System and method for feedback from mass mail marketing

• US 20060190107A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanta Bank Corp. (47415)
• Original Assignee: Advanta Bank Corp. (47415)
• Inventors: Kassar, Ami, Kassar, Barak
• Application Number:
  US11/138,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190107A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The invention is a system and method for detecting whether a piece of direct mail marketing has been read by a recipient. The invention includes a novel envelope with an embedded sensor to detect whether it has been opened and a transmitter to send information from the sensor to a receiver, which in turn sends the information to a central computer. In the preferred embodiment this information is aggregated in a central computer and can then be analyzed to provide information about particular recipients, a group of recipients or about the effectiveness of a particular direct mail campaign.

Claims

1. A system for retrieving information from a mass mailing comprised of:

an envelope distributed to a location, said envelope further comprised of;

printed material;

a sensor;

a transmitter;

a receiver in communication with the envelope;

a communication network in communication with the receiver; and

a computer system in communication with the communication network;

wherein the envelope detects a recipient response at the location and transmits this response to the computer system through the receiver and the communication network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the envelope is further comprised of an enclosure and an insert.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the envelope is a postcard, bi-fold, tri-fold or flyer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the location is household or business.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter uses passive RFID, active RFID, analog, digital, radio, microwave, satellite, Bluetooth, 802.11, Zigbee, WIMAX, infrared, ultra wide band, cellular or pager transmission technology.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is electrical, mechanical, acoustical, optical, chemical or thermal.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is located either inside or outside the location.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is a portable device passing by the location.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is an RFID reader, cellular telephone receiver, local wireless network hub or satellite.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the envelope is further comprised of a power source.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the power source is a battery or solar cell.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of envelopes sent to a plurality of locations, said envelopes communicating responses from said locations to the computer system through a plurality of receivers and the communication network.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein each envelope has an identifier transmitted with the response, said identifier also being stored in a database to which the computer system has access.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the identifier is unique to each location, recipient, location, geography or demographic.

15. A mass mailing advertisement comprised of:

an advertisement displayed on an insert;

an enclosure surrounding the insert;

a sensor for detecting a recipient response; and

a transmitter.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the insert and the enclosure form one piece and are comprised of a postcard, bi-fold, tri-fold or flyer.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the transmitter uses passive RFID, active RFID, analog, digital, radio, microwave, satellite, Bluetooth, 802.11, Zigbee, WIMAX, infrared, ultra wide band, cellular or pager transmission technology.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the sensor is electrical, mechanical, acoustical, optical, chemical or thermal.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the envelope is further comprised of a power source.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the power source is a battery or solar cell.

21. A method for determining response to direct mail advertisement comprised of:

sending an envelope to a recipient, said envelope comprising an advertisement on printed material, a sensor for detecting a response and a transmitter;

the transmitter sending the response from the sensor to a receiver;

the receiver sending the information to a computer system through a communication network; and

the computer system outputting a report about the response.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the recipient is a consumer or business.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the transmitter uses passive RFID, active RFID, analog, digital, radio, microwave, satellite, Bluetooth, 802.11, Zigbee, WIMAX, infrared, ultra wide band, cellular or pager transmission technology.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the sensor is electrical, mechanical, acoustical, optical, chemical or thermal.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the receiver is a portable device carried by a service provider for the recipient.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the receiver is an RFID reader, cellular telephone receiver, local wireless network hub or satellite.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the envelope is further comprised of a power source.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the power source is a battery or solar cell.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein there are a plurality of envelopes sent to a plurality of recipients, said envelopes communicating responses from said recipients to the computer system through a plurality of receivers and the communication network.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein each envelope is assigned an identifier, the identifier is transmitted with the response, the identifier is stored in a database to which the computer system has access, and the computer system uses the identifier in generation the report.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the identifier is unique to each location, recipient, location, geography or demographic.

32. A method for determining response to direct mail advertisement comprised of:

sending an envelope with an advertisement through the mail to a recipient, the envelope including a sensor for detecting a response and a transmitter;

collecting the envelope or portion of the envelope from the recipient;

the transmitter sending information from the sensor to a receiver; and

the receiver sending the information to a computer system; and

computer system outputting a report about the response.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of collecting is accomplished through trash collection and the trash collection truck contains the receiver.