Historically the “something” would most likely have been a whistle, sword or pistol, which was typically connected to the wearer’s uniform. Lanyards were particularly popular with navy or cavalry officers where there was a much greater risk of losing your weapon or whistle. Clearly not something you wanted to happen!

Over time the functional side of the lanyard within the armed forces has diminished and you’re more like to see them in use today as a decorative attachment with different coloured braids that make up the lanyard denoting rank and affiliation within the armed forces.

Outside of the armed forces lanyards have become incredibly popular within business and academic communities for displaying name badges, ID badges and security tags. Lanyards of this type are typically manufactured from polyester, nylon, silk or PET and will typically be branded in some way.

Lanyard USB

One of the more recent innovations in the world of the lanyard is the development of the USB Lanyard – this novel product combines all the benefits of a lanyard with all of the benefits of a USB flash drive. Essentially it’s a USB flash drive integrated into the “clip” of the lanyard. The fact that you can pre-load data onto the flash memory embedded in the lanyard clip and brand both the “clip” and the lanyard itself makes it an ideal product for seminars, conference, trade shows, large companies with staff who wear ID badges and so on.

Just like any conventional USB flash drive the Lanyard USB is available in a range of different memory sizes starting from 512MB all the way up to 16GB. The width of the lanyard is a little wider than some of the standard ones available because the clip has to be wide enough to accommodate the flash memory and the flash controller chips.

Because of the multiple branding options presented by this product it really does look stunning and shows off a brand or multiple brands incredibly well. For the wearer the benefits are obvious; security, ease of use, simplicity and whether you like wearing them or not (and the world seems to be split on this) they do look pretty stylish!

Whilst lanyard USB flash drives are unlikely to topple the dominance of standard promotional and branded flash drives they are an option that is likely to grow in popularity.

Perhaps the news of the recent delivery of some excellent branded USB flash drives to Duston School has started to seep out. It wouldn’t be too surprising if this was the case because one of the reason USB sticks are popular as giveaways or as promotional items is that they create lots of interest and “chatter” which after all is exactly what you want if you are looking to promote something.

USB School Flash Drive

Clearly in the case of schools it’s less about the promotional benefits and more about providing teachers and students with a useful tool that can be used to save and carry data around on. Many schools now either provide their teachers and students with memory sticks at no cost or simply make them available to purchase at a heavily discounted price.

With the growing use of PC’s and white boards in the classroom it perhaps surprising that USB memory sticks have not found themselves onto the list of items every student must have when they start school. It wasn’t too long ago that calculators were the preserve of the few whilst everyone else struggled with slide rules and log-tables. Today of course calculators are cheap, plentiful and a core part of daily life at school. How long will it be before USB flash drives go the same way?

If you are considering buying branded USB flash drives for your school or university then get in touch with the team at USB2U. They always have lots of offers on like free data-loading, free gift boxes, free lanyards and every school or university immediately qualifies for 30-day trade terms.

Its always useful to talk your requirements through with one of the team at USB2U because memory sticks used in schools are typically subject to a fair amount of punishment so they can advise you on USB flash drives that are going to be robust enough to stand up the job. Equally if you’re concerned about the students losing them its possible to get each and every USB flash drive sequentially numbered so they can be “bound” to the student and returned in the event of loss.

So, get set for the start of the new academic year and order up your School USB flash drives now.

Not all local authorities, schools and universities put enough emphasis on local procurement which in today’s highly competitive environment where budgets are under increasing pressure it’s understandable that price is commonly the main factor in any buying decision. But, providing the price and service is right then it makes good economic sense to source locally so its hats off to these two organisations for working with and selecting USB2U.

Northampton University

USB2U have been supplying promotional USB flash drives and custom (fully bespoke) USB memory sticks since 2002 and are now regarded by many as the leading supplier in the UK. Their client base includes a significant number of household names including; BT, Microsoft, Intel, RBS, The Royal Opera House and Coutts to name but a few. Additionally, USB2U are active members of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce and members of the BPMA (British Promotional Merchandise Association).

NBC USB Flash Drive

Given the pedigree of USB2U both Northampton University and Northampton Borough Council knew they were in safe hands and because USB2U offer some of the most competitive prices in the business they were pretty much guaranteed to get their USB flash drives on the most favourable terms possible.

If you’re based in or around Northampton and you’re interested in buying branded USB flash drives for your business then give the team at USB2U a call on 0800 008 7079. USB2U’s offices are in Duston, Northampton and their knowledgeable and friendly team are always happy to meet with you to discuss your requirements and to develop a range of concepts and ideas for you free of charge and with no obligation.

