Method and system for sharing brand information

• US 7,568,004 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SINOEAST CONCEPT LIMITED (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Linda Gottfried
• Inventors: Gottfried, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US10/993,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

An interactive, computer network based system presents consumers with multimedia brand information via a browser-based interface called the GraffitiWall®. Consumers can use the GraffitiWall® to modify and display a sponsor'"'"'s brand information in any way desired, including use of avatars. Consumer modifications are immediately communicated to the other member consumers and the advertiser/sponsor. Consumers can rate the GraffitiWall®, or portions thereof, and email the GraffitiWall®. An archive of GraffitiWalls™ is maintained by the system. Consumers participate in online focus groups, one-to-one interviews and discussions, as well as games and promotions pertaining to the brand. Interaction with consumers through focus groups, one-to-one interviews, discussions, games and promotions allows the hosting company to reinforce brand equities; speak directly to their target audience; test new and updated products and services; and encourage participation to a brand via purchases and signups by rewarding the participant with coupons, samples, gift certificates, and the like. An ongoing dialogue between business and consumer, as well as consumer-to-consumer, nurtures customer participation, loyalty and satisfaction, and builds a community housed within the company'"'"'s brand.

Claims

1. A networked interactive system for display of product information to a plurality of consumers, comprising:

a. a multimedia forum for enabling said consumers to communicate in a plurality of modes with at least one sponsor associated with a brand that is related to said product information;

b. a multimedia interface for enabling said consumers to modify and view said product information through use of a plurality of graphic tools; and

c. said multimedia forum is created by said sponsor and includes;

i. at least one public main wall frame window created by said sponsor for displaying said product information related to said sponsor;

ii. at least one public sub-wall frame window created by either said sponsor or said consumers via said multimedia interface, said public sub-wall being located within said public main wall frame window and displaying said product information via a scrollable sub-wall window; and

iii. at least one private sub-wall frame window located within said public main wall frame window, said private sub-wall being created by said consumer via said multimedia interface;

wherein said consumers modify said product information using graphic tools, and said product information and said multimedia interface are updated based upon said consumers'"'"' modifications and communicated to said sponsor; and

wherein said multimedia interface enables said sponsor and said consumers to access said public main wall and said public sub-wall and to modify and view said public main wall and said public sub-wall, and

wherein said private sub-wall is only accessed, viewed and modified by a specific consumer that created said private sub-wall.

2. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said product information is associated with a brand message, a brand identity, or a brand characteristic that links said brand with a good or service provided by said sponsor.

3. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said product information is associated with a brand message, a brand identity, or a brand characteristic that links said brand with a good or service.

4. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said product information is arranged in a multimedia element.

5. A system as recited by claim 1, further comprising an avatar kit having an array of avatar multimedia elements comprising an avatar body pallet, an avatar hair style palette, and an avatar facial expression pallet, wherein said sponsor creates customized branded avatars that act as interactive buddies having predetermined personalities.

6. A system as recited by claim 5, wherein said avatar kit has an array of avatar multimedia elements comprising an avatar body pallet, an avatar clothing pallet, an avatar hair style palette, an avatar facial expression pallet, a personality pallet, and an audio pallet.

7. A system as recited by claim 6, wherein said avatar body pallet comprises a plurality of body types, hair styles, heads, facial structures, faces, limbs, and personalities components, wherein said sponsor creates customized branded avatars that act as interactive buddies having predetermined personalities.

8. A system as recited by claim 6, wherein said avatar kit is adapted for use by said sponsor in creating an avatar that is associated with said brand to form a branded avatar, wherein said avatar kit is adapted for use by said consumer in creating an avatar to form a consumer avatar.

9. A system as recited by claim 6, wherein said branded avatars are adapted to be used as a conduit for communication between said sponsor and said consumer.

10. A system as recited by claim 6, wherein said branded avatars are adapted to be used as a conduit for communication between said sponsor and said consumer, wherein said conduits of communication comprise at least one online DJ.

11. A system as recited by claim 6, wherein said branded avatars are adapted to be used as a conduit for communication between said sponsor and said consumer, wherein said conduits of communication comprise at least one company branded character icon.

12. A system as recited by claim 5, wherein said avatar kit is adapted for use by said sponsor in creating an avatar that is associated with said brand to form a branded avatar, wherein said avatar kit provides predetermined avatars that have predetermined personalities and interact with said branded avatars from which said consumer chooses from to form a consumer avatar.

13. A system as recited by claim 5, wherein said sponsor creates an avatar associated with said product information of said brand to form a branded avatar, wherein said branded avatar is selected by said consumer and interacts with a plurality of avatars throughout said system.

14. A system as recited by claim 5, wherein said branded avatars are adapted to be used as a conduit for communication between said sponsor and said consumer, wherein said conduits of communication comprise at least one customer service representative.

15. A system as recited by claim 5, wherein said branded avatars are adapted to be used as a conduit for communication between said sponsor and said consumer, wherein said conduits of communication comprise at least one promotional product launch service.

16. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein an avatar construction kit is provided by said sponsor comprising multimedia elements.

17. A system as recited by claim 16, wherein said multimedia elements comprise a body type palette, hair styles, facial expressions, clothing, musical backgrounds, personalities, and sound bytes.

18. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said sponsor customizes a brand environment, wherein said brand environment provides a brand forum wherein said sponsor and said consumer chat and interact with each other.

19. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumer customizes a brand environment, and said brand environment provides a brand forum wherein said sponsor and said consumer chat and interact with each other.

20. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said sponsor creates at least one avatar and said consumer create at least one avatar, wherein said sponsor avatar and said consumer avatar chat and interact with each other.

21. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said multimedia forum is created by said sponsor and wherein said multimedia interface comprising said system enables said sponsor and said consumer to access said public main wall and said public sub-wall and to modify and view said public main wall and said public sub-wall.

22. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said sponsor creates at least one branded avatar and said consumers creates consumer avatars, said avatars being seen on said public main wall, public sub-wall, and private sub-wall as animated electronic characters that interact and communicate with each other and said public main wall, public sub-wall and private sub-wall environments.

23. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers and said sponsor communicate with each other through a post office communication interface.

24. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers and said sponsor communicate with each other through a phone a friend communication interface providing the use of video cameras and microphones.

25. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers and said sponsor communicate with each other through a chat communication interface, wherein said chat comprises textual, visual, and audio emoticons to reflect a plurality of emotions.

26. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers and said sponsor create their own avatars, wherein said avatars communicate with each other through an avatar chat communication interface comprising textual, visual, and audio emoticons to reflect a plurality of emotions.

27. A system as recited by claim 26, wherein said avatar chat communication interface comprises a private chat between said consumer avatars.

28. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers and said sponsor create their own avatars, and said avatars select a plurality of function multimedia elements adapted to interact with said avatars via said multimedia interface of said system.

29. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said sponsor has a reward system, and said reward system is adapted for rewarding said consumers.

30. A system as recited by claim 29, wherein said reward system consists of a plurality of scaled levels, said scaled levels reflect a point system and said consumers are awarded points for participating with said sponsor, and said points are redeemable for branded and non-branded goods and services.

31. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said multimedia interface comprises a navigation interface having a compass arrow, a dynamic map, a plurality of sub-walls throughout said multimedia forum, a plurality of transportation means, and a plurality of menus.

32. A system as recited by claim 31, wherein said plurality of transportation means comprises taxis, planes, cars, wheel chairs, scooters, skateboards, and other like modes of transportation.

33. A system as recited by claim 31, wherein said dynamic map is adapted to be updated in real time in accordance with said consumer and said sponsor modifications.

34. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said sponsor has a consumer member posting that lists logged-on consumers and the location of said logged-on consumers and interfacing means, for communicating with said logged-on consumers.

35. A system as recited by claim 1, further comprising an administration or communication tool set adapted to enable said sponsor to continually modify said system.

36. A system as recited by claim 1, further comprising an administration or communication tool set adapted to enable said consumer to continually modify a private sub-wall of said system.

37. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers build a sequential multimedia environment, wherein said sequential multimedia environment is comprised of a studio mode and a concert mode.

38. A system as recited by claim 37, wherein said studio mode comprises means for creating a multimedia layer sequence via a gridded timeline wherein time is represented horizontally and visual and auditory depth is represented vertically.

39. A system as recited by claim 37, wherein said concert mode comprises means for playing said multimedia layer sequence.

40. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said sponsor provides a wall contest, wherein said wall contest engages consumers and provides consumer information to said sponsor.

41. A system as recited by claim 40, wherein said wall contest comprises creating multi-media postcards, story writing, multimedia painting, a best radio commercial, or finding answers to a scavenger hunt.

42. A system as recited by claim 40, comprising means for continuously tallying votes for said wall contest entries.

43. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumers communicate via a focus group.

44. A system as recited by claim 43, wherein said focus group interaction is real time and led by a moderator.

45. A system as recited by claim 43, wherein said focus group interaction comprises question and answer sessions.

46. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said product information comprises images stored as vector graphics.

47. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumer interacts with said system via a Web browser.

48. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said product information is encoded in an active server page (ASP).

49. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said multimedia interface is customized by a system administrator to reflect each said consumer'"'"'s interests.

50. A system as recited by claim 49, wherein consumer interaction with the multimedia forum is distributed among a plurality of product information servers.

51. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said system comprises at least one database server connected to at least one product information server, wherein said product information server is further connected to at least one client workstation.

52. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said consumer adds multimedia product information to the system.

53. A system as recited by claim 52, wherein said consumer'"'"'s modification to the product information is stored as a series of instructions.

54. A system as recited by claim 52, wherein said system administrator controls:

a. a length and width of the multimedia interface presented to the consumer;

b. a length of time the consumer modifications persist;

c. consumer access to the system;

d. promotions and prizes distributed through the multimedia forum;

e. a schedule of focus groups, interviews, and chats enabled through the multimedia interface;

f. a mailing list of consumers accessing the system; and

g. consumer assistance.

55. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said system is customized to reflect interests of a group of said consumers.

56. A system as recited by claim 1, wherein said private sub-wall frame window is accessed by way of said public main wall frame window, said public sub-wall frame window, or a unique URL.

57. A system for displaying product information to a plurality of consumers in a networked interactive system, comprising:

a. means for connecting said consumer with at least one sponsor associated with a brand that is related to product information concerning a brand so that they communicate with each other in a multimedia forum created by said sponsor including;

i. at least one public main wall frame window created by said sponsor for displaying said product information related to said sponsor;

ii. at least one public sub-wall frame window created by either said sponsor or said consumers via said multimedia interface, said public sub-wall being located within said public main wall frame window and displaying said product information via a scrollable sub-wall window; and

iii. at least one private sub-wall frame window located within said public main wall frame window, said private sub-wall being created by said consumer via said multimedia interface;

b. means for providing a multimedia interface to said consumer with which said consumer modifies and views said product information;

c. means for updating said product information and said multimedia interface based upon said consumer modification;

d. means for communicating said updating to said sponsor;

wherein said product information is updated based upon said consumer modification and communicated to said sponsor; and

wherein said multimedia interface enables said sponsor and said consumer to access said public main wall and said public sub-wall and to modify and view said public main wall and said public sub-wall, and wherein said private sub-wall is only accessed, viewed and modified by a specific consumer that created said private sub-wall.