Originally published in Potentials
magazine, October 2006Smaller than a finger, flash drives make it ridiculously easy to transport files, whether you're traveling across the country to give a presentation or just across the hall. USB flash drives that sold for hundreds of dollars two years ago now sell for less than $40 for 1 GB of storage down, or around $10 for 64 MB.
"One of the most difficult things about being in a promotional business is finding ways to constantly appeal to companies that want to stand out and feel unique," reports Margaret Polevy, a customer sales representative for
iPromo. Her company's Swiss Army-styled USB flash drive/knife will make its way into a survivalist's guide.
Thanks to their size, flash drives have spurred the imaginations of promotional product companies. Says
SOURCERY's marketing manager, Heather Phillips, "If you are handing out the most current and state-of-the-art item on the market ... you are going to wow the client." No doubt playfulness, rarely a part of computer hardware, doesn't hurt. Among SOURCERY's products are a wrist-band flash drive and a (working) pen that opens to reveal a hidden flash drive.
Similarly James Bond-like is
CustomUSB.com's "Secret Agent Drive," with a mini fingerprint scanner. While helpful to government officials carrying nuclear secrets, this drive appeals to the spy in all of us.
Memorysuppliers.com also show a lot of imagination and flexibility in their custom flash drives, which feature eye-catching 3-D shapes, from mini-SUVs to airplanes.
In addition to offering a convenient space for corporate branding, Flash Drives can be pre-stored with information. Jay Humphreys, director of communications at
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches recently gave out flash drives in place of a physical media kit at an international convention. "We got very positive feedback," he says. "The alternative would have been to hand out five large media kits, and I'm guessing that attendees probably wouldn't want to stuff their suitcases with five huge press kits to travel back to Argentina."
All the companies listed below offer corporate branding and preloading on a range of products, from basic drives to custom ones.
SOURCERYiPromo Email:
[email protected](888) 994-7766
MemorySuppliers.com(800) 979-9707
CustomUSB.com(800) 447-0149
Thinking of flash drives for a corporate holiday gift? Read In the Details . . . Sometimes finding the perfect gift means noticing the little things for other ideas too.