WO2012145510A2 - Interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products - Google Patents

Abstract

An interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products where one or more than one advertiser, social media sites, multimedia depositories and users are connected to a dream maker template where the users select and manipulate products and services to construct a dream that can then be purchased.

Description

INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING AND PURCHASE SYSTEM FOR PROMOTING

PRODUCTS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present Application is a PCT Patent Application, and claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application 61/477,736, titled "Interactive software and website that allows user to cooperatively participate in creating an online dream with advertising revenue based on a system allowing advertisers to promote their products without payment unless or until a product is incorporated into a dream, and or an element of the dream is tribute and or, purchased by a user of the invention," filed April 21, 2011, the contents of which are

incorporated in this disclosure by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of advertising, more specifically to an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The Internet is a relatively recent innovation, but one that is growing and changing every month. In its first incarnation it was a sort of interactive yellow pages. The actual sites (URLs) supplied the content because the content was what they were selling, promoting or teaching. The second phase saw the Internet as a device that allowed all users to connect and communicate with each other. The users actually became the content. At the time of this application, websites are competing for both users and advertising money. Almost everything on the Internet today is paid for with advertising dollars. This is a similar model to legacy TV. The networks invest in the production of the content, and then sell advertising as their principle source of revenue. As there are more and more socially oriented websites on the Internet, the quest for advertising dollars becomes more and more difficult. While in the boom days of a decade ago, it seemed like anyone with a website could wrangle advertising "sponsors", today it is a different story. Internet advertisers in today' s world are getting more and more cautious about investing money into promoting their products or services with new and upcoming websites, having seen in the past that many do not survive the crucial first year. The most successful site on the Internet is undoubtedly Facebook, with nearly a billion users. Facebook is free to use or access. However, every user has to supply personal information. This is the individual's "cost" to participate. In addition, during participation, Facebook harvests this personal information and sells it to advertisers. Facebook' s management/investors spend about $100 per user. This $100 per user is spent on servers (hosting and routing computers) as well as analyzing the psychographics of their users. This allows Facebook to pinpoint the placement of advertising very effectively. Consequently, Facebook receive premium rates from their advertisers.

[0004] There are a number of websites with supporting software programs that offer a user the ability to socially interact with other users. There are also advertising models that are based on "pay per click" or other methods by which an advertiser pays up front for exposure to potential buyers. There currently is not a website available that allows for users to cooperatively build a project, whether working with known individuals, people known only by avatars, or even complete strangers and at the same time allows advertisers to promote their products risk-free, without paying any money up front for exposure of their products and services.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products.

SUMMARY

[0006] An interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products comprising: a) one or more than one advertiser operably connected to a computer comprising instructions operable to execute a dream maker system; b) one or more social media sites are operably connected to the dream maker system; c) one or more multimedia depositories are operably connected to the dream maker system; and d) computer instructions operable on a processor for manipulating advertiser products. The one or more multimedia depositories are selected from the group consisting of a photo depository and a video depository. The instructions for manipulating advertisers products comprise instructions for manipulating the content selected from the group consisting of a video, a photo a sequence of photos and audio.

[0007] The system further comprises instructions for editing an existing dream, tributing value to a dream, presenting a fillable dream template and securing the fillable dream template. The secured fillable dream template security can be selected from the group consisting of private, public and designated users.

[0008] In one embodiment, the template can be divided into a number of categories that describe a general category. Each category comprises advertisers subscribed the category to provide pop-up displays of products, services or both products and services that can be entered into the dream template.

[0009] In another embodiment, there is provided a method for an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products to construct a dream, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an interactive advertising and purchase system; b) logging into the system; c) selecting a dream template; d) browsing for products, services or both products and services; e) searching for products, services or both products and services; f) selecting one or more than one for products, services or both products and services; g) placing the one or more than one for product, service or both product and service into the dream template; h) tagging the one or more than one for product, service or both product and service in the dream template; i) indexing the one or more than one for product, service or both product and service the dream template; j) repeating steps c) through h) until the dream template is complete; k) viewing the dream template; 1) editing the dream template; and m) managing a value account associated with the dream template and a user. The step of managing the value account further comprises instructions for totaling all the selected products, services or both products and services.

