The report from Price Waterhouse Coopers (which formed the basis of the reporting from the BBC) said that the number of credit cards in circulation fell for the first time in 2011.

These figures and sentiments are in stark contrast to the use of Credit Card USB flash drives in the promotional sector. Of course promotional USB cards are not financial instruments, there is no line of credit associated with them and you cannot use them to access money or credit. In fact, the only relationship they have with a credit card is that they are credit card shaped!! In all other respects they are inert pieces of plastic with flash memory chips embedded into them.

The growth of the USB flash drive in the shape of a credit card has been phenomenal over the past couple of years. This growth has been driven partly by continued innovation and technological advance which has reduced the thickness of the USB card to 2mm. and partly by businesses wanting to print ever complex and intricate designs on their promotional USB products.

Most “standard” USB products are lozenge shaped with a print area that is typically around 1cm x 3cm – so, if you want to print a logo, a website URL, a phone number and perhaps a marketing “strap line” on the card you start to struggle without making the font so small that it can’t be read!

Promotional USB Credit Cards

On the credit card USB’ there is a nice flat print area (on both sides of the card) that is 8.5cm x 5.4cm. The whole of the surface area can be printed (print can be “full bleed” to the edge of the card) giving plenty of scope to handle complex, full colour images that look stunning.

As well as looking great the printed cards are typically carried by anyone they are given to in their wallets or purse and as such the brand printed on them gets lots of on-going exposure which is just what you want if you are paying for them.

Despite being only 2mm thick these cards can be supplied with internal flash memory ranging from 1GB all the way up to 16GB so there is no shortage of storage space on the cards.

So whilst Credit Cards are takinga bit of a hit, promotional USB flash drives in the shape of credit cards continue to take the promotions market by storm.

The usual late May Bank holiday is being moved to Monday 4^th June and an extra “Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday” has been announced for Tuesday 5 June. So, the extended Bank Holiday will last from 2^nd June to 5^th June.

During this extend break there will be a special pageant on the River Thames on Sunday 3 June when Queen Elizabeth II will lead a flotilla of a 1,000 boats; on the 4^th June 2,012 beacons will be lit by communities across the UK and over the Bank Holiday thousands of Diamond Jubilee Street Parties are already being planned up and down the country to celebrate the Queens 60^th reign.

But, at least one village is planning its own unique twist on the celebrations and has decided to combine a street party with a the publication of a book crammed with photographs illustrating the changes the village and it’s residents have undergone during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In the run up to the Holiday Week the residents (under the leadership of a well organized committee) have commissioned professional photographers to take photos of the current residents, their families, their houses and local church, school and lots of everyday activities that take place in the village. These contemporary photographs will be catalogued with historic photographs to show how things have changed in the village of the last 60 years.

The finished book will be revealed during the Jubilee Bank Holiday and copies sold to raise funds for the village and the restoration of the local church.

Diamond Jubilee Design

Illustrative of how things have changed during Elizabeth’s reign extracts from the book will be made available on the Village Web Site (every village seems to have one these days) and electronic copies of the book will be sold pre-loaded onto USB memory sticks that have been printed with the details of the village and the official Diamond Jubilee Emblem (designed by 10 year old Katherine Dewar).

Printed USB memory sticks have recently been used for all manner of promotional activities and are commonly used to distribute music, book and photographs on but it’s interesting to see they have also infiltrated the psyche of the local village church and WI’s. Only a few years go USB sticks (USB Flash drives as some people prefer to call them) have, like of technologies, crossed over from being a techie product that is only used by geeks to become part of our everyday life. It’ll be interesting to see in another 60 years time if anyone remembers let alone has a USB memory stick.

1. Most companies that supply USB flash drives printed with a company brand or logo are principally supplying then as giveaway promotional products – the sort of thing that you pick from a company booth at trade and retail shows. Typically these flash drives won’t get a huge amount of usage and the demands the drives need to support in terms of read/write speed are pretty light.

   Typical read/write speeds of a “standard” promotional USB flash drive are going to be around 4MB per second (write) and 10MB per second (read). This is more than adequate if all you’re doing with the drive is loading up a couple of sales brochures maybe the odd short media file and links to your company web site but, if you’re a professional photographer or wedding video company you may (depending on what you are doing with the drives) need to specify certain minimum requirements – read/write speeds, grade of memory chip etc.

2. If you buy standard promotional USB Flash drives and you then start to load very large video files or wedding portfolios onto them then you’ll immediately notice that they’re not the quickest of products. If you’ve been used to working on Apple Mac’s and you use top end Memory Cards with fast read/write speeds, or perhaps you use Firewire to move data around then by comparison a promotional USB flash drive is going to be a “horse and cart”.

