Systems and methods for computer-created advertisements

• US 8,285,590 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eComSystems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: eComSystems Incorporated
• Inventors: Evans, Jon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US12/829,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.65, 705/14.4, 705/14.43, 705/14.49, 705/14.72, 705/14.73, 715/243, 715/246, 715/744, 715/234, 715/255, 709/220, 709/225, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 358/1.15, 348/513, 348/581, 348/584, 348/588, 707/999.01, 707/999.101
• US Class Current: 705/14.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation

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. A method of creating an advertisement where a user uploads data from a spreadsheet, server, point-of-sale system or database to one or more computers implementing:

obtaining a selection by the user of one or more advertisement elements to be advertised from the data uploaded;

obtaining a selection by the user of at least one advertisement format in which the selected advertisement elements are to be included;

obtaining additional information for the advertisement elements from the user;

automatically building each advertisement according to user specifications;

obtaining additional directions from the user to customize the advertisement;

obtaining approval of the customized advertisement; and

outputting the approved advertisement for production or display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein advertisement formats are chosen from print media, web media, digital displays, signage, electronic mail, cellular or wireless media, social media, and text messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional directions are chose from pricing information and custom text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects from a database of advertisement elements to choose references to be included in the advertisements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement elements selected by the user is transferred to a third party for manual repurposing, customization, and production.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a first advertisement element;

selecting a second advertisement element to be added to the first advertisement element;

combining the first and second advertisement elements to form a grouped image; and

saving the grouped image to a database associated with both the first advertisement element and the second advertisement element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein additional advertisement elements are selected and added to the first and second advertisement element.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically formatting or resizing the one or more advertisement elements.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one advertisement element is uploaded by a third party.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each advertisement element comprises at least one of an image, text, data, or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a warning message if the additional directions render an advertisement element outside the specifications.