SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPUTER-CREATED ADVERTISEMENTS

• US 20080120185A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eComSystems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jon C. Evans
• Inventors: Evans, Jon C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,665,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

The invention relates to a computerized method for a user to create an advertisement by displaying a plurality of advertising formats for selection by a user; displaying a template corresponding to a selected advertising format; displaying a plurality of product references for selection by the user; displaying on the template a selected product reference to create a proposed advertisement; and creating a preview of the proposed advertisement, all of which may be implemented using the Internet. The invention further relates to a computerized system for creating an advertisement that comprises a template database for storing advertising formats; a product database for storing product references; and a computer to access the databases. Preferably, the user has a network interface such as Internet access that permits access via a remote location, software to permit a user to specify specifications such as quantity, printing information, ship date, paper type, pricing information, and payment information, and may be configured to receive images and text for new products.

Claims

1. For use with a computer process wherein a user inserts an advertisement for a product of a client into an advertising space, a method for automatically determining charges related to the advertisement, the method comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to enter advertising expenses for an advertising space;

either allowing the user to enter, or automatically determining, the advertising space allotted to the product;

determining a portion of the advertising expenses to be allotted to the product based upon the advertising space allotted to the product;

determining a charge for the product by applying a surcharge to at least one of the advertising expenses, the advertising space allotted to the product, or the portion of the advertising expenses to be allotted to the product;

allowing a user to select at least one of a plurality of reports relating to the product and the charge;

generating the selected at least one report; and

providing the selected at least one report to at least one of the user or the client of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of reports comprises at least one of an individual report for each product which is advertised, or a general report of all products advertised in the advertising space.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the surcharge is a predetermined surcharge.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the surcharge is entered by the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the portion of the advertising expenses to be allotted to the product is automatically determined based upon the ratio of the advertising space allotted to the product to the advertising space associated with the advertising expenses.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of reports comprises at least one of advertising activity by dealer, advertising activity by area, advertising activity by region, advertising activity at large, sales with respect to advertising expenses, and annual advertising productivity.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the report is sent to the client of the user along with a copy of the advertisement for the product of the client.

8. For use with a computer process wherein a user places an advertisement for a product of a client, a method for allowing the client to control distribution of the advertisement, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one of a standard database or a standard format for a database to a client;

allowing the client to manage the database for that client;

allowing the client to access the database to identify a target list of potential customers;

allowing the client to identify a product associated with the target list; and

sending the target list and an advertisement for the product to a distribution point whereby the advertisement is distributed to the potential customers in the target list.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the target list is at least one of attached to the advertisement, embedded within the advertisement, or sent with the advertisement.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the target list and the advertisement are sent to a printing device as the distribution point, and further comprising the printing device printing address information for the potential customers on labels for direct mailing for the advertisement.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the target list and the advertisement are sent to a printing company as the distribution point, and further comprising the printing company printing address information for the potential customers on labels for direct mailing for the advertisement.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of allowing the client to access the database to identify a target list of potential customers comprises allowing the client to access the database and sort the entries in the database based upon a predetermined characteristic.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of allowing the client to manage the database for that client comprises allowing the client to create, modify, or delete an entry in the database.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of allowing the client to manage the database for that client comprises allowing the client to create, modify, or delete demographic information for an entry in the database.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing a standard database comprises providing a database having predetermined demographic information.

16. A method for modifying an advertisement for a product, the method comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to at least one of select an advertisement from a database of advertisements or create a new advertisement;

allowing the user to select at least one of a size, color, or placement of the advertisement;

allowing the user to at least one of select an item from a database of items or create a new item, the item having a background; and

allowing the user to select the placement of the item on the advertisement.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein a first item has been placed on the advertisement, and further comprising the steps of:

allowing the user to at least one of select a second item from a database of items or create a second item, the second item having a transparent background;

allowing the user to select the placement of the second item on the advertisement such that at least part of the background of the second item overlaps at least part of the first item.