   For example top end SD cards or CF cards have a read/write speed of around 40MB per second – X10 times the speed of standard promotional USB flash drives.

3. Top end, high performance USB flash drives typically have read/writes speeds of 20MB (ish) per second, significantly faster than promotional versions but still not as fast as High Speed SD or CF cards. These high performance USB sticks also carry a significant price premium.
4. If speed of data transfer is an issue for you then you might want to consider getting quotes on printed USB Flash Drives that work to the new USB 3.0 standard – these have read write speed of around 50MB – 100MB per second so they are blisteringly quick! Again, the downside is cost (they’re new so they’re going to be expensive) and you need a PC or Mac that is equipped with USB 3.0 USB ports to take advantage of the speed improvements. They’ll still work on USB 2.0 PC’s but only at USB 2.0 speeds! Still at least if you have USB 3.0 and you buy USB 3.0 sticks you can dramatically reduce your own data-loading times – your customer won’t notice any speed improvements until they upgrade to USB 3.0.
5. A sensible compromise if you’re looking for decent data transfer speeds it to ask your supplier to quote for upgraded USB 2.0 flash drives – they’ll be a little more expensive but you should get something that has a longer warranty period and better performance with speeds closer to the High performance products sold by brands like Kingston and Lacie. Remember if you don’t ask for this you will just get “standard” promotional USB flash drives which are fine they’re just slow!
6. Apart from speed the aesthetic of the USB flash drive will be important but there are lots of different models to choose from and the internal components of all of them can be upgraded to include High Speed, High Performance controller chips and flash memory modules.
7. Ideally talk to your supplier about what you plan to use your USB flash drives for and get them to recommend a solution. If you’ve chosen your supplier well and they know their industry they should not only be aware of the issues but they should be able to put forward a range of different solutions.

Photographers UBS Sticks

Whilst it’s not a comprehensive list here are our Top 5 tips when buying USB sticks:

1. Simple and strong logo’s work best: Let’s face it, if you’re working for a large corporate company or school then you’re not going to have a huge amount of choice about which logo or brand you use for your printed USB memory sticks. Typically not only will there be a prescribed brand that you’ll need to use but you’ll also have clearly defined brand rules and guidelines to adhere to which dictate print sizes, colours etc.

   Because of the relatively small amount of space on a USB stick ideally you need to use simple logos with strong colours that create a visual impact. It may be necessary to approval to adapt an existing logo to get the best effect.

2. You need the highest resolution you can get hold of: To get a great finish it’s essential that you use high resolution artwork. Vector shaped artwork is best because it will not lose any sharpness irrespective of how big or small you make it. Vector logos will typically be saved as .EPS or .AI files. If you have an in-house designer they’ll understand what’s needed. What you can’t really do is just “grab” a jpeg from your company web site because if you use this to print from the final printed image will look pixelated.
3. Choose a type or style of USB memory stick that compliments your logo: OK, this sounds pretty obvious but some logos look better on a particular style of USB memory stick. Large, complex logos work better on products like the USB Credit Card but simple, clean logos work really well on smaller USB sticks like the Twister (the capless model)

   If you’re not sure what the best option is then ask your supplier to work up a range of “mock-ups” for you. They should be happy to do this for you and at no cost.

4. Don’t go cheap on the memory size: Whilst cost will of course be a determining factor it’s important to get the balance right between choosing the correct capacity and the budget available for your USB memory sticks.

   If you hand out custom USB sticks with a small storage capacity there is less likelihood that they’ll get used. They are “ok” if you’re just using them to distribute data but if you want them to have a life beyond the initial distribution its important you give the user a reason to carry them around. A memory stick with little or no real or perceived storage will just end up in the back of a drawer.

5. Don’t forget to pre-load data: If you have data that you want to load onto your branded USB memory sticks then to get it ready early. This way the data can be loaded during the manufacturing process and it typically won’t cost you anything.

Twister USB Sticks

At 4pm yesterday we took an order from a customer who needed USB sticks in a hurry. They had their artwork ready and their credit card in hand ready to pay for them providing (and here’s the rub) they could be with them today!

Now at USB2U that’s the sort of challenge we like. So here’s what happened:

• Order confirmed by customer at around 4pm
• Artwork emailed over to their Account Manager
• USB2U designer sets artwork, creates digital proof that is then emailed back to the customer for approval.
• Customer give their approval
• In anticipation of this the USB sticks are prepared ready for printing
• Fifty USB sticks are printed as per the approved artwork, QA checked and signed off ready for despatch.
• Overnight courier collects the printed USB flash drives at 5:15
• The following day the promotional USB flash drives are delivered to a delighted customer who then dashed off to their event with them.

Now we’re not suggesting we can do this for every customer who calls us at 4pm in a panic but where we can help we’ll certainly go the extra mile.

