand, risking the loss of its goodwill.

C.H. Hanson To The Rescue!

C.H. Hanson Co. initiated the process of trademarking the El Marko brand in 2018, introducing a permanent marker with a distinct round shape. Despite previous attempts by others to trademark the name, Hanson's commitment to the brand has resulted in the production of an actual product. Notably, a British graphic designer named Josh Line had conceptualized a logo for the brand back in 2008, emphasizing its enduring appeal.

With a heritage dating back to 1866, C.H. Hanson's involvement in markings predates even that of Paper Mate. Founded by Christian Henry Hanson, the company initially began with a stencil business, drawing upon Hanson's expertise from his native Denmark.

Who Was The Masked Man?

The imagery of a caped hero, as seen in the original El Marko advertising, draws inspiration from various cultural icons, including the Lone Ranger and the Mexican wrestler Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, known as "El Santo." Notably, the original El Marko man, a national sales manager for Paper Mate, reminisces about the brand's launch in 1968, arriving at the sales meeting in San Diego wearing a cape and mask while riding a white horse, adding a touch of theatrical flair to the product introduction.

Where Can I find El Marko™

Today you can find El Marko in any of your local hardware stores or on Amazon. This robust line includes paint markers, permanent markers, china markers, lumber crayons, and now the Box Claw™!

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