Abstract:
In general, the invention is directed to gift card kits. Gift card kits include gift cards and recordable media, wherein artwork pre-printed on a recordable medium substantially matches artwork printed on the gift card. Gift card kits may additionally include gift certificates for purchasing digital content, which may then by recorded onto the recordable medium. The invention is also directed to methods for using the gift card kits. A gift card kit allows a purchaser to place unique digital content onto a recordable medium and include the recorded medium with a gift card for an aesthetically pleasing and thoughtful gift.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The invention relates to the field of gift cards and, in particular, individually customizable gift cards.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This invention is directed to gift cards, including birthday cards, Christmas cards and the like. Gift cards are a primary means to express sentiment and celebrate a variety of events. Gift cards are currently available in a variety of formats including paper and digital formats.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     In general, the invention combines a gift card with a recordable optical media to define a gift card kit. In particular, gift card kits are described that comprise a gift card and a recordable medium, wherein artwork pre-printed on a recordable medium substantially matches artwork printed on the gift card. Also described are methods for using the described gift card kits. The described gift card kits allow a gift giver to place unique digital content onto a recordable medium and include the recorded medium with a gift card for an aesthetically pleasing gift.  
         [0004]     In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a gift card kit comprising a gift card including first artwork printed on the gift card and a recordable optical medium including second artwork printed on the recordable optical medium. The first artwork substantially matches the second artwork. Furthermore, a gift giver can record one or more items onto the recordable optical medium and give the gift card and recordable optical medium to a recipient.  
         [0005]     In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a gift card kit comprising a gift card, a recordable optical medium, and an insert including a number or code that entitles a free download of an item. The gift card includes a first artwork printed on the gift card. The recordable optical medium includes a second artwork printed on the recordable optical medium, and the first artwork substantially matches the second artwork. A recipient of the gift card kit can download the item using the number and record the item onto the recordable optical medium. The insert that includes the number or code may also include third artwork printed thereon, which substantially matches the first and second artwork.  
         [0006]     In a different embodiment, the invention is directed to a method that may be executed by a purchaser of the gift card kit. The method may comprise purchasing a gift card kit, recording one or more items on the recordable optical medium for a recipient, and giving the gift card to the recipient with the recordable optical medium. The gift card kit comprises a gift card including first artwork printed on the gift card, and a recordable optical medium including second artwork printed on the recordable optical medium.  
         [0007]     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth above and in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a gift card kit according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  depicts a pre-printed recordable optical media and matching preprinted gift card according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  depicts the front and the inside of a preprinted gift card and matching preprinted recordable optical media according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  depicts the front and the inside of a preprinted gift card and includes a recordable optical media, preprinted to match the gift card, according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  depicts the front and the inside of another preprinted gift card and includes a pre-printed recordable optical media fixed under tabs in the gift card according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating a method for using a gift card kit according to an embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     Generally, the invention is directed to a gift card kit, wherein the gift card kit includes a preprinted gift card and a recordable optical medium. The recordable optical medium is screen-printed with artwork that substantially matches artwork preprinted onto the gift card. For example, the artwork of the gift card and the medium may be identical, complimentary, or generally related to a common theme in the spirit of gift giving. In other embodiments the invention relates to a method of using the gift card kit.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  depicts gift card kit  10  according to an embodiment of the invention. Gift card kit  10  includes an advertising insert  16 , a blank screen-printed CD-R  12 , and a matching preprinted gift card  14 . An envelope may also be included in the kit, and possibly other items such as a coupon or gift certificate. Gift card kit  10  may additionally comprise a clear plastic wrapping to hold advertising insert  16 , CD-R  12 , and gift card  14  together. In accordance with the invention, the preprinted artwork on gift card  14  substantially matches the preprinted artwork on preprinted CD-R  12 . For example, artwork may be silk-screened onto CD-R  12 . While gift card kit  10  includes blank CD-R  12 , other embodiments may include different forms of recordable optical media, like rewriteable CDs (CD-RWs) or DVD-Rs. Alternatively, other recordable media such as recordable FLASH memory may be used, although recordable optical media are preferred.  
         [0016]     As a new product, gift card kit  10  will be unfamiliar to potential purchasers. The gift card kit may be displayed near conventional gift cards, near recordable media or as part of a stand-alone promotional display. However, no matter where the gift card kit is displayed, potential buyers must be informed as to the utility of gift card kit  10  before they would be willing to purchase it. Advertising insert  16  comprises notice  18 , which states, “Share photos, video, music and more. Includes 1 blank CD-R with matching card and envelope.” Advertising insert  16 , including notice  18 , informs buyers of the content and utility of gift card kit  10 . Advertising insert  16  may additionally comprise instructions that inform the purchaser how to put digital content on CD-R  12 . In other embodiments, different packaging materials, like a box, for example, may serve the purpose of informing a potential buyer of the utility of a gift card kit. Importantly, insert  18  includes a conspicuous notice that informs potential buyers of the content and/or purpose of kit  10 .  
