Implementing a Promotional Campaign Across a Plurality of Rewards Programs

• US 20100114661A1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Roen, Scott M., Alderfer, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US12/265,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114661A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, computer-program products, and systems for running a promotional campaign across a plurality of rewards programs offered by rewards-program owners. Each rewards program is associated with a rewards currency. In such a method, transactions of members of the rewards programs are monitored to identify a subset of members that performed a desired action. Then, the rewards currency of respective rewards programs is distributed to respective rewards-program owners for the subset of members that performed the desired action.

Claims

1. A method for running a promotional campaign across a plurality of rewards programs, the method comprising:

selling universal rewards to a merchant, wherein the universal rewards are in a currency other than currencies of the plurality of rewards programs;

monitoring transactions of members of the plurality of rewards programs to identify a subset of members that performed a desired action, wherein the subset of members includes a first member of a first rewards program having a first rewards currency and a second member of a second rewards program having a second rewards currency; and

distributing the rewards currency of respective rewards programs to respective rewards-program owners for the subset of members that performed the desired action, wherein (i) an amount of the first rewards currency is distributed to a rewards-program owner of the first rewards program according to the desired action performed by the first member and (ii) an amount of the second rewards currency is distributed to a rewards-program owner of the second rewards program according to the desired action performed by the second member.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying members of the rewards programs for the merchant to target.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising advertising to the members of the rewards programs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the advertising step comprises:

communicating one of a plurality of messages to respective members identified in the identifying step, wherein the message communicated to a respective member is based on the rewards program in which the respective member is enrolled.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting results of the promotional campaign to the merchant.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from respective rewards-program owners regarding the rewards programs in which respective members are enrolled.

7. A computer-program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to run a promotional campaign across a plurality of rewards programs, the control logic comprising:

first computer-readable program code for causing the computer to monitor transactions of members of the plurality of rewards programs to identify a subset of members that performed a desired action, wherein the subset of members includes a first member of a first rewards program having a first rewards currency and a second member of a second rewards program having a second rewards currency; and

second computer-readable program code for causing the computer to distribute the rewards currency of respective rewards programs to respective rewards-program owners for the subset of members that performed the desired action, wherein (i) an amount of the first rewards currency is distributed to a rewards-program owner of the first rewards program according to the desired action performed by the first member and (ii) an amount of the second rewards currency is distributed to a rewards-program owner of the second rewards program according to the desired action performed by the second member.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

third computer-readable program code for causing the computer to identify members of the rewards programs for a merchant to target.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

fourth computer-readable program code for causing the computer to generate a plurality of messages.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

fifth computer-readable program code for causing the computer to communicate one of the plurality of messages to a respective member based on the rewards program in which the respective member is enrolled.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

third computer-readable program code for causing the computer to prepare results of the promotional campaign.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

third computer-readable program code for causing the computer to receive information from respective rewards-program owners regarding the rewards programs in which respective members are enrolled.

13. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

third computer-readable program code for causing the computer to receive a request from a merchant to run the promotional campaign.

14. A system for running a promotional campaign across a plurality of rewards programs, the system comprising:

a database for storing information regarding the rewards program in which respective members are enrolled; and

a rewards module coupled to the database and configured to

(i) monitor transactions of members of the plurality of rewards programs to identify a subset of members that performed a desired action, wherein the subset of members includes a first member of a first rewards program having a first rewards currency and a second member of a second rewards program having a second rewards currency, and

(ii) distribute the rewards currency of respective rewards programs to respective rewards-program owners for the subset of members that performed the desired action, wherein an amount of the first rewards currency is distributed to a rewards-program owner of the first rewards program according to the desired action performed by the first member and an amount of the second rewards currency is distributed to a rewards-program owner of the second rewards program according to the desired action performed by the second member.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an advertising module configured to identify members of the rewards programs for a merchant to target in the promotional campaign.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the advertising module is further configured to generate a plurality of message.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein one of the plurality of messages is communicated to a respective member of the rewards programs based on the rewards program in which the respective member is enrolled.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a module configured to report results of the promotional campaign to the merchant.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a module configured to receive information from respective rewards-program owners regarding the rewards programs in which respective members are enrolled.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a module configured to receive a request from a merchant to run the promotional campaign.