GBC Sheds Light on the Importance of Shredding in the New Year

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- If the ultimate makeover was possible, 47 percent of Americans would like to be Bill Gates. Even if you don't have his riches, you can -- and should -- take precautions to protect your own identity.

The GBC Document Finishing Group of ACCO Brands recently issued a series of surveys to highlight the biggest jams to avoid in 2008. With the launch of the new GBC(R) Jam Free Series of laminators and shredders, consumers and companies can avoid jams like identify theft, bad memories and leaking of personal and professional secrets -- it only takes seconds.

Money Trumps Looks

Consumers were polled on which celebrity they would like to be so they would never get in a jam.

    -- Bill Gates' money beat out all other contenders with 47 percent of
       votes, but he was chosen by even more of the 65-plus age group (72
       percent).
    -- The empire of Oprah came in second place with 25 percent of respondents
       selecting the talk show host as the person they'd most like to be; 32
       percent of 25 to 34-year-olds chose this option.
    -- Less than 10 percent of consumers surveyed wished to be more like uber
       couples Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen or Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

Security vs. Self-Pride

When GBC asked consumers 'what is the most sensitive piece of information you would want to shred to avoid a jam?' security rose to the top of the pile with more than double the votes of items that might be considered embarrassing for others to see.

    -- Thirty-nine percent of those surveyed selected a receipt from their
       last big purchase.
    -- A diary or black book was selected by 18 percent of consumers; 23.5
       percent of those under 34-years-old selected this option.
    -- Scorned lovers selected old love letters and photos at 15 and 13
       percent respectively as the items they would most like to shred.

New Year, No Worries

In another study, GBC found that the number one frustration is that shredders jam too often. The new GBC(R) ShredMaster(R) Jam Free series of machines actually prevents jams from happening. With a color-coded paper entry light system, green signifies it is time to shred and red means too much paper has been loaded. The new shredders feature a backlit control panel for quick, easy use and a pull-out bin for waste.

To avoid getting into common jams like identify theft and loss of sensitive information GBC recommends utilizing a shredder both at the office and at home.

'The beginning of each year is a great time to get your work and personal life organized,' said Irene O'Connor, Brand Manager for the GBC Brand. 'Don't just toss out those old bank statements, medical records, strategic documents and customer information, make sure you shred them. The new GBC Jam Free Series of shredders won't jam and can keep you -- and your company -- out of one too.'

Methodology

This survey was conducted online in the United States by Deep Blue Insight Group on behalf of the GBC Document Finishing Group between December 17 and 19, 2007 among 1,507 U.S. adults 18 years-of-age or older. Atlanta-based Deep Blue Insight Group is a market research firm specializing in new product and brand development for Fortune 500 companies. This online survey was conducted with a census-balanced consumer panel proportionate to the general U.S. population. The results have an average error range of +/- 1.6 percent.

About GBC and ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ABD)

GBC has been the market leader in binding and lamination for over 60 years. With a complete line of binding, laminating and shredding machines and supplies, GBC helps consumers present, protect and preserve. To learn more about the GBC Jam Free series, visit http://gbc.com/shredders.

ACCO Brands Corporation is a world leader in select categories of branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Its industry-leading brands include Day-Timer(R), Swingline(R), Kensington(R), Quartet(R), GBC(R), Rexel(R), NOBO(R), and Wilson Jones(R), among others. Under the GBC brand, the company is also a leader in the professional print finishing market.

SOURCE GBC Document Finishing Group of ACCO Brands

Source: PR Newswire (January 17, 2008 - 9:00 AM EST)

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