Apparently, due to the mildly successful film Office Space, there’s now a cult following behind red Swingline staplers:
“Office Space” didn’t burn up at the box office, barely recouping the $10 million it cost News Corp.’s 20th Century Fox to make it. But in 2000, when it came out on video, it was clear the movie was reaching a particular audience — cubicle-dwelling computer programmers. For months, Swingline fielded demands for “that red stapler” pouring in by phone and e-mail.
There was just a slight problem: Swingline didn’t make bright-red staplers.
The Swingline in the movie was custom-painted by a prop designer. When real-life Miltons found out they couldn't buy one from the manufacturer, they simply made their own, creating a thriving market on eBay for Swinglines spray-painted red. Then, finally, in April, three years after the red-stapler buzz began, Swingline began selling a “Rio Red” stapler, its basic “747” model in a coat of lipstick. [...]
The best part is Swingline’s website section on the stapler:
Up the Revolution: The Red Stapler! Staple and be heard! WHAM-cubicles! WHAM-dress code! WHAMWHAMWHAM!
Man, if I score myself a cubicle job (whee!), I’ll be sure to get one of these to complete the image :).
(Link from ObscureStore)
RedSwinglineStapler.com try taking the Office Space Quiz!
Just as a stapler will bind paper, love will bind people.