SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMPUTER-CREATED ADVERTISEMENTS

• US 20100324997A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eComSystems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: eComSystems Incorporated
• Inventors: Evans, Jon C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.69
• 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 at least two advertisements, comprising one or more computers implementing:

displaying a plurality of advertisement formats on a display device of a computer;

obtaining a choice of a first advertisement format and a second advertisement format;

displaying, on the display device of the computer, at least one advertisement template based on the choice of the first advertisement format;

obtaining a choice of a template;

obtaining instructions for customization of the template;

applying the customized template to the second advertisement format; and

outputting the at least two advertisements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first advertisement format is a different format from the second advertisement format.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one advertisement element to each advertisement.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the advertisement element comprises at least one of an image, text, data, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one advertisement element is added by searching at least one database and selecting a pre-defined advertisement elements or by creating a new advertisement element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one advertisement element in the at least one database is provided by a third party.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each database is at least one of RAM, ROM, EEPROM, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, and a magnetic storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing point-of-sale data and information to create the at least two advertisements.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the point-of-sale information is converted into a format readable by the one or more computers prior to insertion into the at least two advertisements.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the customized template.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the saved customized template is shareable with other users.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein portions of the sharable customized template are not customizable by other users.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein only a portion of the customized template is applied to the second advertisement format.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising exporting the at least two advertisements as data files.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data files are one of a pdf, eps, tiff, jpeg, gif, png, mpeg, mp3, mp4, avi or mov.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data files are exported over at least one of a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network, via email, or by posting to a website.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the data files are exported to a third party.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions for customization comprise selecting a theme.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying the theme to all or a portion of the at least two advertisements.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of advertising formats are one of a post card, a coupon, a price card, a shelf talker, a poster, signage, a flyer, a run-of-press, a newspaper or magazine advertisement, a digital display, a billboard, a presentation, a text message, a product sheet, a catalog, an order guide, a brochure, collateral material, a letterhead, a business card, a pocket folder, a display material, a website, a pop-up advertisement, a web banner, digital proofs, digital display, electronic mail, or cellular or wireless technology.

21. A method of creating a database of product reference for insertion into an advertisement, comprising one or more computers implementing:

uploading at least one advertisement element to the database by a user;

comparing the uploaded advertisement element to a set of specifications,

alerting the user if the uploaded advertisement element does or does not meet the set of specifications;

obtaining at least one of a title, description, item number, SKU number, weight, size, packaging information, price, and custom text regarding the uploaded advertisement element;

adding the uploaded advertisement element to the database; and

providing a user access to the database for insertion of advertisement elements into an advertisement.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the database is a public database accessible by multiple users.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising allowing the user to correct and re-upload the advertisement element, upload the advertisement element and ignore the nonconformity, or provide a advertisement element correction service.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of predetermined DPI, image size, color mode, and clipping path.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising obtaining instructions from the user to at least one of zoom, reposition, narrow the area of, rotate, and crop a product reference.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing the user with a warning message if an instruction renders an advertisement element outside the specifications.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising automatically formatting or resizing the advertisement element.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one advertisement element is uploaded by a third party.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the user creates an advertisement with the third party advertisement element.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the third party creates or customizes an advertisement for the user.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more computers assist the user in setting a price.

32. A method for automatically determining fund levels in a co-operational advertising fund, comprising one or more computers implementing:

providing for a user to enter total advertising funds available to be utilized by a user;

providing for the user to enter, or automatically determining, the advertising space allotted to the product;

determining a portion of the advertising expenses to be allotted to the product based upon the advertising space allotted to the product;

deducting the portion of the advertising expenses from the total advertising funds available; and

reporting the remaining funds to the user.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising calculating at least one of total co-op funds available, vendor percentages, retailer percentages, vendor profiles, vendor co-op program information, and direct co-op reimbursement requests.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the reporting is on-screen in real time.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the co-op calculation is performed in real time.

36. A method of creating an advertisement, comprising one or more computers implementing:

displaying to a user a first layer of the advertisement;

obtaining instructions from the user regarding customizing the first layer;

displaying to the user a second layer of the advertisement;

obtaining instructions from the user regarding customizing the second layer;

displaying to the user a third layer of the advertisement;

obtaining instructions from a user regarding customizing the third layer; and

compiling the three layers into a single advertisement.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the second layer is comprised of graphical elements.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the third layer is comprised of at least one of product references, ad content, text, and graphics.

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

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

obtaining a selection by the user of at least two advertisement formats 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.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein advertisement formats are chosen from print media, web media, digital displays, signage, electronic mail, cellular or wireless media, social media, and text messages.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the additional directions are chose from pricing information and custom text.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the user selects from a database of advertisement elements to choose references to be included in the advertisements.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the advertisement elements selected by the user is transferred to a third party for manual repurposing, customization, and production.

44. A method of creating a new advertisement element, comprising one or more computers implementing:

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.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein additional advertisement elements are selected and added to the first and second advertisement element.