CD packaging options for an audio release can be a difficult decision when mulling over the details when pressing and manufacturing CDs. We always like to collect comments and thoughts from customers about it. It’s typically a situation where multiple things are being taken into consideration. If you’re touring – lugging 1000 or 2000 jewel cased CDs  around is cumbersome. There’s the environmental aspect, and trying to stray away from using plastic cases. There’s the desire by most bands and artists to create a physical version of their record that is as aesthetically pleasing and as well put together as possible.  There’s also an element of design distinctiveness that is important to most. On all of these fronts, the standard 2 panel digipak, 3 panel digipak, 4 panel digipaks, and 2 panel and 3 panel eco wallet products create compelling and attractive packaging for an audio release. They are the designers choice hands down, and with the introduction of custom dielines, and special folds, audio clients are creating non digital physical product of their music that can look amazing and command attention. The general consensus among our customers is that fans and consumers alike are expecting more elaborate packaging with releases.

Things to take into consideration if you’re responsible for the design of a project that uses a digipak or eco wallet template.

• The card stock is most typically printed 4/0 – meaning – one side is printed and one side is not. The common misconception here is that the inside of the packaging will be white paper. Not true. Digipaks and eco wallets are glued and folded. The unprinted surface area can only be seen on the inside of the package as the seams between panels, or the back of the exterior spine. You can see what we mean in the photo included at the beginning of this blog post.  You can have both sides printed to incorporate a design into the slim areas, but that is considered 4/4 printing – or full color both sides.
• Card stock by default is printed with an aqueous gloss coating. This is the most standard finish in the industry and is typical . A matte finish can also be applied to card stock for a different look.
• You have more visible panels in a digipak or eco wallet versus a traditional jewel case with print and traycards.
• Digipaks can utilize both clear and black trays – much like a jewel case set up – however, using a clear tray is recommend as you can introduce a design behind the tray that is visible once the disc has been removed.

Questions about card stock packaging? Contacts us or request a quote.

We had the opportunity to work with Environment Canada recently on a customized USB flash drive project that included a custom designed and fabricated mold for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Doha, Qatar. We were initially approached about the production of a standard drive order, but after consulting with the team at EC, we pitched the idea of utilizing a customized mold of a polar bear to communicate the content loaded onto the drives more effectively.

The creation of a custom mold typically has a few steps. We ask that the client submits a series of reference images for us to draw from thematically. In this case, Environment Canada wanted to incorporate a clearly visible outline of a polar bear – something akin to the beautiful Inuit style art that graces some of Canada’s national museums, but also something that was clearly identifiable and not abstract. We settled on 5 different reference images that we researched. The 5 qualified as images that we like to call “dimension-able designs” – meaning, that they fall within the parameters of  being able to incorporate into a CAD program and create a mold that would fit universally into all USB ports. This is a key step. Creating a mold that is too wide can hinder the use of a even a single user, considering that most computers have at least 2-3 USB ports that are in almost all cases virtually on top of each other. Secondly, the client wanted to utilize a material that was comparable to the look and feel of an iPod – a cool white plastic.

After presenting the 5 CAD designs, the client chose the subtle outline shown here. We fabricated and completed production in 7 days, and then loaded over 1.6 GB (a combination of multilingual videos and documentation) of content in 48 hours on 1500 drives for delivery to the CITES conference in less than 2 weeks from the beginning of production.

Considering a custom drive for your organization, business, or upcoming event? Contact us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca or Request A Quote , comment on this post,  or let us know what you had in mind with a reference image that you’re considering.

If you’ve Googled “Customized Printed USB Flash Drives “, “Custom USB Drives Canada”, or Custom Printed Flash Drives”, then you’re in the right spot. Standard Media Services is one of the leading USB flash drive sources in North America, and we take great pride in assisting our customers with making informed decisions about the variety of different models, sizes, and aesthetic items to take into consideration when they are considering using custom printed usb flash drives. Request A Quote, browse through our Custom USB Flash Drive catalogue, or contact us directly at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

Q: Why should I use a custom USB flash drive for marketing? They are typically more expensive than something like a traditional CD-ROM or printed collateral, right?

