Systems and methods for managing brand loyalty

• US 8,909,542 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crowdtwist Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Crowdtwist Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Montero, Michael, Fain, Irving, Bowen, Joshua, Laurito, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Gurkanwaljit
• Application Number:
  US13/470,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/14.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A system for tracking brand interactions is provided. The system includes a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The at least one processor is configured to receive information defining a plurality of brand interactions, receive a first indication of a first interaction defined within the plurality of brand interactions from a first source system, receive a second indication of a second interaction defined within the plurality of brand interactions from a second source system different from the first source system, and record an association between the brand, the first interaction, the second interaction and the brand enthusiast.

Claims

1. A method for tracking brand interactions using a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computer system, information defining a loyalty program including a plurality of predefined brand interactions, the information associating each respective predefined brand interaction of the plurality of predefined brand interactions with a corresponding process executed by at least one discrete source system different from the computer system, the plurality of predefined brand interactions including at least one social media interaction and at least one purchase interaction;

receiving, by the computer system, a first indication of a first interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from a first source system, the first indication associating a brand enthusiast with the first interaction;

receiving, by the computer system, a second indication of a second interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from a second source system different from the first source system, the second indication associating the brand enthusiast with the second interaction; and

recording, by the computer system, an association between the brand, the first interaction, the second interaction and the brand enthusiast.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the first indication includes receiving the first indication from at least one of FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, FOURSQUARE, GMAIL, YAHOO! Mail, HOTMAIL, and AOL Mail.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

recording a first reward in response to receiving the first indication; and

recording a second reward in response to receiving the second indication.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein recording the first reward includes:

determining a reward factor;

determining a first amount of virtual currency; and

calculating the first reward using the reward factor and the first amount of virtual currency.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a request to adjust the reward factor;

receiving a third indication of a third interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from the first source system, the third indication associating the brand enthusiast with the third interaction; and

recording a third reward in response to receiving the third indication, wherein recording the third reward includes;

determining an adjusted reward factor;

determining a second amount of virtual currency; and

calculating the third reward using the adjusted reward factor and the second amount of virtual currency.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a summary characterizing the first interaction and the second interaction.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising reporting the summary.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining the summary includes determining an impact score for the brand enthusiast.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining the summary includes determining a social influence score for the brand enthusiast.

10. A system for tracking brand interactions, the system comprising:

a memory;

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive information defining a loyalty program including a plurality of predefined brand interactions, the information including associations between each respective predefined brand interaction of the plurality of predefined brand interactions and a corresponding process executed by at least one discrete source system different from the computer system, the plurality of predefined brand interactions including at least one social media interaction and at least one purchase interaction;

receive a first indication of a first interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from a first source system, the first indication including an identifier of a brand enthusiast associated with the first interaction;

receive a second indication of a second interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from a second source system different from the first source system, the second indication including an identifier of the brand enthusiast; and

record an association between the brand, the first interaction, the second interaction and the brand enthusiast.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one discrete source system includes at least one of FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, FOURSQUARE, GMAIL, YAHOO! Mail, HOTMAIL and AOL Mail.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

record a first reward in response to receiving the first indication; and

record a second reward in response to receiving the second indication.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a reward factor;

determine a first amount of virtual currency; and

calculate the first reward using the reward factor and the first amount of virtual currency.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a request to adjust the reward factor;

receive a third indication of a third interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from the first source system, the third indication including an identifier of the brand enthusiast; and

record a third reward in response to receiving the third indication by being configured to;

determine an adjusted reward factor;

determine a second amount of virtual currency; and

calculate the third reward using the adjusted reward factor and the second amount of virtual currency.

15. The system according to claim 10, further comprising determining a summary characterizing the first interaction and the second interaction.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to report the summary.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the summary includes an impact score for the brand enthusiast.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the summary includes a social influence score for the brand enthusiast.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for tracking brand interactions, the instructions encoded to instruct at least one processor to:

receive information defining a loyalty program including a plurality of predefined brand interactions, the information including associations between each respective predefined brand interaction of the plurality of brand predefined interactions and a corresponding process executed by at least one discrete source system different from the computer system, the plurality of predefined brand interactions including at least one social media interaction and at least one purchase interaction;

receive a first indication of a first interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from a first source system, the first indication including an identifier of a brand enthusiast associated with the first interaction;

receive a second indication of a second interaction defined within the plurality of predefined brand interactions from a second source system different from the first source system, the second indication including an identifier of the brand enthusiast; and

record an association between the brand, the first interaction, the second interaction and the brand enthusiast.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the instructions further instruct the at least one processor to receive the first indication from at least one of FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, FOURSQUARE, GMAIL, YAHOO! Mail, HOTMAIL, and AOL Mail.