Branded Flash Drives – All Boxed Up
There are two very separate schools of thought on whether you should offer branded flash drives in a presentation gift boxes. There is after all growing pressure on all of us to avoid unnecessary waste and to be more aware of the impact our actions have on the environment around us.
In this context, for many, gift boxes to accompany a promotional giveaway are just an unnecessary luxury that does little to enhance the product and depending on the audience will send out negative perceptions of any brand associated with the product.
Whilst many will see and understand the inherent benefits of being offered a branded memory stick (particularly if its pre-loaded with data and therefore avoids the expense of printing lots of documents) if the memory stick is then all wrapped up in a presentation box with foam inlays etc. it may be considered profligate of the giver.
The costs of the packaging also needs to be considered and it’s not just the cost of the box itself but the additional weight they add and the consequential knock on effects of increased transportation costs (both to ship them from the factory in China and the local on-shipment costs). These all add up financially and add greatly to the overall carbon footprint of the final product.
On the other hand when was the last time you gave a gift or present to someone and didn’t bother to wrap it up or at least put some creative thought into how it was packaged. Do promotional products and branded flash drives in particular fall into this category? Should they be wrapped up or at the very least be handed out it a gift box?
The answer to a large extent depends on the audience you are giving the flash drives out to and the sort of impact you want to make. Obviously if you’re a company involved in protecting the environment or conservation of the earth’s resources then distributing branded flash drives with any unnecessary packaging is not going to be well received. Similarly if your target audience is predominantly made up of people or groups sympathetic to eco-friendly or conservation causes then you’d be well advised to go down a minimalist approach.
If however you really want to make an impact when you distribute your branded flash drives then supplying them in a branded gift box is the way to go. A relatively simple cardboard presentation box (made from recycled cardboard) is an excellent compromise. Printed up with your brand or logo these boxes can look fantastic and allow you to present the flash drive in a manner that befits the distribution of a gift.
If making an impact the over-riding requirement then you could abandon any “nod” the environmental arguments and go with a plastic gift box with a magnetic clasp (printed of course) or even a tin with a foam inlay. These options are strong, robust, visually stunning and really do deliver in terms of impact. Of course they are the most expensive options both in terms of core cost and in terms of incremental transportation costs.
If you’re not sure which way to go then give your supplier and call and discuss it with them. Find out which options are manufactured from recycled material and have the lowest carbon footprint and get yourself some samples to evaluate.