Content Preloading Onto USB Drives
We offer various types of preloading and duplication services to suit your needs, including standard loading, embedding/non-delete and volume naming.
Why Preload Data?
In our competitive business environment where content is still king, USB flash drives have more strategic value than being a mere giveaway. When implemented effectively, branded memory sticks can be an important element in your marketing mix.
Preloading content onto your flash drive turns it into a powerful communication device with many uses and applications, from events and sales tools to internal marketing and even fundraising.
USB drives are more eco-friendly than printed material and offer much higher return on investment because recipients value and keep flash drives
Data Services
Standard Loading
This is the most common form of USB content duplication. Your files are copied onto the branded flash drives and are available for normal use without any protection.
While this option offers the flexibility of being able to change or update your content quickly and easily, on the other hand, recipients are also able to delete it.
However, it is less intrusive for the recipient, as they can remove files they no longer need and use the full capacity of the flash drive for their own content. Plus, they will still experience your branding every time they use the unit.
Embedding
Files are locked onto the unit as read-only, which means they can be viewed and printed, but cannot be altered or deleted from the drive.
Also referred to as locked or non-delete preloading, with this option recipients can’t delete, change or remove any of your content.
This is achieved by partitioning the drive into two sections. The secure partition will hold your embedded content, which can’t be deleted, while the remaining memory capacity will be available for normal use by recipients.
Protected Data Preloading
This option provides an effective way to safeguard your intellectual property.
Embedded data can be set so that recipients are unable to delete or copy the preloaded files. This is ideal for music albums, training videos, manuscripts, software or content that is sold.
For this option, to ensure that the content can be replayed on all devices, the entire drive capacity must be protected with no usable second partition. It is also important to note that drives loaded with protected data will not auto-play like a CD.
This service requires specialised software and is carried out in our factory, so the lead-time is slightly longer than for other types of preloading. Please ask your account manager for more details.
Volume Naming
With or without pre-loaded content, a personalised volume label is a nice touch. The USB drive will show your chosen brand or company name when it is plugged in. The volume name accommodates up to 11 characters.
What kinds of files can I load?
A flash drive is simply a storage device without any restrictions as to the type of content it can hold.
Here are some ideas:
- Company profiles
- Marketing collateral
- Media & influencer packs
- Annual reports
- Survey or research reports
- Product catalogues
- Sales material such as presentations, product specifications, data sheets
- Sound files of webinars, speeches, music
- 360 degree product or venue tours
- Staff communication collateral
- Conference speeches & presentastions
- Training material
- Portfolios and show reels
- Coupons/electronic vouchers
- Brand activation material
- Competition details and entry forms
- Event invitations and access
- Trial or full versions of software applications
Need more inspiration? Visit our blog to see how you can best use preloaded USB flash drives in your business.
FAQ’s
How do I send my files?
Unless it consists only of a single document, all content must be sent as one .zip or .rar bundle. Files that are smaller than 10MB can be emailed, or you can provide an FTP or file sharing link for download.
You can also deliver a disk or flash drive to our premises via driver or courier. Please do send anything via the SA Post Office, as we cannot take responsibility for devices delayed or lost in transit. Unless otherwise instructed, we will return master copies with your completed order.
Can you rename or reorder my folders or files?
Unfortunately, we do not rename any files or folders. Content must be supplied exactly how it should be loaded. It is also not possible to specify the file or folder order, as this is determined by the file browser settings on each individual computer. For example, one user may have theirs set to alphabetical ordering, while someone else may prefer to view their documents in date order.
Can you load content onto flash drives I bought elsewhere?
We only preload or embed content onto our own USB flash drives. If your supplier is unable to preload or embed content, this could be a red flag about the USB component source and quality. Be sure to investigate fully before committing to a purchase.
Can you load Mac files?
Yes, we can load any files onto our flash drives. We recommend placing Mac versions of files into a separate, clearly labelled folder for ease of use.
Can you make my file open automatically when the drive is plugged in?
We no longer support auto-play/auto-run files because they are blocked by most operating systems and company networks. They are also highly intrusive and irritating for the user. With the cons outweighing the pros, auto-run files offer very little value these days.
We can still provide this service if required for a specific application, but the benefits need to be considered carefully against the negatives. In addition, auto-run files can only be loaded onto the flash drives during the manufacturing process, so we do not offer this service on any of our locally stocked items.