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

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.

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.

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.

Bespoke USB Memory Sticks

Even after all the data on the stick has been absorbed, the client can simply delete it and use the memory stick for their day to day needs. This ensures your brand will always stay with them and will never be forgotten. Moreover, if you get the design right, you can create a real “buzz” around your memory stick, spreading your brand further by word of mouth. Sometimes even the most simple designs can have a profound effect.

So, next time you’re considering a promotional product, don’t choose a pen which will find its way into the back of someone’s desk, don’t choose a keyfob which will spend most of its time hidden in someone’s pocket, choose the bespoke memory stick. Not only will it be sticking proudly out of a computer most of the day for all to see, it serves a useful purpose; ferrying data to and from clients and making a geniune long-term impact, ensuring your brand never gets forgotten.

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.

These standard models are popular because they are easy to source, they come in a range of colours and they carry print well. As a promotional product they are great in so far as they go hence why they are ordered in such large volumes. These standard drives are a “safe bet” and because they are readily available and can typically be delivered in a week or so there is little need to forward plan.

Whilst these attributes are all excellent and they really do deliver as a promotional product (particularly if you pre-load them with data) there is no doubt that bespoke flash drives will really get you noticed and will generate a level of “chatter” and interest that standard flash drives simply can’t match.

Jaga Bespoke USB

Of course if you just want your branded flash drives to carry your logo and be a vehicle for distributing presentation slides, product information etc. then a standard drive might be appropriate.

Bespoke flash drives are designed and manufactured to your exact requirements. They can be manufactured in any 2-D or 2-D shape and from a range of different materials. Just like a standard flash drive they are available in a range of different memory sizes and they can be printed, embossed or engraved as required.

When it comes to designing custom memory sticks pretty much anything can and has been done ranging from USB fruit, USB people, USB vehicles, USB cartoon characters and so on. So, if for example you are a widget manufacturer and you’re about to launch a new widget on the world and you have a press launch arranged to underpin the launch you might consider commissioning a bespoke flash drive in the shape of your widget. Consider the impact when these are handed out at the press event and product launch particularly if they are pre-loaded with all the launch material.

Bench Bespoke USB

Standard branded flash drives are still incredibly well received and whilst we’re not quite at the point of people saying or thinking “so what” there is no doubt that the market is in danger of saturation. You can cut through this by going the extra mile and commissioning a bespoke flash drive. Do bear in mind that the lead time for bespoke flash drives is 2-3 weeks longer so build this into your plans.

Not only are custom USB memory sticks a great product to simply sell as a branded merchandise, but they offer music fans a genuine incentive to actually purchase the music of their favourite bands / artists rather than illegally downloading it, which is a tough thing to do in this digital age. Even to this day, walk into any high street record store and you’re confronted with the rows and rows of CD’s packaged identically in the ubiquitous jewel case – the exact same sight as ten years ago. A custom designed USB memory stick pre-loaded with an artist’s latest material becomes a real keepsake for loyal fans and can become a real talking point to attract new ones. Such artists that have commissioned custom memory sticks include The Streets, Deadmau5, Nas and even The Beatles.

Custom Memory Sticks are taking the Music Industry by Storm

However, this growing use of custom memory sticks is not exclusive to the big, established names. We have seen a rising trend in unsigned bands and artists using custom memory sticks to promote their music and help them try and break into the music business. Custom flash drives are a an ideal tool to distribute music to industry people such as record label bosses, music journalists and top DJs. What’s more, when you consider that these people are dumped with bundles of CDs everyday from others trying to break into the scene, a custom USB memory stick is an ideal tool to help one stand out from the crowed and get noticed.

This rising trend has also been encouraged by the increasingly affordable price of producing custom flash drives, with the difference between commissioning a custom design over a factory standard USB being as low as only £1 per unit in some cases. Most albums in MP3 format are usually small enough to fit on a tiny 126MB or 512MB memory stick so chip costs are also very low, plus there is often plenty of room for added extras such as desktop wall papers, flash games, tour dates etc. It is no wonder then that this trend is on the increase and that the music industry is continuing to favour custom USB flash drives more and more.

Branded flash drives and memory sticks have become hugely popular over recent years and have rapidly become the product of choice with regards to branded stationary and promotional gifts. Whilst these traditional branded USB memory sticks can look really nice there’s always that chance that you customers / potential clients may feel like they’ve seen it all before especially as more and more companies are using traditional branded flash drives to promote their business. So why not go that one step further and commission your very own custom flash drive? Whether you’re sending your flash drives to specific clients, giving them away liberally, a custom USB memory stick will lift your brand to that next level. We’ve also recently seen a trend of top record labels as well as some of the premiere football and rugby clubs commissioning custom memory sticks to re-sell as official branded merchandise.