[00010] In another embodiment, the method further comprises steps of: a) providing instructions operable on a computer to offer a variety of contests that can award various users the dream as a prize; b) registering for a contest; c) managing a dream; d) entering the dream into the contest; and f) providing advertisers targeted information from the user who registered. [00011] In yet another embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: a) providing instructions operable on a computer to gift value using the system; b) viewing a dream template; c) selecting a gift from the dream template; d) sending the gift; e) adjusting a value account. Sending the gift can be a collaboration. Optionally, the user, the dream template or, or both the user and the dream template can be entered into a contest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00012] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying figures where:

[00013] Figure 1 is a flow chart of an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products;

[00014] Figure 2 is a flow chart showing some steps of a method for using the interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products of Figure 1 according to one

embodiment;

[00015] Figure 3 is a flow chart showing some steps of a method illustrating how a user of the invention can enter a contest put on by the website hosts;

[00016] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating how a user can tribute according to one

embodiment; and

[00017] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating how a user of the invention can gift using the system of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products. The invention, referred to as "Dream Maker", is an interactive system comprising a website and software program that allows one or more than one user to individually or cooperatively construct a "dream" using a variety of advertising images and user-to-user feedback. A dream can comprise a new kitchen, a new bathroom, a wedding reception, a car or any other concept that the user wishes to see become a reality. This feature is combined with a unique marketing approach that allows advertisers to promote their products for free, only paying a commission or fee when one of their products is incorporated, tributed or purchased by the user in the dream.

[0011] Methods and devices that implement the embodiments of the various features of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention. Reference in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" is intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "an embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0012] Throughout the drawings, reference numbers are re-used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. In addition, the first digit of each reference number indicates the Figure where the element first appears.

[0013] As used in this disclosure, except where the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised" are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

[0014] In the following description, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific detail. Well-known circuits, structures and techniques may not be shown in detail in order not to obscure the embodiments. For example, circuits may be shown in block diagrams in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.

[0015] Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination corresponds to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0016] Moreover, a storage may represent one or more devices for storing data, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums, flash memory devices and/or other machine readable mediums for storing information. The term "machine readable medium" includes, but is not limited to portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels and various other mediums capable of storing, containing or carrying instruction(s) and/or data.

[0017] Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a machine-readable medium such as a storage medium or other storage(s). One or more than one processor may perform the necessary tasks in series, concurrently, distributed or in parallel. A code segment may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a class, or a combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted through a suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0018] In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0019] The term "gamification" refers to using game design techniques and mechanics to enhance non-game hardware, software, processes or applications in order to encourage people to adopt them.

[0020] The term "user" refers to a person registered with the system. [0021] The term "dream" refers to an interactive construct where a user places various products.

[0022] The term "dreamer" refers to a user that has constructed a dream.

[0023] The term "Value Account" Each user has a value account. This account may be in points, dollars or any other unit or standard of valuation.

[0024] Various embodiments for an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products are disclosed. The system and methods will now be disclosed in detail.

[0025] Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a flowchart diagram 100 of an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products according to one embodiment. As can be seen, the system 100 comprises one or more than one advertiser 102, 104 and 106. The one or more than one advertiser 102-106 operably connected to the computer comprising instructions operable to execute a dream maker system 124 via an Internet connection 122. Additionally, various social media sites 108 can also be operably connected to the dream maker 124 via the Internet 122. A photo depository 118 and a video depository 120 are also operably connected to the dream maker 124 via the Internet 122. One or more than one user 110, 112, 114 and 116 are operably connected to the dream maker 124 via the Internet 122. Using the dream maker system 124 the one or more than one user 110-116 are able to manipulate advertiser 102-106 products along with images and videos from the depositories 118 and 120 into a "dream."