Yes, but…

You can’t categorize a custom USB flash drive and a typical piece of optical media as comparable items. They might both be designed to deliver content or data, but they are very different things. We wanted to clarify on this, so that if you’re considering using a custom USB flash drive for your marketing…especially if you’ve historically used anything other than one, and you’re contemplating them…you really understand these nifty little pieces for what they are.

Custom USB flash drives are not just decorated computer peripherals with your company logo on them. These are marketing pieces that effectively combine promotional use, content delivery, long term practical usefulness, and brand impression return.  You might think there’s a lot of promotional products that can have your name stamped on them, but, does a mini flash light or zippo lighter have the same day to day personal and professional benefit of a flash drive? No. More than ever before, people are consuming and creating content with computers (music, movies, images) in an electronic format. Flash memory is regularly used for the storage, quick transfer and access, and mobility of this digital content. When you give someone something that has a regular personal and/or professional application, they use it. When they use, it is visible. The number of single customer impressions that a flash drive with a logo will receive is up to 40 times more than a conventional printed piece of advertising (flyer, brochure, or even business card), or promotional product, and they typically tend to stay in use with recipients for an average of about 18 months.

As for the delivery of content or data – custom flash memory does a better job with that as well. We conducted a survey of 75 customers in November 0f last year, specifically seeking clients who had previously utilized a CD-Rom for the provision of data to their respective intended audiences (marketing, internal documentation, video content). The unanimous response was that custom flash drives created significantly better rates of response and engagement, as well as notable increases in website traffic for those who either worked a physical printing of their URL onto the exterior of the drives or into the content itself.

Questions? Contact us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca or leave a comment and tell us on how custom USB flash drives have benefited your marketing.

If you’ve Googled “Custom Printed USB Flash Drives Canada”, “Custom USB Drives Canada”, or Custom Printed Flash Drives”, we’re glad that you found us. Standard Media Services is one of the leading USB flash drive sources in North America, and we take great pride in assisting our customers with making informed decisions about the variety of different models, sizes, and aesthetic items to take into consideration when they are considering using custom printed usb flash drives. Request A Quote, browse through our Custom USB Flash Drive catalogue, or contact us directly at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

We recently did a run of custom printed USB flash drives for Navantis Canada. They selected our Vista model, which has a premium brushed aluminum finish to the body’s drive exterior. The client considered a traditional pad printed logo or an engraving, which is a decorative feature that we include on our metallic cased models. When considering how to decorate your drives, there are a few things to think about, and which we take the time to walk clients through and even proof in both ways to review the decorative effect.

Engraving is a nice way to introduce a premium aesthetic to the drive, however, it can be limited in its lack of ability to showcase color. You are relying on the depth of the engraving to indicate contrast, and you can only do this on a metallic model. if your logo is elaborate and detailed, includes sub text or a tagline, or is generally on the smaller side, then an engraving is probably not the best way to go. A conventional pad print in these cases is ideal. We also recommend engraving drives that are full bodied metallic, like our Miniracer, or a even The Twist, (metallic casing takes up the entire swing casing of the drive) as they have a tendency to look nicer when not framed by an element of plastic. The aesthetic quality of the drives is something that is important, and that we don’t take lightly. We’re at your disposal with any question you might have, and can proof you a variety of different ways and work with you to achieve the desired look and feel. Need more information? Contact us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca or Request A Quote to get a proof going.

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Mark Motors of Ottawa, one of Canada’s leading Audi and Porsche group of dealerships, recently contracted Standard Media for a run of custom USB flash drives. They opted for a custom shape in the impression of Audi’s distinguished 4 rings with the dealership’s information on the back. They were looking for something distinctive and useful to leave with potential buyers and with new owners that created a sense of exclusivity. The drives were done as 2 GB models, and were custom molded with a standard single color white pad print on the back with the dealership’s two national capital region locations. With every purchase, and with every prospective buyer, the dealerships wanted to provide a highly memorable way of keeping the Audi brand on the consumer’s mind with a compelling and premium aesthetic that was reflective of the product they deal in.