Custom Fork Lift

In the past some companies have shied away from custom made flash drives over fiscal concerns such as design costs, tooling costs as well as set-up and production costs and high minimum orders. However things have moved on since then. These days custom memory sticks can typically be manufactured in batches as low as 100 and due to a combination of reductions in tooling costs, greater competition among suppliers in the far east along with the recent recovery of UK sterling, custom USB memory sticks are now very affordable. Did you know that the difference between having a custom memory stick over a traditional printed flash drive could be as little as £1-£2 per unit?

So next time your looking for a promotional marketing tool, why not chose a custom designed USB memory stick and really wow your clients with something truly unique.

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.

Whilst CD’s and DVD’s have historically been used to load sales material on and they have been handed out at shows and events they just don’t have the same user appeal and whilst they are cheaper they can end up just tossed in the nearest bin. Flash drives on the other hand are still very desirable and sought after and we know from experience and customer feedback that they are kept and used over and over again.

Custom USB Memory Sticks

The easiest option is to just get some printed up with your logo or brand and ideally ask the supplier to pre-load your sales data during the manufacturing process or just before they ship them to you if you’re up against it in terms of pulling your material together. There are lots of standard designs and models to choose from and they come in a wide range of colours and shapes. Most suppliers will have examples on their web sites of printed or engraved versions they’ve produced for their clients and the majority will happily supply you with samples if you want to see what they look like in the flesh.

Standard printed flash drives are a good option but if you have the time you could consider going all the way and getting yourself some custom (bespoke) memory sticks designed and manufactured. These are surprisingly cost effective to do and visually they can be stunning. There’s no doubt about it a well designed and well produced custom flash drive will set you apart from the competition and get people talking about your company and its products which of course is exactly what you want from a promotional product!

New manufacturing processes and increased competition amongst the factories that produce custom memory sticks has driven down prices, all but eliminated the set-up and tooling costs and improved the lead times. All you need is the “gem” of an idea for your custom USB drive to be developed around. Pretty much any thing is possible as these examples of planes, trains and automobiles illustrate.

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.

Custom USB memory sticks that take their design influence and styling from your logo, products or the market you operate in never fail to have an impact way beyond standard USB products. Done well they become real talking points and can be a fundamental part of any advertising or promotional campaign. This novelty factor and appeal can be important in ensuring your hard spent marketing cash is not simply thrown away or tossed into a drawer.

Custom USB Examples

Historically companies have been reluctant to commission custom USB memory sticks because of concerns about design costs, tooling and mould costs and general manufacturing costs. Lead times of 6-8 weeks were also and issue and these factors combined to make them unattractive. But, in the last year or so all of this has changed as a result of increased competition, reducing customer numbers and improvements in the manufacturing process.

Today, it is possible to supply bespoke USB memory sticks for orders of just 100 pieces or more and the typical lead-time has been reduced to around 4 weeks.

Custom USB shapes are manufactured from a range of recycled and recyclable materials such as PVC, ABS, Silicon and PET. By using these materials the factories have been able to drive down the set-up and production costs without any compromise on quality.

Recent examples of custom USB memory sticks done well include:

• Custom USB Erasers – to promote a “pain eraser” drug for animals
• Bespoke USB Trench Heaters  – used at a press launch to promote a type of heater
• Custom USB Eggs – to support the launch of a Nintendo DS game
• Custom USB Floor Boxes – for the sales force of an industrial floor box and floor trunking company.
• USB Guitar – promoted the launch of a Disney game

So, if you are considering a USB memory stick as part of any communication or marketing activity why not go that one little step extra and get some quotes for custom USB sticks.

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.

A leading UK designer and manufacturer of Trench Heaters is Jaga and for them one of their challenges is how to communicate the benefits of their heating systems. Glossy brochures have, to a degree, worked but they are expensive to produce in volume and they don’t sit comfortably with Jaga’s stated policy of “putting the least burden on the environment”. So, instead of continuing to print brochures Jaga commissioned a bespoke USB flash drive designed and manufactured in the shape of a trench heater and carrying the Jaga brand on the reverse.

Jaga Bespoke USB

The result is a brilliant looking bespoke USB flash drive that has really captured people’s imagination and brought to life what some people might consider to be a boring product. Even better is that the Trench Heater Custom USB Flash drives are small, portable and they’ve been pre-loaded with lots of product information, technical specification details, installation information, and media files that show the Trench Heaters in situ in a variety of different environments.

These bespoke USB memory sticks have cost a little more than a standard printed version and they did take a couple more weeks to produce but it’s an investment that should reap big dividends for Jaga. Get it right as Jaga clearly have here and you end up with a Custom USB flash drive that will create a significant amount of interest and “chatter” in your product.

Irrespective of what your product is and how dull it might be considered you can really bring it to life with the imaginative use of bespoke USB Flash drives.