| Fifteen years or so ago, it seemed like the internet | | | | new branch in a university town. ABC is known for |
| was fresh and new and companies were just learning | | | | offering great services to students in the hopes of |
| how to utilize it as a means of marketing. This period | | | | building long term relationships. Prior to opening the new |
| really marked the first time that companies were | | | | branch, ABC hands out 5,000 USB flash drives to |
| taking advantage of computers as a platform of | | | | students at a university football game. Those students |
| delivering marketing messages. This marriage of | | | | then use that flash drive daily for their studies, always |
| marketing and technology continues to grow. With the | | | | seeing the ABC brand. ABC also preloaded an |
| adoption of USB drives as the dominant form of | | | | automated program that shows a thank you message |
| portable memory storage, companies are now using | | | | from ABC and opens the companies new accounts |
| these fun devices to deliver more effective and | | | | information page on their website whenever the flash |
| personal marketing than ever before. | | | | drive is plugged in and the student selects to open the |
| A USB drive is a small (usually no bigger than a pack | | | | program. Pretty cool, huh? |
| of gum) computer hard drive that utilizes flash | | | | Government agencies are also taking advantage of |
| memory. Flash is the same type of memory that is in | | | | this technology, using them as training tools (preloading |
| your cellphone, or your iPod. It is also being utilized in | | | | the drives with educational material to be given to |
| gaming consoles, video cameras, photo cameras and | | | | students in training programs), as well as promotional |
| even your car! Just about anything that is portable | | | | tools (city development agencies sending them to |
| uses flash memory. USB Drives are the most | | | | prospective new businesses). Non-profit agencies are |
| common forms of flash memory. They work just like | | | | using them as fund-raising devices (loading them with |
| the hard drive in your computer, except they are small | | | | special offers from local businesses and selling them). |
| and mobile. USB flash drives, or UFDs by people in the | | | | USB Flash Drives are becoming more and more |
| know, are also referred to as thumb drives, zip drives, | | | | prevelant in our world today. As they are such a |
| flash card, memory sticks, etc. However, all of these | | | | useful tool, the cost per impression is extremely low |
| terms are incorrect or represent a brand of USB flash | | | | for businesses to use them as an advertising tool. |
| drives. UFDs come in many memory capacities from | | | | Unlike pens or keychains, they don't feel cheap, nor do |
| 128MB up to a whopping 64GB in the most common | | | | customers lose them. And with more and more, |
| sizes. | | | | references to them in pop culture (saving the world |
| Marketers are now using these devices as a media | | | | with a UFD in "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" or |
| form to deliver branding and messaging to their target | | | | in Ford television commercials) you'll hear more about |
| markets. For instance, say ABC Bank is opening a | | | | these clever and cool devices. |