[0026] Advertisers seek this ability to focus an advertiser' s dollars without requiring the user to give up so much personal information that they become deluged with advertisements. The system 100 allows each user to construct a dream using the advertisers' messages; the advertising becomes the content of the users' "dreams". The users are happy because they don't have to provide personal information and be bombarded with undesired advertising messages, and the advertisers are happy because they just provide the advertisements and the users selectively look over the advertisements and then use them to construct the "dream". A dream could be a video, a photo or a sequence of photos, audio, or any combination. Also, the dream can be something like a power point presentation. The dream can be created from multimedia stored on the system's 100 servers. Using the system 100, the user can create a new dream or edit/amend an existing dream for the user or another person. The user's dream can comprise one product or service, e.g. a specific car or having your nails done at a specific spa. Alternatively, the dream can be a collage or sequence of many products or services. For example, one user may create a vacation that includes a taxi ride to the airport, a flight to another city, a cruise on a ship from that city to another city, and a hotel in the final destination city, before a ride back on the train to the user's hometown. A less exotic (and less expensive) dream could be a new kitchen with granite countertops and new appliances and utensils. Alternatively, a dream could be one simple item, for example, an iPod^®. To construct a dream, the user selects from advertising images, provided by the advertiser for free to the website owner. Optionally, the advertiser can be charged a fee the first time the user incorporates an advertiser's product or service into the dream. Following this step, advertisers can be charged a fee if users visit the dream, tribute to the dream or gift from the dream. The advertiser can be charged different rates for the different viewings of their products or services.

[0027] The software upon which Dream Make is based also facilitates users to "tribute" (gift/purchase/donate/contribute) value towards "dreams". User can tribute as known individuals to a known friend's dream, do is anonymously using an avatar, and can even tribute to a complete stranger's dream. The system 100 presents two novel ideas in the field of internet websites design to attract viewers and participants. First, its use of advertising as the content of the created item; second, the method by which users can tribute toward a dream. The system 100 provides computer instructions for a website a template that can be downloaded or filled in online. The template can be divided into a number of categories that describe the general category of use (vacation, home improvement, dates, outdoor activities, etc.). Each category will have advertisers subscribed to it and their ads will pop-up to give user "ideas" or choices of products to select for their dreams. This is the basis of the advertiser database, and since the advertiser pays nothing until their item is selected for a dream or tributed to a dream, or used in a contest or gifted. Users then assemble a collage of items selected from the advertisements to construct their dream. For example, to construct a vacation "dream," the user browses or searches the internet or the site's depository of advertisers to find the cruise of their dreams, and then tags it. Next they will search/browse for a resort, a wardrobe to wear on the vacation, the hire car, etc. Every item or nuance of the dream will be tagged or indexed as the dream is constructed by the user. This indexing is used to build up an advertiser billing protocol. A second example would be a "dream" kitchen from various publications, then the appliances and utensils to stock it with. An issue arises when a user looks at a dream in the system 100 and decides to not use the advertiser in system 100, but drags a non-advertiser's product or service from the Internet into the dream. This problem is solved by tagging and indexing every element of every dream. For example, the user incorporates a non-advertised, non-sponsored umbrella into their dream. Immediately, this umbrella is tagged. If there are no umbrellas in the advertiser database, an auction is immediately created, inviting advertisers to sponsor this umbrella. The user will have the ability to accept or reject the proffered umbrella. Every new item introduced into the advertiser's database in the system 100 improves the inventory and offerings available to all users and simultaneously enhances the system's 100 revenue stream. Dreams can be private, or public, or only visible to designated friends. Users are not limited to only one dream; they can have many. Users can participate under an avatar or can use their real name. To participate, users will have to disclose their real names, addresses and other personal information to the system 100 and agree that such information may be used by the system 100 for advertising purposes. Also, users will need to open a value account in order to purchase products or services advertised in the dream.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 2, there are shown a flow chart 200 showing some steps of a method for using the interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products of Figure 1 according to one embodiment. First, a user logs into the system 202. Then, the user selects a dream template 204. The selected dream template 204 can be an existing dream template previously populated 206, or a new dream template 208. Next, the user can search and browse advertiser product database 210, and select various products 2 replaced in the dream template 204. Then, once the user has located a product in the advertiser product database 210, the user tags the product to capture 212. The user repeats the process of searching 210 and tagging 212 products until they are satisfied. Next, the user can view the dream 214 with all the various products placed in the dream where the user desired. Then, the user can edit 216 the dream and add or remove products from the advertiser database 210 or move items around in the dream template 204. Finally, the user will have the option to manage a value account 218. The value account 218 will provide the user with and immediate purchase option for the items that were selected for the dream or a publishing option so that the user can transfer the items to a registry for purchase by others. The value account 218 also comprises instructions for totaling all the selected advertiser products from the database 210 so that the user can either select different products better more expensive or less expensive if the user has a budget.