Printed USB Memory Sticks

Our normal rush service is 48hrs from order, we can often do 24hrs (if everything is ready in terms of artwork etc.) and very occasionally if the planets are in the right alignment and the team here are up for a collective challenge we can work minor miracles.

So, if you are looking for a supplier of promotional USB flash drives and a supplier that holds stock locally and can print the stock and get it to you quickly then give us a call. We like exceeding expectation whenever we can!

We’re referring of course to the havoc that the Chinese New Year Holidays causes within the promotions industry and in particular the panic that ensues because companies can’t get promotional USB sticks printed and delivered in time for their key events and shows.

USB Sticks in a Hurry

The primary problem is that during Chinese New Year normal lead times get stretched from a reasonable 7-10 days to around 4-6 weeks and if customers have not anticipated this then they tend to turn to the web in an endeavour to find a company that can meet their requirements. Consequently for the few weeks that Chinese New Year is on our phones run red hot and our on-line lead enquiry system “chatters away” all day.

Fortunately, having been here before we now order plenty of blank stock to see us through Chinese NY so we are in the enviable position of being able to respond to the enquiries we get and we are turning around requests for printed USB memory sticks in as little as 24hrs.

We’re working flat out and our print schedules are filling up fast which is great but it does mean that if you want us to supply you with promotional USB sticks during this tough period then you need to get your order in quickly.

So, if you need USB sticks in a hurry, or perhaps you’ve been let down by another supplier who over promised during this period then give us a call or fill our on-line enquiry form and one of our team will get back to you.

Eastman Kodak introduced the first Box Brownie in February 1900 and in doing so they opened up photography to the masses. The Brownie was a pretty basic cardboard box with a simple lens that took pictures on 117 roll film. It was simple to use, cheap at $1 per camera and its launch was backed by a marketing campaign that encouraged everyone to pick up a camera and take “snaps”.

During its lifetime hundreds of millions of Box Brownies were sold. Of course of the years it went through a number of design changes and technology “upgrades” but the fundamental box shape remained.

It would be fair to say that the Box Brownie will have introduced many Professional Photographers during the early 20th Centaury to their profession. It also had a huge impact on our ability to chart social history through the snapshots that were taken with the Brownie.

Whilst the Brownie brought photography to the masses it still relied on roll-film technology that needed processing using chemicals and a fair degree of skill. With roll film there was never any ability to preview your photos, instead you had to wait until your film had been developed and printed before you could see what pictures you had taken.

In the same way that the Box Brownie revolutionised photography in the early 20^th Centaury the introduction of digital image technology, digital cameras and mobile phones with integrated cameras has revolutionised photography 100 years later. Today pretty much every mobile phone can take good quality photos and these can be posted onto web sites and social networks sites within seconds and shared around the world.

Kodak USB Sticks

It’s not just the amateur photographer that has switched to digital photographic technology but professional photographers now typically use digital cameras rather than their film based alternatives. One of the benefits for Professional Photographers of this digital revolution is their ability to save and distribute their portfolios electronically. This applies not only to how they save and store their own work but increasingly to how they save and distribute their client “shoots”, portfolios and wedding photos.

For some they will simply email the photos or post them on a web site to be “downloaded”. Others might supply them on a CD or DVD but one of the more recent and innovative trends are to distribute them on a USB memory sticks printed up with the logo and details of the photographer. The “branded” USB flash drives look much more professional than a CD or DVD and help to promote and develop the photographers brand – they in effect become a sales vehicle in their own right and they personify just how much the world of photography has moved on from the early days of the Boxed Brownie.

It’ll be interesting to see if Kodak can survive the next few years and reinvent themselves as a printer company. Realistically we’re likely to have to say goodbye to “Kodak Moments”.

Custom USB Emergency Delivery

During Mid-January to Mid-Feb it’s mayhem as companies and schools looking for custom USB sticks scramble to secure the limited amount of stock that is readily available in the UK. Of course if you can wait a few weeks it’s not a problem but if you need them quickly then it’s best to start looking for a supplier that has stock in the UK and can get them printed and delivered in your timeframes. Unfortunately there are very few companies that hold stock and even fewer that can print them and get them delivered in a day or two!

If you find yourself hunting around for custom USB sticks during Chinese New Year you’ll soon realise that it’s not pleasant. It’s a bit like being a parent at Christmas trying to hunt down that elusive “must have” toy for your child – you end up in a war pitted against other parents all after the same thing and all desperately hunting down the elusive toy/gift.

Of course if you’re working on a project, a show or a press event and you’re up against a hard deadline then, the last thing you need is to be told by your supplier that they can’t deliver your order on time.