If you’re not local don’t let this put you off because USB2U ship anywhere in the world!

Golfbag USB Flash Drive

With a global TV audience of millions and an on-course crowd that will run into the hundreds of thousands the pressure is not just on the players but the event organisers, its sponsors and the companies that use the event to provide hospitality to its key clients, customers and prospects.

Of course for the fans it’s all about the golf and just being at St Andrews to soak up the history, the spectacle and the atmosphere and for following your favourite player(s) around the course. But for the on-course concessions, and for major brands that are a participant in the golfing industry like Nike, Ping, Titelist, TaylorMade, Adidas it’s an important event to connect with and sell to the fans and the legion of amateur players that turn up or tune in.

One of the more innovative options open to companies to engage with their customers at The Open is to use a branded USB flash drive. These can be customised in the shape of golfing equipment or golf balls and branded up with

USB Golf Ball

the company’s logo or, more simply, a standard USB flash drive can be printed or engraved with the company’s logo.

Flash drives of this type are then typically given away as a “keepsake” or “memento” for clients attending hospitality days or by vendors who want to promote their products or services to the fans (customers) on the course. When you’re spending all day walking around a golf course the last thing you want is a bag full of brochures to weigh you down but a USB flash drive weighs next to nothing and can be pre-loaded to contain tons of information including sales brochures, video clips, media files, and web links. But, unlike just handing out a business card with a website address on you can pretty much guarantee a USB memory stick is going to get used and therefore your content is going to be viewed and your branded remembered.

If you’re working on a project or activity and you’re working against a hard deadline then the last thing you need is to be told by your supplier that they can’t deliver your goods on time. Equally you don’t need unexpected requirements being foisted upon you at the last minute with little or no time to plan and schedule them in let alone source products if they are needed. But in the real world it happens and unfortunately it happens more often than we’d all prefer.

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. Its not always easy and contingency has a nasty habit of just being “absorbed” in the project.

emergency USB flash Drive

If find yourself in a tight spot and needing branded USB memory sticks in a hurry then don’t panic. At USB2U we pride ourselves on being the “4^th Emergency Service” of the branded USB memory stick world. We hold lots of plain, unprinted stock in the UK which we can get printed and delivered to you within 48hrs of a firm order and the supply of artwork to us.

You won’t have lots of choice in terms of models or memory size because we tend to hold stock of the most popular models and sizes we sell but if you are up against it or you’ve been let down by another supplier we can normally help.

For an idea of what we can offer and what stock we have in at any point in time its best to call us and speak to one of the team. They can talk you through the options and work with you to get your project back on track.

If the answers you need are not here just pick up the phone and give us a ring on our freephone number. We’ve been supplying branded USB flash drives for 8 years so our experienced team will be able to help.

Printed USB Drives - Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  What size of USB flash drive (storage capacity not physical size) should I order?

A:  The most popular size of USB flash drive requested is 1GB or 2GB. This gives ample storage for you to pre-load your own sales brochures, conference slides, media files etc. and a 1GB or 2GB flash stick is big enough for the recipient to want to use it on an on-going basis. On-gong regular use of the flash drive ensures exposure of your brand or logo that’s printed on it.

Q: What is the minimum order quantity for printed USB flash drives?

A: Our minimum order quantity for standard printed USB flash drives is 50 pieces. If you are looking to order fully customised (bespoke) flash drives that are manufactured in a shape specific to you then the minimum order quantity is 100 pieces.

Q: How quickly can you deliver printed USB flash drives to me?

A: If you’re in a hurry we offer a “rush” service that enables us to deliver printed flash drives within 48hrs of receipt of order and artwork. This service only applies to a limited range of products and not all memory sizes will be available. If you are interested in the Rush Service you are advised to call to confirm what models and memory sizes are available.

Our normal lead-time for printed or engraved flash drives is 10 working days from receipt of a confirmed order and artwork. Within this timeframe you have the choice of any flash drive shown on our web site and they can be supplied in any memory size you want.

Q: Will the price quoted include all of the logo/colour set up, origination and print charges?

A: Yes – our unit prices are fully inclusive of all colour set up and origination charges. We calculate a finished price for you per unit based on your artwork and the USB flash drive you want.

Q: Can you pre-load data files onto the USB flash drives and if so when do you need the data?

A: Yes, we offer a data-loading service on all of our USB flash drives. If your data and files are ready early enough we can pre-load them at the factory during the manufacturing process. Alternatively we can pre-load the data in our offices using our Professional Data Duplication Equipment just before they are shipped out to you – this gives you a little longer to prepare your data should you need it.

