The OneSource system is fully customizable on a per-file basis, in accordance with the marketing objective of a corporate sponsor. Here is an example:

Suppose a major consumer-products company often includes a CD in a product, as a sales incentive. This CD can be music, a video, a game, or some other type of software with a certain perceived value to the consumer. Once packaging considerations are factored in, the cost to include such an item in a run of 10 million boxes or more could easily be in excess of 50 cents per item.

Instead of putting the CD into the physical product, the company can "OneSource" it by simply inserting a coupon in the package. This coupon would have a unique code number printed on it, along with the Internet URL for retrieving the gift CD online. To simplify it even more (and hence reduce costs), the unique code can be simply the product ID number printed under a box-top, with instructions printed on the package or label. Or in a "McDonald's"-style promotion, it can be printed on a peel-away sticker placed on a burger wrapper. Or printed on a sales receipt after a purchase of any kind. Etc. etc.

When the consumer reaches the web site to download their "gift", they are prompted for their code number. Once the number is used, it can not be used again, thus preventing people from sharing code numbers. And along with the code number, the consumer is prompted for their email address (to send them a confirmation and instructions for re-downloading if they have a problem), as well as their name and address (for identity confirmation when re-downloading).

When the file is downloaded, all its components are fingerprinted with the identity of the user. While this first and foremost is a means for detecting and preventing piracy of the licensed materials, it also provides the means to personalize the item. The consumer's name can be inserted in the salutation of a letter from the corporate sponsor bundled into the downloaded file. It can be inserted into specially-designed coupons which can later be redeemed for merchandise. It can be inserted into a game so that the start-up screen has the person's name visibly displayed. The possible uses are virtually limitless.

The savings to the corporate sponsor is as much as 80%, depending of the filesize of the promotional bundle. Plus, the sponsor receives valuable demographic information on their customers, including their email addresses, which they could not otherwise gain access to in a "physical" promotion.

To simplify importing the demographic data collected from the promotion into the sponsor's database, the data can be provided in any format the sponsor might specify. Consumer data can also be batched, or sent real-time to the sponsor