[0029] Each user will have and individual value account 218. Optionally, there can be joint value accounts. The value account 218 account can be managed using points, dollars or any other unit or standard of valuation. The value account is the personal property of the user, similar to funds deposited in a financial institution. The funds in the value account 218 belong to the owner of the account, not the institution. The system 200 merely keeps track of value units. A running total is displayed of the user's value units accumulated or stored. The total value can be private and only visible to the individual user. Alternatively, if there is a contest, the value can be displayed for more than one viewer to see. The value account 218 can be attached to the users credit/debit card, or bank account, etc.

[0030] Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a flow chart showing some steps of a method illustrating how a user of the invention can enter a contest 300 put on by the website hosts. The system 100 also provides instructions operable on a computer to offer a variety of contests that can award various users the dream as a prize. For example, a contest could be held for "best dream vacation" or "best dream garden". Such contests could be local, regional, national or even international. The system 100 can generate additional advertising revenue by allowing for outside "sponsorship" of each contest.

[0031] First, a user logs into the system 302. Then, the user registers 304 by supplying personal information 306. Next, user manages in dream 308 using advertisers photo/video/audio 312. Then, the user manages a value account 314 in cooperation with a financial institution partner 316. Finally, the user enters their dream into a contest 318. This gamification of the dream provides advertisers of opportunity to sell products and have other users, and potential purchasers, view a wide variety of the advertiser's products in various settings. This provides the advertiser with multiple channels and opportunities for having their product placed and viewed worldwide without spending a great deal of advertising money. Additionally, advertisers are provided with targeted information from the users who register 304 to enter the contest 318. Optionally, advertisers can also target users who vote for the best dream in the contest 318.

[0032] Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a flowchart illustrating how a user can tribute 400 according to one embodiment the present invention. According to one method, a user views a dream 402 and selects various products for purchase to create their dream in real life. According to another embodiment a user attributes 404 the products selected for gifting were contributing to another users dream. And in yet another embodiment, a user can enter into a contest 408 and may selects or have other select products for purchase. For each user that uses one of the methods 402 through 408 a value account is adjusted 406 for each purchase or potential purchase of advertisers products. The value account is adjusted 406 to keep track of all the products placed in the dream that can be edited were adjusted by the user at a later date.

[0033] Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a flow chart 500 illustrating some steps of a method demonstrating how a user of the invention can gift using the system of Figure 1. First, a user views a dream 502. Then, the user decides to gift 504 to the viewed dream 502. The user can gift to themselves 506, or decide to gift for a friend 514. Next, the user clicks on the dream or on and item in the dream 508. Then, the gift is sent 510. Optionally, gifts can be given in collaboration with partners 512. Once the gift has been sent 510, a value account is adjusted 516. Alternatively, the user, the dream or, or both the user and the dream can be entered into a contest 518.

[0034] As previously discussed the value account 516 can comprise many different items. The value account 516 can be selected from the group consisting of airline miles, airline points, hotel room nights, dinners, and movie tickets among others. The common denominator is that the value account is a dynamic record, or bank depository of value. Users can trade value items with each other. This is part and parcel of tributing and/or gifting. [0035] The value account 516 will be used for two primary functions. Either for accumulating funds, or for "tributing" (spending) funds. Users, friends of users, or advertisers can deposit funds in the user's account. The funds can be used for purchasing the users dream or parts of dreams for other users. As will be understood by those with skill in the art with reference to this disclosure, the value account 516 can be used to facilitate something similar to a wedding registry at a department store, a birthday, a bar mitzvah, a quinceanera or similar functions. The system 500 can comprise rules so that there can be a minimum value unit needed to participate.

[0036] Building a dream unequivocally results in the user paying deep attention to the advertising. It is not possible to avert this familiarity. This highly focused interactive relationship with the advertiser's product or service is the holy grail of advertising. This is particularly true when the user is building a dream to be entered in a contest. The chance that he or she will actually win the dream will cause the user to pay particular attention to which products and services are selected for the dream. The popularity of the dream, scored by how many people visit that dream, creates an advertising value of that dream which is enhanced as the popularity increases. On the flip side, when a user has a dream that is unpopular, a sort of "dream

Darwinism" prevails as the user's visitors' book is empty. The one or more than one product in that dream is relatively valueless from the advertisers' perspective.

