Marketing campaign application for multiple electronic distribution channels

• US 9,514,483 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Chomsky, Mara K., Greenspan, David M., Schochet, Randi, Vakil, Elizabeth K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrahamson, Amanda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Scott C
• Application Number:
  US13/926,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system is disclosed for allowing a merchant to create offers for distribution via multiple distribution channels. The distribution channels may include social media networks and location based services. The method may include receiving offer parameters for generating the offer, generating offer data based on the offer parameters and merchant transaction data, and determining data subsets of the offer data for distribution through multiple electronic distribution channels. The systems and methods may include associating a transaction account of the account holder with the offer, monitoring a transaction of the transaction account, comparing with a criterion governing the offer, and generating a report for the merchant. The report may include various metrics of the offer, such as return on investment, tracking information on the number of repeat customers and new customers during an offer period, and may occur approximately real-time with the transaction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, by a computer-based system and via a marketing campaign application, a merchant account dashboard to a merchant system of a merchant,

wherein the merchant account dashboard includes a social network set up tab with selectable links that are configured to link the marketing campaign application with a selected social network, and

wherein the marketing campaign application is configured to graphically present user selectable offer information, and

wherein the merchant system is operated by at least one of a transaction processor, a transaction account issuer, or a reward program provider;

receiving, by the computer-based system and at the merchant account dashboard, a selection of a first social media channel;

requesting, by the computer-based system and by the merchant campaign application, first authentication information for the first social media channel;

linking, by the computer-based system, the first social media channel with the merchant campaign application;

linking, by the computer-based system, a second social media channel in response to receiving a selection of the second social media channel and second authentication information;

receiving, at a computer-based system, offer parameters for generating a first offer and a second offer,

wherein the offer parameters include a first offer type, and merchant data for the first offer and a second offer type and merchant data for the second offer;

storing, by the computer-based system, the offer parameters in a database, wherein the storing includes using a binary large object method to store different data sets from different merchants with different formats as ungrouped data elements via a fixed memory offset;

storing, by the computer-based system, the offer parameters in the database by annotating the offer parameters with a header, trailer or indicator to convey information for managing the offer parameters;

annotating, by the computer-based system, the binary large object with a security access level;

providing, by the computer-based system, based on the security access level, access for the merchant to the offer parameters;

determining, by the computer-based system, offer data for the first offer and the second offer based on the offer parameters and account holder data;

determining, by the computer-based system, a first electronic distribution channel for the first offer based on the first offer type and the offer parameters

wherein the first electronic distribution channel is the first social media channel that is configured to broadcast text and images,

creating, by the computer-based system, an opt-in criteria for the offer based on the first social media channel;

generating, by the computer-based system and in response to the determining the first electronic distribution channel, the first offer in a first offer format for distribution,

wherein the first offer format is customized for and defined by parameters of the first electronic distribution channel, and

wherein the first offer includes the opt-in criteria as a point of interaction with the first offer,

wherein the first offer includes hyperlinks customized for operation in the first electronic distribution channel;

generating, by the computer-based system and based on the opt-in criteria, a software-enabled and user selectable opt-in button to associate with the first offer;

determining, by the computer-based system, a second electronic distribution channel for the second offer based on the second offer type and the offer parameters

wherein the second electronic distribution channel is the second social media channel that is configured to broadcast text; and

generating, by the computer-based system and in response to the determining the second electronic distribution channel, the second offer in a second offer format for distribution,

wherein the second offer format is customized for and defined by parameters of the second electronic distribution channel,

wherein the second offer includes hyperlinks customized for operation in the second electronic distribution channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, a selection of at least one merchant location for redemption of the offer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer parameters are provided based on a business objective, and wherein the business objective is at least one of acquisition of new customers, and loyalty of prior customers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the computer-based system provides offer parameter guidelines based on the business objective.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching, by the computer-based system, an accepted offer with a record of charge (ROC) in a transaction account held by the account holder; and

crediting, by the computer-based system, the transaction account based upon the matching.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising debiting, by the computer-based system, a transaction account held by a merchant in response to the crediting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the account holder is selected, by the computer-based system, based on account history, and wherein the account history comprises at least one of prior transaction data, loyalty points, reward points, location of prior transactions, past purchases, transaction amount, transaction volume, or account status, and wherein each of the prior transaction data, past purchases, transaction amount and transaction volume is associated with a financial transaction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the account holder is selected based on at least one of demographics or a location of the account holder.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the computer-based system, a location of the account holder based upon at least one of:

a zip code, a GPS signal, a location signal or a submitted location by the account holder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer parameters are received from a merchant.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating, by the computer-based system, a transaction account of the account holder with at least one of the first offer or the second offer;

monitoring, by the computer-based system, a transaction of the transaction account;

comparing, by the computer-based system, the transaction with a criterion governing at least one of the first offer or the second offer; and

generating, by the computer-based system, a report based on the transaction and account holder data.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing, by the computer-based system, the report to an entity that provides the offer parameters.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein reporting information in the report includes at least one of number of the offers transmitted, number of the offers accepted, number of the offers redeemed, total value of the redeemed offers, average size of the transaction involving the offer, or rate of the offer redemption.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein reporting information in the report includes a return on investment, wherein the return on investment is based on a comparison of the first transactions during an offer period and second transactions during a non-offer period.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein reporting information in the report includes non-transaction information, and wherein the non-transaction information includes at least one of demographic information of the account holder or social media indicators.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein reporting information in the report includes tracking information on repeat customers and new customers during an offer period.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the marketing campaign application comprises an application programming interface (API) configured to retrieve transaction data in approximately real-time to the occurrence of the transaction, and wherein the generating the report occurs in real-time with the transaction and in response to the transaction being initiated.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of generating a second marketing campaign or modifying the offer based on reporting information in the report.

