The Pen & Paper Campaign

Science says:

The more you write,
the better it is for your brain.

Moleskine firmly believes in the power of pen and paper to unleash human genius, a belief that experts have long supported. To share the scientifically proven brain-boosting benefits of writing, we created the Pen & Paper Campaign: the first ever entirely hand-drawn ad campaign, launched first in Milan where Moleskine was born and soon to be rolled out in other cities around the world. To stay on-message, all the posters were created by hand, one by one, by Moleskine staff and by a group of local university students.

The Pen & Paper Campaign
The Pen & Paper Campaign

The Posters

Discover the benefits of writing and doodling on paper.

Our mission has always been to promote the potential of paper in our lives. These posters reference numerous studies which prove that writing by hand aids faster learning, memory retention and developing linear thinking. Thanks to the scientists and scholars who generously allowed us to share their work, we see that the simple act of putting pen to paper helps our brains work better.

Great news for students

Boost your studies and up your grades.
Great news for students
Do you want to learn faster? Relearn how to write. Ref: Hetty Roessingh, PhD Professor Emerita Education University of Calgary Multiple studies show that handwriting is fundamental for cognitive development and that it helps your brain absorb information faster.
Did you know that people who take notes by hand study less? Ref: Hetty Roessingh, PhD Professor Emerita Education University of Calgary Owen Ruderman, journalist, 'A case for taking notes by hand’ Typing tends to be verbatim and thoughtless, whereas taking notes by hand involves paraphrasing so you start absorbing facts as soon as you put pen to paper.
Did you know that even math is easier when you use pen and paper? Ref: William Hinkley, Math Teacher Public High School, Maine Laura Dinehart, College of Education & Human Development, Western Michigan University The more difficult the math problem, the more pen and paper help. In fact, pen and paper are the best tools for understanding the big picture in math."
Those who learn cursive as children also perform better in high school. Ref: Hetty Roessingh, PhD Professor Emerita Education University of Calgary Bertoglio-Rescaldina, ‘Il corsivo encefalogramma dell’anima’ It's scientifically proven that the skills acquired through learning cursive handwriting lead to better academic performance in the long-term.
Great news for your mind
Handwriting activates memory more. Ref: Hetty Roessingh, PhD Professor Emerita Education University of Calgary Physically forming words by hand engages different cognitive and sensory processes. This facilitates deeper information processing and enhances memory recall. "
Doodling is good for the brain. Ref: Kristin Wilcox, PhD in Pharmacology Doodling can enhance memory recall, improve concentration and reduce stress and anxiety, serving as a form of relaxation and mindfulness.
Anxiety. Putting pen to paper clears the mind of thoughts and decreases anxiety. Ref: Kristin Wilcox, PhD in Pharmacology The act of writing in cursive slows down the brain, therefore significantly lowering anxiety and increasing concentration.
Doodling helps neurodivergent people concentrate. Ref: Kristin Wilcox, PhD in Pharmacology Rather than a sign of a distracted mind, doodling is actually shown to help those with neurodiverse traits concentrate better and increase focus.

Great news for your mind

Find focus, improve your memory and reduce anxiety.

Great news for creativity

Find inspiration and watch ideas grow on the page.
Great news for creativity
People who write by hand have more ideas than those who type. Ref: Professor Audrey Van der Meer, Brain researcher and Professor of Neuropsychology Studies show that those who write in cursive (as opposed to block letters or typing) have better understanding, linear thinking and idea generation.
The more you write, the better it is. Science says so. Ref: Professor Audrey Van der Meer, Brain researcher and Professor of Neuropsychology Handwriting stimulates 14 areas of the brain. The more you write, the better you understand and think: it's a complete work out for your brain. "
Handwriting stimulates the thinking part of the mind. Ref: Professor Audrey Van der Meer, Brain researcher and Professor of Neuropsychology Handwriting activates multiple brain regions and cognitive processes, including those responsible for generating and organizing thoughts.