All the planning and preparation in the world can’t accommodate these little “bombs” when they happen but what you can do is try and factor in a little contingency in your plans. Granted, it’s not always easy and contingency has a nasty habit of just being “absorbed” in the project.

If you do find yourself in a tight spot and you need custom USB sticks in a hurry then don’t panic. At USB2U we pride ourselves on being the “4^th Emergency Service” of the custom USB  stick market. Unlike our competitors we do hold lots of plain, unprinted stock in the UK which we can print and get delivered to you in as little as 24hrs!!

You won’t have the full range of USB sticks we sell to choose from and you might have to compromise of colour and memory size but iif you are up against it or you’ve been let down by another supplier we can normally help.

Just give us a call and speak to one of our experienced sales team – they’ll talk you though the options and our in-house designer will work with you to make sure we can deliver a custom printed USB stick that not only gets you out of trouble but delights you as well!

If you’re fund raising as part of a group then it can be a lot easier than raising funds on your own because you’ll have the benefit of pooling your ideas together and setting up a little committee to work out how you execute your plans. Fund raising on your own is a little more challenging simply because you need to be much more focused, determined and self-sacrificing. The range of activities you can don on your own will also be more limited than those you could do as a group.

Firm favourites for fund raising include:

• Sponsored walks, runs, cycle rides, silences, bungee jumping, abseiling etc. These are all “doable” as an individual or as a group but they all demand a degree of physical fitness and nerve so they’re not for everyone.
• Car boot sales, jumble sales, table top sales and garage sales.
• Quiz nights including pop quiz nights, sports quiz nights or just a general quiz night – these can be great fun but you need to put lots of energy into the promotion of the quiz night to ensure enough people turn up, typically people will want food so this needs to be factored into the planning and budgeting and you’ll need some great questions and a willing compare for the evening.
• Car cleaning and sponsored bag packing at the local supermarket – again, great ideas but lots of people want to do this and supermarkets only allow it occasionally becuae they don’t want their customers “hassled”.

For something a little bit different you could sell (for a profit) printed USB memory sticks or printed USB wristbands. USB Memory sticks (also known as flash drives, pen drives, thumb drives and pen drives) are incredibly popular at the moment. They have become the de facto way to save and carry around data files and lots of school students use them every day to save their homework onto.

Fundraising with USB Memory Sticks

You could buy USB flash drives printed with your school, church or group logo on, or you could get them printed with details of charity. One option that would make them a little bit special is to get them personalised with peoples name on – for this you’d have to take “orders” in advance and then get your supplier to print each stick with a different name on (as well as your logo).

Don’t forget you can also pre-load onto the memory sticks documents about your charity; school etc. to give people an idea about what the money you’re raising will go towards. You could also include web links to your blog, your on-line charity donation page(s) and any Facebook or Twitter pages you’ve set up to support your fund raising.

To make it worth your while you need to order at least 25 USB sticks – this way you’ll get a decent price (including the printing) and should be able to sell them on for a reasonable profit.

There are lots of suppliers around that can offer printed USB memory sticks including USB2U who have been around since 2002 and are now one of the leading suppliers in the UK.

Of course you should load them with data (sales brochures, web links, brochures, etc.) but don’t put yourself through the torture of doing it yourself. Get your supplier of the USB sticks to load the data for you before they are delivered. Most suppliers (providing it’s a reasonable amount of data) will pre-load the sticks for you free of charge. OK, you need to be organised and have your data ready and you might have to provide the supplier with the data early but if you can do this it’s so much easier than trying to load them yourself from you PC in the office!!

Pre-loading data onto hundreds or thousands of memory sticks can take hours and in some cases days, depending on the size of the data you are copying. So don’t do it it’s not good for your health or your sanity.

USB Data Loading

Companies that offer a data-loading service will usually use commercial and automatic USB data duplication equipment that allows them to load thousands of memory sticks pretty quickly. These professional data-loading systems are rack mounted, they manage tens or hundreds of USB sticks at a time and the systems can be expanded to meet demand.

At USB2U we invested in a number of professional data-loading machines a few years ago and we regularly load data on behalf of our customers. All we need is the data and then we create a “master” USB memory stick which we get approved by the customer and then we replicate the data onto the memory sticks the customer has ordered. Simple, painless and hassle free!

Not only that but, the beauty of the professional data duplication equipment that we use at USB2U is that during the data loading process we test and QA each USB stick again before they are sent to our customers. We can also provide detailed reports on the overall amount of data loaded; the data transfer speeds of the sticks and any failures.

The level of investment in this professional equipment is significant but it allows us to offer a complete solution that includes the supply of branded USB flash drives and accessories, data loading and if needed fulfilment. We can also do all of this quickly often responding to request to print, dataload and ship USB sticks in as little as 24hrs