19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

presenting, by the computer-based system and via a marketing campaign application, a merchant account dashboard to a merchant system of a merchant,

wherein the merchant account dashboard includes a social network set up tab with selectable links that are configured to link the marketing campaign application with a selected social network, and

wherein the marketing campaign application is configured to graphically present user selectable offer information, and

wherein the merchant system is operated by at least one of a transaction processor, a transaction account issuer, or a reward program provider;

receiving, by the computer-based system and at the merchant account dashboard, a selection of a first social media channel;

requesting, by the computer-based system and by the merchant campaign application, first authentication information for the first social media channel;

linking, by the computer-based system, the first social media channel with the merchant campaign application;

linking, by the computer-based system, a second social media channel in response to receiving a selection of the second social media channel and second authentication information;

receiving, at a computer-based system, offer parameters for generating a first offer and a second offer,

wherein the offer parameters include a first offer type, and merchant data for the first offer and a second offer type and merchant data for the second offer;

storing, by the computer-based system, the offer parameters in a database, wherein the storing includes using a binary large object method to store different data sets from different merchants with different formats as ungrouped data elements via a fixed memory offset;

storing, by the computer-based system, the offer parameters in the database by annotating the offer parameters with a header, trailer or indicator to convey information for managing the offer parameters;

annotating, by the computer-based system, the binary large object with a security access level;

providing, by the computer-based system, based on the security access level, access for the merchant to the offer parameters;

determining, by the computer-based system, offer data for the first offer and the second offer based on the offer parameters and account holder data;

determining, by the computer-based system, a first electronic distribution channel for the first offer based on the first offer type and the offer parameters

wherein the first electronic distribution channel is the first social media channel that is configured to broadcast text and images,

creating, by the computer-based system, an opt-in criteria for the offer based on the first social media channel;

generating, by the computer-based system and in response to the determining the first electronic distribution channel, the first offer in a first offer format for distribution,

wherein the first offer format is customized for and defined by parameters of the first electronic distribution channel, and

wherein the first offer includes the opt-in criteria as a point of interaction with the first offer,

wherein the first offer includes hyperlinks customized for operation in the first electronic distribution channel;

generating, by the computer-based system and based on the opt-in criteria, a software-enabled and user selectable opt-in button to associate with the first offer;

determining, by the computer-based system, a second electronic distribution channel for the second offer based on the second offer type and the offer parameters

wherein the second electronic distribution channel is the second social media channel that is configured to broadcast text; and

generating, by the computer-based system and in response to the determining the second electronic distribution channel, the second offer in a second offer format for distribution,

wherein the second offer format is customized for and defined by parameters of the second electronic distribution channel,

wherein the second offer includes hyperlinks customized for operation in the second electronic distribution channel.

20. A system comprising:

a processor,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

presenting, by the processor and via a marketing campaign application, a merchant account dashboard to a merchant system of a merchant,

wherein the merchant account dashboard includes a social network set up tab with selectable links that are configured to link the marketing campaign application with a selected social network, and

wherein the marketing campaign application is configured to graphically present user selectable offer information, and

wherein the merchant system is operated by at least one of a transaction processor, a transaction account issuer, or a reward program provider;

receiving, by the processor and at the merchant account dashboard, a selection of a first social media channel;

requesting, by the processor and by the merchant campaign application, first authentication information for the first social media channel;

linking, by the processor, the first social media channel with the merchant campaign application;

linking, by the processor, a second social media channel in response to receiving a selection of the second social media channel and second authentication information;

receiving, at a processor, offer parameters for generating a first offer and a second offer,

wherein the offer parameters include a first offer type, and merchant data for the first offer and a second offer type and merchant data for the second offer;

storing, by the processor, the offer parameters in a database, wherein the storing includes using a binary large object method to store different data sets from different merchants with different formats as ungrouped data elements via a fixed memory offset;

storing, by the processor, the offer parameters in the database by annotating the offer parameters with a header, trailer or indicator to convey information for managing the offer parameters;

annotating, by the processor, the binary large object with a security access level;

providing, by the processor, based on the security access level, access for the merchant to the offer parameters;

determining, by the processor, offer data for the first offer and the second offer based on the offer parameters and account holder data;

determining, by the processor, a first electronic distribution channel for the first offer based on the first offer type and the offer parameters

wherein the first electronic distribution channel is the first social media channel that is configured to broadcast text and images,

creating, by the processor, an opt-in criteria for the offer based on the first social media channel;

generating, by the processor and in response to the determining the first electronic distribution channel, the first offer in a first offer format for distribution,

wherein the first offer format is customized for and defined by parameters of the first electronic distribution channel, and

wherein the first offer includes the opt-in criteria as a point of interaction with the first offer,

wherein the first offer includes hyperlinks customized for operation in the first electronic distribution channel;

generating, by the processor and based on the opt-in criteria, a software-enabled and user selectable opt-in button to associate with the first offer;

determining, by the processor, a second electronic distribution channel for the second offer based on the second offer type and the offer parameters

wherein the second electronic distribution channel is the second social media channel that is configured to broadcast text; and

generating, by the processor and in response to the determining the second electronic distribution channel, the second offer in a second offer format for distribution,

wherein the second offer format is customized for and defined by parameters of the second electronic distribution channel,

wherein the second offer includes hyperlinks customized for operation in the second electronic distribution channel.