If you data is below 100MB we don’t charge for the data loading. For larger files there is a nominal charge, which your account manager will make, you aware of on the quote you are supplied with.

Q: What format do I need to supply the artwork in?

A: Ideally we need your artwork supplied in.AI or .EPS formats. These are high quality image formats that will ensure your logo or brand is printed properly. If you’re not sure what they are just give us a call. We have an in-house design team that can chat to you about the options and requirements and if need be redraw your artwork so that it is in a high-resolution format.

Q: Do you supply samples of USB flash drives?

A: Yes, we can supply samples of the vast majority of our USB flash drives free of charge. We can’t supply free samples printed with your own logo on but we can supply a sample of the model you are interested in that’s already been printed with another logo.

Q: Can USB2U also supply accessories such as lanyards, key rings and gift boxes?

A: Yes, we offer a wide range of USB flash drive accessories including gift boxes, presentation tins, printed and plain lanyards and a range of key ring attachments. Throughout the year we often offer these FREE of charge as part of our various sales promotions so always ask about our offers.

Q: How long will my quote be valid for?

A: Typically our quotes are valid for 3 days but occasionally when the flash memory market is volatile or the currency markets are turbulent quotes may only be valid for 24 or 48hrs. We’d prefer to be able to offer prices that are valid for longer periods of time but flash memory is a commodity product like coffee and tea and as such the price is subject to significant fluctuations which are driven by events around the world.

Q: Does USB2U accept orders from outside of the UK?

A: Yes, we are delighted to accept orders from anywhere in the world and we ship anywhere in the world. To give you an accurate quote for the carriage costs please let us know where you want the flash drives delivered to.

Q: Do you offer credit terms for orders of branded USB flash drives?

A: Yes we do offer credit terms to our customers but we do ask for your first order to be paid before shipment. Subsequent orders are available on 30-day terms.

Given the relatively tiny amount of data you can save onto a floppy disk (around 2MB) and their awkward shape they have simply been out gunned over recent years by CD’s DVD’s and of course USB Flash Drives. Consider that a fairly middling 4GB flash drive can store 2,000 times more data than the largest floppy disk and you get a feel for why this technology is now effectively obsolete.

Floppy Disk Vs USB Flash Drive

At their peak in the 1990’s it’s estimated that around 5 billion floppy disks were in use. Today you won’t find any new PC’s shipping with an integral floppy disk drive and most software applications have long outgrown the storage capacity on offer from a floppy disk.

Of course some people still use them to store and back-up their personal data and files but considering that we now store and save digital photographs, music tracks and videos (all of which have files that are too big to be stored on a floppy disk) their use is likely to be limited to small document files and back-ups routines developed years ago.

Unlike USB flash drives one area that floppy disks never really entered is the promotional gift or corporate give-away market. Floppy disks might have been used to hand out corporate and sales information on but printing company logo’s onto them and handing them out to promote a companies products or services was never really done. In contrast today tens of millions of USB flash drives are given away every year by companies looking to promote their brand and/or products.

Because USB Flash drives are available in a wide range of different styles, colours, materials and formats they have been used by many school, universities and companies (large and small). They look excellent when printed with a logo; they can be fully customised and supplied with complimentary lanyards and/or key rings.

USB Flash Drives are portable, lightweight, attractive, easy to use and work with anything that has a USB port on it. Their ubiquity and popularity make them an ideal choice for anyone looking to save and carry their data with them. USB flash drives are floppy disk killers and branded USB flash drives have rapidly risen to become a key product within the Sales and Promotional Marketing industry.

Yes, the purist might argue that they look best in their naked state where the brand can immediately be seen and the environmentalists might argue that the gift boxes are just superfluous “fluff” that will just get thrown away so why bother. After all there is enough waste packaging around at the moment so why add to it!

USB Gift Box

But think about it. If you’re spending a small fortune sourcing good quality branded USB memory sticks to give away as a gift or as part of a promotional campaign then it makes sense to “dress” them in a gift box. Not only will a gift box protect the branded USB memory stick but they just look better when handed out in their own boxes and the printed logo on the stick won’t be in danger of getting scuffed or scratched. The alternative to “no gift box” is either a polythene bag or “bubble bag” both of which are “ok” but they don’t exactly do much for the brand printed on the memory stick!

What other “gift” or “thank you” do you get given where no thought has been given to how its wrapped, boxed or presented? The answer is likely to be none and for this reason we think gift boxes are a bit of a must when it come to giving away branded sticks.

