It’s always a challenge for the anyone involved in Marketing and Advertising in the  drinks industry  to develop new, exciting and innovative ways to promote their products without incurring the wrath of the anti-drinking lobby whilst at the same time ensuring the drinks are promoted responsibly.

Custom USB Barrels

Custom USB flash drives and in particularl USB flash drives that are pre-loaded with TV adverts, media files, press releases, discount vouchers, and links to web sites and social networking sites present a new,  interesting and unique  marketing opportunity.

Several major drinks brands have already used custom USB sticks to support the launch of a new product (at a press event) and some of the smaller Scottish Whisky distilleries have taken a shine to USB barrels and are using these to target their customers with offers.

Custom USB flash drives are ideal for press events and  shows because they’re a little bit different, a little bit quirky and they’re fun. At the same time they get the message out about the product they are promoting and because its on a memory stick you’re pretty much guaranteed it’s a promotional product that won’t end up in the bin but will be used over and over again.

Custom USB Corks and Bottles

Whilst lots of people may already have at least one USB flash drive it’s the sort of product people still clamour for not least because they have a high-perceived value, they’re really handy to have and they’re really easy to use. By going for a version of the flash drive that has a “drink connection” you heighten the association to the brand printed on it, for example the USB bottle opener is ideal for the beer and larger brand whereas the USB barrels are fantastic for fine wines and spirits.

If you do opt for flash drives to support an event or product launch then make sure your supplier complies with the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and the WEE directive on reuse and recycling – it’s tough enough ensuring you comply with the advertising standard surrounding the drinks sector without having to worry about whether you comply with this legislation as well. A professional, reputable supplier should be able to give you the reassurances and certificates you need

OK, we accept when your product is called a “trench heater” you’re on a uphill task staight away to get people interested in it. It might be the best product in its class, it might look fantastic and it might have a string of awards but for some products there is always a challenge getting people to take a real look at them and what they have to offer.

One option, certainly if you’re attending shows, or launching your product at a Press event is to get something produced that raises the interest levels and arouses curiosity. That “something” in the case of Jaga who manufature and sell the Trench Heaters was a Customised USB flash drive manufactured in the shape of their heater grill. The finshed product looks fanatastic and generated a level of interest for Jaga that would have been difficult to acheive with a more conventional approach.

Custom USB

What Jaga have illustrated is that no matter how seeming dull or boring your product is it can be brought to life by the creative use of a custom flash drive. By pre-loading sales brochures, technical drawings, price lists, media files etc. onto the custom flash drive it’s also possible to off-set a significant chunk of (if not all) the cost of buying the flash drives. People tend to underestimate the cost of designing, printing and transporting brochures and other supporting material to shows and pretty much all of these costs can be offset by pre-loading the documents directly onto your custom flash drives.

The beauty of this is that you are pretty much assured that your flash drive (and brochures) won’t end up in the bins outside the exhibtion hall and its much more likely that people wil use the flash drive and read the pre-loaded brochures.

So, when thinking about custom flash drives don’t get put off by the cost think about the bigger picture and how they can drive interest in your product and offset other costs that you’d normally incur.

Cheap and fast are not two words normally associated with custom USB flash drives, particularly if by custom the meaning is bespoke or manufactured to your specific design rather than just a standard USB flash drive that is printed with your logo.

When people talk about true custom USB drives they immediately think big bucks, big minimum order quantities and long lead times. Well, this was a pretty accurate assumption up until a year or so ago when the market changed dramatically. Increased global competition for the supply of USB flash drives has driven prices down and improvement in manufacturing techniques have speeded up the process and again driven costs down.

So there’s never been a better time to go for a fully customised USB flash drive. They certainly make a bigger impact than standard USB flash drives and done well they create lots of “chatter” and social network comments that lift any campaign.

Organix Custom USB

These days the most difficult part of ordering a custom memory sticks can be coming up with the inspiration for what the drive should look like or be in the shape of. Typically companies will choice a product of shape that is immediately synonymous with their business so, Golf Club companies get USB golf clubs, Fork Lift Truck companies order USB Fork Lifts and so on. If you’re really struggling you could always have your company name (if its not too long) made into a Custom USB stick as was the case with Organix.

Even though timings have improved dramatically from a couple of years ago you still need to allow around 5 weeks. Part of this extra time is to create a mould for the drive and then to produce a physical sample from the mould for you to approve and sign off. This step in the process might seem “overkill” but its strongly recommended that you see the product in the flesh before committing to several hundred or thousand pieces.

From a pricing perspective they will also be a little more expensive but considering you will “own” the design and mould at the end of the process and considering the added benefits they offer its worth spending the extra pennies.

The age of the promotional pen is over. The bespoke keyfob is becoming redundant. Why? Because there is a new promotional phenomenon taking over the market which is more than just an object with branding on it. It is interactive, it is dynamic, and it has a useful purpose in the long-term, ensuring that your consumer doesn’t just throw it in a drawer and forget about it, but uses it day-in day-out, keeping your brand in their mind throughout.

This phenomenon is, of course, the bespoke memory stick. Whether you’re promoting an event, a product, a brand, or even if you just need to send out some information to clients, nothing looks more professional than a unique, bespoke, memory stick. Choose from over one million pantone colours to match the memory stick perfectly to your logo, and customise the shape, size and feel to your exact needs. Data can also be pre-loaded onto the sticks so clients don’t just have a physical object for your brand, they have videos, presentations, images, and anything else you can put on a flash drive. Read more »

If you’re looking to buy some branded USB flash drives for a forthcoming event, product launch or show then rather than settling for a standard design with your logo or brand printed on it why not consider a bespoke solution.

The vast majority of promotional memory sticks given away in the UK are normally one of a small handful of standard “factory” designs with the ubiquitous “Twister” or “Rotate” model as its sometimes referred to being the most commonly used. Read more »

In a world where the music industry has seen a massive slump in record sales, it’s no wonder that top recording artists are increasingly putting resources into to building up and strengthening their brand image in order to maintain a loyal fan basis. One such example of this is branded merchandise. This is nothing new, for years bands have sold everything from T-shirts to beach towels. Who remembers Kiss Pinball? However, one recent trend that has seen a dramatic rise in popularity with artists and labels is the commissioning of Custom USB Flash Drives. Read more »

Have you got a new brand? Maybe you’re new start-up company or simply looking to strengthen your existing brand image, either way, why not consider a custom memory stick based on your logo. Read more »

If you’re looking for promotional giveaways or gifts for speakers at a seminar or conference or perhaps you just want to something to liven up a press event or product launch then you can’t really go wrong with a custom USB flash drive.

Flash drives have already established themselves as incredibly popular products in the promotional sector and it’s easy to understand why. There is not really any other product that offers the same degree of utility combined with an ability to pre-load all of your sales brochures, presentation slides and marketing material onto it. Read more »

Standard branded and printed USB flash drives are all pervasive as increasing numbers of companies use them to promote their products and services or support their marketing and advertising activities.

Its no surprise really because USB memory sticks printed with a companies logo on can look fantastic, they make a real impact and they are typically well received. But, if you really want to make an impact these days and stand out from the crowd then you should consider creating a custom shaped USB memory stick. Read more »

Some products are just not exciting in themselves, they don’t get your juices flowing and no amount of fancy branding is going to help. This is a challenge aptly illustrated by the “Trench Heater”. As a product its fantastic, its very stylish and more fundamentally it’s a very effective form of in-floor heating as well as being a cooling and climate control system.

The Trench Heaters have built in heat exchangers, they are cost effective to run and because they are discrete and good-looking they are usually installed in upmarket houses, apartments and offices. Read more »