| **Stock-Based Compensation**                                                  | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              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| **Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       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| Stock-Based Compensation                                                      | 5. Stock-Based CompensationThe ACCO Brands Corporation Incentive Plan provides for stock based awards in the form of stock options, stock-settled appreciation rights ("SSARs"), restricted stock units ("RSUs") and performance stock units ("PSUs"), any of which may be granted alone or with other types of awards and dividend equivalents. We have one share-based compensation plan under which a total of 13,118,430 shares may be issued under awards to key employees and non-employee directors.The following table summarizes the impact of all stock-based compensation expense on our Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.(in millions of dollars)2015 2014 2013Advertising, selling, general and administrative expense$16.0 $15.7 $16.4Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax(16.0) (15.7) (16.4)Income tax expense (benefit)(5.7) (5.7) (5.9)Net income (loss)$(10.3) $(10.0) $(10.5)There was no capitalization of stock based compensation expense.Stock-based compensation expense by award type for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was as follows:(in millions of dollars)2015 2014 2013Stock option compensation expense$3.9 $3.7 $3.0RSU compensation expense4.7 6.6 5.5PSU compensation expense7.4 5.4 7.9Total stock-based compensation expense$16.0 $15.7 $16.4Stock Option and SSAR AwardsThe exercise price of each stock option equals or exceeds the fair market price of our stock on the date of grant. Options can generally be exercised over a maximum term of up to seven years. Stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2015 generally vest ratably over three years. During 2015, 2014 and 2013, we granted only option awards. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model using the weighted average assumptions as outlined in the following table: Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013Weighted average expected lives4.5years 4.5years 4.5yearsWeighted average risk-free interest rate1.47% 1.33% 0.75%Weighted average expected volatility46.5% 52.2% 55.3%Expected dividend yield0.0% 0.0% 0.0%Weighted average grant date fair value$3.00  $2.69  $3.43 Prior to 2012 we utilized historical volatility for a pool of peer companies for a period of time that is comparable to the expected life of the option to determine volatility assumptions for stock-based compensation. Beginning in 2012 volatility was calculated using a combination of peer companies and ACCO Brands' historic volatility. In 2013, volatility was calculated using a combination of peer companies (25%) and ACCO Brands' historic volatility (75%). From 2014 forward, volatility was calculated using ACCO Brands' historic volatility (100%). The weighted average expected option term reflects the application of the simplified method, which defines the life as the average of the contractual term of the option and the weighted average vesting period for all option tranches. The risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant in order to calculate the amount of share-based payment awards ultimately expected to vest. The forfeiture rate is based on historical experience.A summary of the changes in stock options/SSARs outstanding under our stock compensation plan during the year ended December 31, 2015 are presented below: NumberOutstanding WeightedAverageExercisePrice Weighted  AverageRemainingContractual Term AggregateIntrinsicValueOutstanding at December 31, 20144,973,386 $7.02    Granted1,419,510 $7.52    Exercised(456,341) $2.01    Lapsed(353,024) $12.60    Outstanding at December 31, 20155,583,531 $7.20 4.4 years $4.3 millionOptions/SSARs vested or expected to vest5,464,418 $7.20 4.3 years $4.3 millionExercisable shares at December 31, 20152,794,497 $7.37 3.2 years $3.3 millionWe received cash of $0.7 million and $0.3 million from the exercise of stock options for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during the year ended December 31, 2015 totaled $0.7 million. For the year ended December 31, 2014 the aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised was not significant. No options were exercised in the year ended December 31, 2013.The aggregate intrinsic value of SSARs exercised during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 totaled $2.0 million, $3.6 million and $0.7 million, respectively.The fair value of options vested during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $3.8 million, $3.2 million and $1.9 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, we had unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options of $4.6 million, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.Stock Unit AwardsRSUs vest over a pre-determined period of time, generally three to four years from the date of grant. Stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 includes $0.8 million, $0.8 million and $0.9 million, respectively, of expense related to RSUs granted to non-employee directors, which became fully vested on the grant date. PSUs also vest over a pre-determined period of time, minimally three years, but are further subject to the achievement of certain business performance criteria in future periods. Based upon the level of achieved performance, the number of shares actually awarded can vary from 0% to 150% of the original grant.There were 2,007,117 RSUs outstanding at December 31, 2015. All outstanding RSUs as of December 31, 2015 vest within three years of their date of grant. We generally recognize compensation expense for our RSU awards ratably over the service period. Also outstanding at December 31, 2015 were 3,197,735 PSUs. All outstanding PSUs as of December 31, 2015 vest at the end of their respective performance periods subject to percentage achieved of the performance targets associated with such awards. Upon vesting, all of the remaining PSU awards will be converted into the right to receive one share of common stock of the Company for each unit that vests. The cost of these awards is determined using the fair value of the shares on the date of grant, and compensation expense is generally recognized over the period during which the employee provides the requisite service to the Company. We generally recognize compensation expense for our PSU awards ratably over the performance period based on management’s judgment of the likelihood that performance measures will be attained. A summary of the changes in the RSUs outstanding under our equity compensation plan during 2015 are presented below: StockUnits WeightedAverageGrantDate FairValueOutstanding at December 31, 20142,430,683 $8.02Granted668,619 $7.58Vested and distributed(1,004,964) $9.62Vested and distribution deferred(26,585) $8.14Forfeited(60,636) $6.79Outstanding at December 31, 20152,007,117 $7.11Vested and deferred at December 31, 2015(1)228,883 $7.93(1)Included in outstanding at December 31, 2015. Vested and distribution deferred RSUs are primarily related to deferred compensation for non-employee directors.For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 we granted 881,554 and 791,349 shares of RSUs, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value of our RSUs was $7.58, $6.12, and $7.14 for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The fair value of RSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $10.3 million, $3.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, we have unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs of $4.3 million. The unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years.A summary of the changes in the PSUs outstanding under our equity compensation plan during 2015 are presented below: StockUnits WeightedAverageGrantDate FairValueOutstanding at December 31, 20142,837,162 $7.05Granted1,017,702 $7.52Vested(697,172) $7.75Forfeited and cancelled(45,143) $6.63Other - increase due to performance of PSU's85,186 $7.81Outstanding at December 31, 20153,197,735 $7.07For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 we granted 1,316,867 and 1,174,465 shares of PSUs, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 we paid out 697,172, 496,926 and 419,205 shares of PSUs, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value of our PSUs was $7.52, $6.14, and $7.59 for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The fair value of PSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $5.4 million, $4.4 million and $3.0 million respectively. As of December 31, 2015, we have unrecognized compensation expense related to PSUs of $7.0 million. The unrecognized compensation expense related to PSUs will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years.We will satisfy the requirement for delivering the common shares for our stock-based plan by issuing new shares. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for compensation-related costs for equity-based compensation, which may include disclosure of policies, compensation plan details, allocation of equity compensation, incentive distributions, equity-based arrangements to obtain goods and services, deferred compensation arrangements, employee stock ownership plan details and employee stock purchase plan details.
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