There are lots of Gift Box options to choose from starting from basic white or silver cardboard boxes through to classy looking tins with foam inserts specifically cut in the shape of the USB flash drive. If you want to go that one step further you could also print the outside of the gift box to further push your brand or product.

If you are planning to include items like lanyards, key rings, small extension leads then a gift box is handy because if

USB Flash Drive Gift Box

you choose the right one then these “extras” can be neatly bundled into the gift box with the memory stick.

During July we’re offering FREE gift boxes with all orders of branded USB memory sticks. The free offer is limited to our “standard” boxes but if these are not what you wanted we’ll offer all of our other gift boxes at discounted prices for the duration of the offer.

Interested? Just give us a call to chat through your requirements or fill in our enquiry form and we’ll get back to you with a free no obligation quote.

Since their launch various “flavours” of the Memory Stick have been introduced including the Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, the Micro and Pro-HD. These variants embrace higher speed formats and smaller form factors but of late it is a format that has struggled to keep up with the demand and usage of SD cards in the market. Sony have now introduced their own version of the SD card which to some has signalled start of the end of the Memory Stick.

Memory Sticks could theoretically have been used by the promotions industry as a portable storage medium but “memory cards” have just not caught on like USB Memory Sticks.  The primary reason is that these cards are typically used “inside a device” and therefore any branding is not on display, equally, the shape and size of a Memory Stick does not lend itself to being carried easily.

USB Memory sticks, also referred to, as USB Flash Drives, USB Thumb Drives and USB Pen Drives have become the dominant medium for portable storage. Not only are they incredibly easy to use but also they are lightweight, portable, easy to attach to a key ring or lanyard and these days they are available in a wide range of memory sizes up to a whopping 64GB! They also come in a wide range of styles, colours and shapes, which can all, be over printed, engraved or embossed with a logo.

Branded USB Memory Sticks

If you’ve got data to save, store and transport then for the majority of people a USB memory stick is the preferred option. It’s partly for this reason that they are now commonly used by companies as a promotional product or a way of distributing data and information (e.g. at a seminar, conference or press event).

A USB Memory Stick rather than a Memory Stick, printed up with a company logo is a popular and sought after item with a high perceived value. Users of USB memory sticks not only value them but they use them on a regular basis and as such any brand printed on them gets excellent exposure and excellent and positive brand association.

By pre-loading sales brochures, price lists, technical data sheets, media files and web links onto the memory sticks before they are distributed companies can offset the cost of buying the branded memory sticks against the print savings they make.

So when considering Memory Sticks as a promotional tool make sure it’s a Branded USB Memory Stick you seek quotes on.

Its not surprising that strawberries are so popular because not only do they taste great but they are a source of natural sugar and provide excellent amounts of vitamin C and potassium both of which are minerals essential in our diet.

Less tasty but nevertheless just as popular are custom USB flash drives and just to illustrate that they can be supplied in any shape you want here’s an example of a tasty looking strawberry that is actually a custom USB flash drive so it would be best to avoid covering these in cream!

Strawberry Flash Drives

Of course USB strawberries are not going to be to everyone’s taste but they work just like standard USB flash drives albeit they generate a little more “buzz” and interest when used to promote a product or service. Standard flash drives printed up with a logo are almost as popular as Strawberries at Wimbledon but custom versions are getting more and more popular.

If you’ve got an event, show, conference or press launch and you really want to grab people’s attention and give them something to take away that reminds then of your and you company/product then it’s definitely worth considering a bespoke memory stick. Any design, any product, any shape can be manufactured in 2-D or 3-D and a wide range of materials are available to create the right overall effect.

All that’s needed to start the process is an idea! Once you have this get in touch and our in-house design team will work up some concepts for you and then develop these with you until you’re happy. The next stage is the production of physical samples for your approval and after that the final mass production. Lead times for custom flash drives are understandably a little longer at around 4 weeks but the finished results are definitely worth the wait.

Various Custom USB

Don’t forget to you can pre-load your data onto custom USB flash drives just as you can with any standard drive. So, make sure you have your sales material, your media files, presentation slides and any other data ready to load onto the drives when they arrive. If you don’t want the hassle of having to data load the memory sticks yourself then this can be done by the factory during the manufacturing process (normally free of charge) or the data can be loaded just before they are despatched to your offices.

So, as you sit back in the sunshine and watch the tennis get your thinking cap on and come up with your own ideas for a killer custom flash drive!