SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE MARKETING USING NETWORKED DEVICES

• US 20090063270A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Andreasson, Markus, Bengtsson, Henrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.140
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems

Abstract

An interactive marketing technique may include distributing a marketing item to electronic devices. The users of the electronic devices may share the marketing item with other electronic devices to progressively attain credit that leads to an ability to use the marketing item. Also, sharing of the marketing item may progressively display larger portions of an image content component of the marketing item on a display of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of marketing a product or service, comprising:

distributing a marketing item having an image component to a first electronic device wherein, as distributed, an initial portion of the image component that is less than the entire image component is displayable by the first electronic device; and

tracking a passing of the marketing item from the first electronic device to a second electronic device and providing credit to the first electronic for the passing, the credit permitting the first electronic device to display a portion of the image component that is larger than the initial portion of the image component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying an electronic device that is the recipient of passes of the marketing item from plural other electronic devices as an indicator that a user associated with the identified electronic device is a candidate for additional marketing related to the product or service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the passing from the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes sending a message related to the marketing item from the first electronic device to the second electronic device and the second electronic device obtaining the marketing item from a server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a discount for the product or service in response to redemption of the marketing item by a user of one of the first or second electronic devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein credit resulting from a combination of passes from the first electronic device to other electronic devices and passes initiated by at least some of the other electronic devices are aggregated.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the aggregated credit permits the first electronic device to display a portion of the image component that is larger than the initial portion of the image component and that corresponds to a value associated with the aggregated credit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a predetermined amount of aggregated credit permits display of the entire image component.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each credit has a value in terms of a number of pixels.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a remainder portion of the image component that does not form part of the displayable portion is displayable in a faded form.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a predetermined amount of aggregated credits qualifies the marketing item for redemption.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each credit has a value in terms of a number of pixels.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a remainder portion of the image component that does not form part of the displayable portion is displayable in a faded form.

13. A method of marketing a product or service, comprising:

receiving a message that corresponds to a marketing item for the product or service with an electronic device, the marketing item having an image component for which an initial portion of the image component that is less than the entire image component is displayable by the electronic device; and

displaying a portion of the image component that corresponds to a combination of the initial portion and an aggregate value of credits that are received in response to the electronic device passing the marketing item to other electronic devices and credits that are received in response to additional passes of the marketing item that are initiated by at least some of the other electronic devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a marketing application that is executed by the electronic device controls the displayed portion of the image component.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a remainder portion of the image component that does not form part of the displayed portion is displayed in a faded form.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising downloading the marketing item from a server following receipt of the message.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising redeeming the marketing item for a discount for the product or service.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a predetermined amount of aggregated credit collected by the electronic device results in display of the entire image component.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein each credit has a value in terms of a number of pixels.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein a predetermined amount of aggregated credits qualifies the marketing item for redemption.