Less is more

The BIC pen has looked nearly identical for over 70 years.

There were two subtle design changes, aside from new ink flavors.

One change happened in 1961, the stainless steel ballpoint was swapped for tungsten carbide. This made the components harder and the ink flow smoother.

The other was in 1991 when a hole was added to the top of the cap. Not to improve function, it's a safety feature to prevent kids and people who chew on pen caps from choking. If someone does inhale it, the hole allows for the person to still breathe.

Aside from that, nothing else really changed. Other pens are popular and preferred, but the BIC Cristal is still a best seller. It challenges the "newer is better" mentality by delivering "less is more."