We had the opportunity to work with Miv Fournier of Miv Photography, professional photographer extraordinare. Miv’s commercial work is well known around the National Capital Region and includes the National Art Gallery of Canada, The Museum of Science and Technology, The Art Bank of Canada, and Ottawa City Magazine. His wedding portfolio is strife with celebrities and professional athletes such as Ottawa Senator Jason Spezza.

Miv decided to utilize a custom USB flash drive to provide proofs for clients and for commercial promotional purposes, and wanted something that looked refined and elegant. We suggested our Mini Racer model with engraving to give it a premium touch. “The fact that a USB flash drive can be reused was a major deciding factor for me”, says Miv, “I wanted to give my clients something that would emphasize the studio’s brand and that they could find useful in a personal capacity”.

Check out Miv Photography online or contact us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

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You may have Googled “DVD Replication Canada”, “DVD Replication U.S.A.”, or “DVD Region Codes”, you’ve come to the right place. You’re probably getting ready to create a retail ready DVD product. We are Canada and the United States’ source for DVD manufacturing.  We’re going to take the opportunity to talk about DVD region codes, how they affect the burning of a master that you may be sending in for replication, and how it can affect the distribution of your project. Request a Quote or contact us for an estimate at info AT standardmedia DOT ca. Check out our Special Offers as well.

Q: What is a region code for, and how does it play into my DVD replication order?

A: Motion picture studios want to control the home release of movies in different countries because cinematic theatrical releases aren’t neccessarily simultaneous (a movie may come out on video in the Canada when it’s just opening in Asia). A region code is literally a byte of data that is added to a DVD master, and subsequently added to any of the copies through DVD replication. Certain machines will be set up to accept certain region codes in various countries. There are 7 regions:

1: U.S., Canada, U.S. Territories
2: Japan, Europe, South Africa, and Middle East (including Egypt)
3: Southeast Asia and East Asia (including Hong Kong)
4: Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean
5: Eastern Europe (Former Soviet Union), Indian subcontinent, Africa, North Korea, and Mongolia
6: China
7: Reserved
8: Special international venues (airplanes, cruise ships, etc.)

All of North America is region 1. If you want to be able to sell your content all over the world, we recommend leaving it region free (also known as all region or region 0). Most burning and authoring softwares have the region free setting as a default, however, you should make sure of this anyways prior to submitting your master in.

Question? Contact us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

If you’ve Googled “Custom USB Thumbdrives U.S.A.”, “Customized USB Flash Drives with Logos Canada”, or “Printed USB Flash Drives Canada”, then you’ve come to the right place. Standard Media Services is one of the leading USB flash drive sources in North America, and we take great pride in assisting our customers with making informed decisions about the variety of different models, sizes, and aesthetic items to take into consideration when they are considering using custom usb flash drives. Request A Quote, or contact us directly at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

We had the opportunity to recently pair up with Summers Direct Event Planners for the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) conference being held in Banff, Alberta. The event is called Ranges To The Ridge and is being held at Banff Park Lodge Resort & Hotel in Banff, Alberta. The IABC in an internationally recognized body of communications professionals and  is committed to shedding light on, creating dialogue and promoting best practices amongst professionals within the practical realities of today’s communications landscape in the private and public sector.

We were one of the sponsors of the event, and provided the custom USB flash drives that will be distributed to the guests. Utilizing custom USB flash drives is one of the most effective ways to distribute literature for a conference or event in today’s environmentally conscious and digital age. Ranges To The Ridge was of course a fitting  event. You can read the conference sheet here.

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CD Text on Your Audio Master

If you’ve Googled “Adding CD text to your audio master”, “CD duplication services Canada”, or “Short Run Audio Duplication”, we’re glad you found us. We specialize in short run Audio CD duplication with eco wallets, printed jackets, digipaks, and jewel cases. Request a Quote or contact us directly for an estimate at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

A question we get regularly from customers manufacturing or duplicating their audio or music project with us is whether they can add CD text. There are couple of things to note. CD Text is supported in some – not all – CD players ranging from audio decks, to standalone carousels and mini systems. Secondly, if you’ve burned your CD master with software like Nero or Toast,  that allows you to manually associate titles and names with each track, then once you’ve burned your disc, it should call up the information provided the system you’re playing it on supports CD Text.

