| Branded Memory Sticks have quickly established | | | | dominance looks assured not least because its now |
| themselves as one of the key promotional items in the | | | | possible to pantone match the body colour of the |
| Sales & Promotion sector. Their popularity stems | | | | twister memory stick to any primary colour from a |
| from several key factors including their inherent | | | | design/logo. |
| usefulness, their ability to carry a brand or logo | | | | Photo Quality Printing is now possible on many |
| extremely well, their small, portable size and their cost. | | | | branded memory sticks and for very little additional |
| Coupled with this the typical repeated used of the | | | | cost. Historically it was only possible to "spot print" onto |
| product ensures good brand promotion and visibility | | | | a memory stick and you paid for each colour printed. |
| and the ability to load sales data and media files onto | | | | This was not only expensive but ruled out many |
| the memory stick helps justify their use. | | | | complex logos or designs. Today many factories offer |
| As marketing and advertising budgets in a "post | | | | full photographic reproduction and with costs tumbling |
| economic meltdown world" were slashed the demand | | | | its likely this will become the de facto standard in |
| for branded memory sticks and printed USB flash | | | | future. |
| drives continued unabated. The early predictions of | | | | Smaller Print Runs of 50 pieces or less are now much |
| "doom and gloom" in the sector failed to materialise | | | | more affordable bringing printed USB memory sticks |
| and although there have been periods of price volatility | | | | into the reach of many smaller companies. The |
| throughout the year this has not dissuaded customers | | | | willingness of factories to support smaller batches of |
| from pushing ahead with their projects. | | | | printed sticks is also likely to see them used for smaller |
| Towards the end of 2009 several key trends | | | | conferences and seminars. |
| emerged which are likely to continue into 2010: | | | | Continued Price Volatility will make it difficult to forward |
| Custom Memory Sticks also referred to as bespoke | | | | predict prices or get firm quotes that last more than a |
| USB flash drives will become more popular because | | | | few days. Because the factories price in $ (USD) |
| the historic minimum order quantities and relatively high | | | | companies buying from outside of the US need to |
| initial tooling and mould set-up costs have been all but | | | | factor in exchange rate fluctuations plus supply |
| removed. As a result it is now possible to get a fully | | | | demand price related increases on the core flash |
| customised USB memory stick in a shape/design that | | | | memory components. Good advice is to try and avoid |
| is unique to your company, brand or product for pretty | | | | the Chinese New Year period and the run up to |
| much the same price that you would pay for a simple | | | | Christmas when the volatility is at its worst. |
| printed memory stick | | | | The one thing that does seem clear it that branded |
| Twister USB Sticks will continue to dominate the | | | | and promotional USB drives are going to be with us |
| branded range of memory sticks. During 2009 the cap | | | | for sometime to come and that their popularity |
| less "twister" style of memory stick accounted for | | | | continues to grow. As far as memory sticks are |
| over 60% of all orders where a standard factory | | | | concerned it seems that you can't get too much of a |
| design/mould was used. In 2010 their on-going | | | | good thing! |