[0037] By contrast an imaginative dream that draws many hundreds of thousands of visitors would have great value for the advertisers of those products. And therefore would be prepared to pay a premium to be associated with that dream. Constructing a dream achieves many objectives of all advertisers. It jumps out of the clutter. It generates familiarity and knowledge of the service or product. It produces a tactile interactive relationship. It removes any cognitive dissonance before it even is evident. And because it happens on the system 100 it is all cataloged and fed back to the advertiser at premium advertising rates, as the advertiser buys this feedback from the system 100. The contests can be ongoing. The contests will be self energizing. If no one is interested in a dream in terms of popularity advertisers will shy away from it as well. However, if a dream for any reason becomes very popular more advertisers will be drawn to it. Just as in a lottery, as the jackpot increases, more people are drawn to it, including both users and advertisers.

[0038] The purpose of the system 100 from a user's point of view is to use the system 100 to attain their dream. There are a few ways the system 100 will assist the user in making this happen. The system 100 will run contests, paid for by advertisers, to pay for and deliver user's dreams on a limited basis. A contest could take many forms. It is advertiser-driven. The more popular a dream, the more advertisers will want to own or sponsor that contest. For example, a marketer of goods and services could tag their advertisement not necessarily on the system 100 but somewhere else, with a code, and when this code is used in the dream it immediately gets a certain reward. Or an advertiser could advertise the fact that incorporating their product into a dream makes that dream eligible for a designated reward. This is done now; advertisers ask their target market to write essays about how they use the product. The advertiser then runs a contest and rewards a luck winner. A contest could have a cash prize, or any permutation of rewards and/or incentives. It could be limited to a portion of one element of a dream or the entire dream. It is the contest and the prizes associated with the contest that will drive the popularity of the system 100 just as it is the prizes that drive TV game shows. As a basic summary, the system 100 is a huge social game, which is created by users and financed by advertisers.

[0039] What has been described is a new and improved interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products, overcoming the limitations and disadvantages inherent in the related art.

[0040] Although the present invention has been described with a degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example. As various changes could be made in the above description without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be illustrative and not used in a limiting sense.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products comprising:

a) one or more than one advertiser operably connected to a computer comprising instructions operable to execute a dream maker system;

b) one or more social media sites are operably connected to the dream maker system; c) one or more multimedia depositories are operably connected to the dream maker system; and

d) computer instructions operable on a processor for manipulating advertiser products.

2. The system of claim 1, where the one or more multimedia depositories are selected from the group consisting of a photo depository and a video depository.

3. The system of claim 1, where the instructions for manipulating advertisers products comprise instructions for manipulating the content selected from the group consisting of a video, a photo a sequence of photos and audio.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions for editing an existing dream.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions for tributing value to a dream.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions for presenting a fillable dream template.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising instructions for securing the fillable dream template.

8. The system of claim 7, where the secured fillable dream template security can be selected from the group consisting of private, public and designated users.

9. The system of claim 6, where template can be divided into a number of categories that describe a general category.

10. The system of claim 9, where each category comprises advertisers subscribed the category to provide pop-up displays of products, services or both products and services that can be entered into the dream template.

11. A method for an interactive advertising and purchase system for promoting products to construct a dream, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing the system of claim 1 ;

b) logging into the system;

c) selecting a dream template;

d) browsing for products, services or both products and services;

e) searching for products, services or both products and services;

f) selecting one or more than one for products, services or both products and services;

g) placing the one or more than one for product, service or both product and service into the dream template;

h) tagging the one or more than one for product, service or both product and service in the dream template;

i) indexing the one or more than one for product, service or both product and service the dream template;

j) repeating steps c) through h) until the dream template is complete;

k) viewing the dream template;

1) editing the dream template; and m) managing a value account associated with the dream template and a user.

12. The method of claim 11, where the step of managing the value account further comprises instructions for totaling all the selected products, services or both products and services.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing instructions operable on a computer to offer a variety of contests that can award various users the dream as a prize;

b) registering for a contest;

c) managing a dream;

d) entering the dream into the contest; and

f) providing advertisers targeted information from the user who registered.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing instructions operable on a computer to gift value using the system; b) viewing a dream template;

c) selecting a gift from the dream template;

d) sending the gift; and

e) adjusting a value account.

15. The method of claim 14, where sending the gift can be a collaboration.

16. The method of claim 14, where the user, the dream template or, or both the user and the dream template can be entered into a contest.