Adding song info for Winamp or Itunes is a different process alltogether, and we’re certain that this is what people are really asking about when we field questions like this. It’s a comparable result, but meant for broader recognition. In order to add song info, you or your mastering engineer needs to submit the information to the Gracenote Music Recognition Service, formerly knows as the CDDB (Compact Disc Database). In order to do this, you must either purchase Gracenote CDDB MusicID software and license, or have it done for you by a recording or mastering engineer who owns a copy. The submission of your MusicID tags, titles, and name associated with a recording generally takes about 48-72 hours to appear in the database, however, this is still not a guarantee that the textual designation associated with your recording will appear in certain players that dont’ support it.

Questions? Email us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca.

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www.prinzofinecatering.com

If you’ve Googled “Ottawa Web Design Services”, “Ottawa Web Design Companies” or “Ottawa Web Site Development”, we’re glad you found us. Standard Media has a full team of web site professionals that can provide the array of essential services for any small businesses’ web site needs. You can view samples of work in our web portfolio or Request A Quote.

Web site design is a subjective thing. Everyone has their own take on what is a nice looking site and people will have different opinions on what works visually and what doesn’t. The initial presentation of a mock up and/or an interior page of a web site is always the most crucial first step with a client because even though we’re hired to be the web design experts, at the end of the day, regardless of what level of knowledge a client may have, they have to like what their web site looks like and believe in the design. You can discuss technical aspects of function or search engine optimization, but our visual responses preside over that switch in our heads of whether we like something or not. Add in the personal vested interest and desire of any business owner (Ottawa or not) to ensure that their business online is as well presented as possible, and this initial step in the process can be a tricky landscape to navigate.

We like to approach this first step of the project with a lot of homework being performed firsthand. We research and assess not only the local playing field, but the web’s market landscape.  We like to look at the what the major players in an industry are doing, how it relates to our customers’ customers, and how well the things that work accommodate the user, regardless of the computer they are viewing a web site on. Most importantly, and before all of this – we listen. Listening to the clients expectations, ideas, desires, and hopes with respect to their web site is the most important and crucial first step to assisting our clients with creating a web presence that works on all levels.

As an example, we recently deployed the new web site for Prinzo Fine Catering, one of Ottawa’s most established catering organizations. Prinzo wanted a web site that reflected their 40 year history in the industry, the quality of their fine catering services, and the care that they put into the details with respect to a client’s function. Prinzo Fine Catering has the distinction of being on most Government of Canada and Crown Corporation short lists as a vendor of choice for official galas and events, and the company has a reputation for high standard execution on major functions in the Ottawa Carleton Region, easily catering events from 100 to 1000 people with a full service approach that has earned them accolades since 1969. Their old web site had few images, and suffered a bit of a dated look for 2009. The company wanted to visually show their process, their food, and most importantly, they wanted to visually define their touch spanning the diversity of functions they’ve had the privilege of working on. We incorporated a constantly accessible photo gallery in most key sections of the site where the client can easily change images and galleries. These accessible galleries are organized by the service definitions. Socials-Galas-Soirees has a custom gallery, as do the other core services, namely Weddings, and Corporate Events. We consulted on the copy and introduced an SEO pass, as well as the site architecture on this project, and utilized a flash photo hero for the main page that capitalized on the visual presentation. As users visited the site’s home page, we also introduced quick access to a randomized gallery in the bottom portion of the page with clear and easy access to the main menu navigation, as well as a reworking of what the main menu navigation was, with each one’s associated sub sections. Menus was defined better, with the company’s culinary variety sub sectioned in a clean and easy to access method. This key section of the web site can be updated by the client easily. Some of the other efficiency items we addressed were a web form that required validation to minimize on spam and provided essential details for accurate a customer’s estimate back to Prinzo’s staff.

Check out www.prinzofinecatering.com or contact us at info AT standardmedia DOT ca for information on how we can help you with your business’ web site needs.

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