Method for targeting advertising in conjunction with a network

• US 20090132374A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Waiting To Exhale, LLC
• Original Assignee: 6DGR Incorporated
• Inventors: Weathersby, Chad D.
• Application Number:
  US12/286,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132374A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A method for targeting advertising in conjunction with a network is provided. The method comprises (a) providing a product which can be subscribed to by members of the network, wherein subscription to the product requires the provision of authenticated demographic data pertaining to the subscribing member; and (b) utilizing the demographic data to target advertising to members of the network.

Claims

1. A method for targeting advertising in conjunction with a network, comprising:

providing a product which can be subscribed to by members of the network, wherein subscription to the product requires the provision of authenticated demographic data pertaining to the subscribing member; and

utilizing the demographic data to target advertising to members of the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the demographic data is authenticated by a third party financial institution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a social network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the demographic data is selected from the group consisting of email address, gender, age, and physical address information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertising is targeted only to members of the network who have subscribed to the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is a financial instrument.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of debit cards, credit cards, loans and mortgages.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from an advertiser a description of a targeted demographical group the advertiser wishes to target with an advertisement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein utilizing the demographic data to target advertising to members of the network includes:

verifying that a user is online; and

using the demographic information provided by the user to determine if the user is in the targeted demographical group.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the advertisement to the user only if the user is in the targeted demographical group.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a generic advertisement to the user if the user is not in the targeted demographical group.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the steps of verifying and displaying occur in real time.

13. A method for targeting advertisements to users of a network, comprising:

providing a database having a plurality of advertisements associated therewith, wherein the plurality of advertisements includes a first advertisement which is targeted to a first demographic group;

assigning a fingerprint to each user, wherein each fingerprint comprises demographic information relating to the user which has been verified through a subscription to a product; and

rendering the first advertisement to users who are members of the first demographic group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of advertisements further includes a second advertisement which is targeted to a second demographic group.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second groups are distinct, and wherein the first and second advertisements are distinct.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying a user through a login process by which the user logs onto the network; and

determining, from the user'"'"'s fingerprint, whether the user is a member of the first demographic group.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein rendering the first advertisement includes either periodically rendering the advertisement or rendering the advertisement for a predetermined amount of time.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

periodically determining the user'"'"'s online status; and

if the user is still online, re-rendering the advertisement.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the network is a social network, and wherein the users are subscribers to the network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the product is offered through the social network, and wherein network management manages subscription to the product.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein network management gathers demographic information as part of managing subscription to the product.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the product is a financial instrument.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the product is a credit card or a debit card.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein rendering the advertisement includes displaying the advertisement in a visual format or playing the advertisement in an audio format.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring the users who are actively accessing the network.