Top 5 Tips For Buying Custom USB Memory Sticks

USB memory sticks printed with a company brand or logo on continue to be popular with literally millions of them being handed out every year. If you’re thinking of buying some for your company, school or university there are a few golden rules to be aware of before you place any orders.

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.