         [0017]     Gift card kit  10  may additionally comprise an insert that includes purchaser instructions for recording media onto the CD-R, and attaching the CD-R to the preprinted gift card. The insert may also have artwork that substantially matches that of CD-R  12  and gift card  14 . In some embodiments, gift card kit  10  may also include a gift certificate, e.g., with a code or number that entitles the purchaser or the recipient to download music, video, pictures or other digital information from an Internet website. For example, gift card kit  10  may include a gift certificate redeemable at Napster, iTues, or a similar on-line music site. In embodiments that include such a gift certificate for downloading digital information, gift card kit  10  may additionally comprise instructions for redeeming the gift certificate and recording information received from the redeemed gift certificate onto the CD-R. For example, such instructions may be preprinted on insert  16  or a gift certificate (not shown). The gift certificate, instructions, or any other insert may be printed with artwork that substantially matches that of CD-R  12  and gift card  14  in order to present a visually pleasing product to purchasers browsing a gift card aisle of a retail establishment.  
         [0018]     Although gift card kit  10  is illustrated as including a single preprinted gift card and a single preprinted CD-R with substantially matching artwork, in other embodiments, a gift card kit may comprise multiple gift cards and recordable optical media sets. For example, there may be five gift cards and five recordable optical media included in a single gift card kit. A gift card kit comprising multiple gift cards and recordable optical media may allow a purchaser to record identical digital content onto multiple recordable optical media with reduced effort. Each gift card kit comprising multiple gift cards and multiple recordable optical media may have different artwork designs for each preprinted gift card and substantially matching recordable optical media. In other embodiments, all recordable optical media and gift cards in a gift card kit may have substantially matching artwork.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts a pre-printed recordable optical medium  28  and matching preprinted gift card  26  (outside view is labeled  26 A and inside view is labeled  26 B) according to an embodiment of the invention. Preprinted artwork depicting Christmas tree ornaments appears on the outside view  26 A and inside view  26 B of gift card  26 . Substantially matching artwork appears on recordable optical medium  28 . While artwork on gift card  26  and recordable optical medium  28  substantially matches, it is not necessarily identical. In this case, the artwork is complimentary and generally related to a common theme in the spirit of Christmas gift giving. The artwork on gift card  26  and recordable optical medium  28  may also include holiday greetings, similar to what one might find on a conventional gift card.  
         [0020]     In the embodiment of the invention depicted in  FIG. 2 , the inner surface of gift card  26  includes an outline  22  showing where a gift giver should attach recordable optical medium  28  before giving it to a recipient. The gift card kit may additionally comprise instructions for attaching recordable optical medium  28  to gift card  26 . Such instructions may instruct the purchaser to attach recordable optical media using tape. Additionally, gift card  26  may include an adhesive for the purchaser to attach recordable optical medium  28 . The adhesive may be attached to gift card  26  with a removable backing to prevent the adhesive from sticking to other parts of gift card  26 . In a different embodiment, gift card  26  may comprise a sleeve, allowing the purchaser to slide optical medium  28  into the sleeve to facilitate giving gift card  26  and optical medium  28  as a single package. In other cases, gift card  26  may allow a purchaser to include recordable optical medium  28  with gift card  26  by other means, such as tabs or the like.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  depicts the front and the inside of a preprinted gift card  32  (outside view is labeled  32 A and inside view is labeled  32 B) and matching preprinted recordable optical medium  36  according to an embodiment of the invention. Gift card kit  30  comprises preprinted gift card  32 , matching preprinted recordable optical medium  36  and an envelope (not shown). Preprinted gift card  32  comprises artwork that substantially matches artwork preprinted on recordable optical medium  36 . Inside view  32 B of a gift card also comprises artwork that substantially matches recordable optical medium  36 . In particular, the artwork on gift card  32  and medium  36  is generally complimentary and representative of a gift-giving season. For example, gift card  32  is printed with a little girl catching snowflakes and medium  36  includes a bowtie. Thus, both medium  36  and gift card  32  include artwork indicative of a winter gift-giving season, such as the Christmas season. Colors may also match. As opposed to the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , gift card kit  30  does not include a means to attach recordable optical medium  36  to gift card  32 . Instead, gift card  32  is large enough when folded to fully cover recordable optical medium  36 . The purchaser may then include recordable optical medium  36  by simply placing recordable optical medium  36  in gift card  32  and placing both in the matching envelope.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  depicts the front and the inside of a preprinted gift card  42  (outside view is labeled  42 A and inside view is labeled  42 B) and includes a recordable optical medium  48 , preprinted to match the gift card  42 , according to an embodiment of the invention. Gift card kit  40  comprises gift card  42  and recordable optical medium  48 . Preprinted artwork on gift card  42  substantially matches preprinted artwork on recordable optical medium  48 . In this embodiment, inside view  42 B of gift card  42  includes a holiday greeting  49 . The outside view  42 A of gift card  42  includes another greeting  47 . However, in contrast to the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , recordable optical medium  48  does not also include a preprinted greeting. Instead, optical medium  48  is printed with snowflakes that substantially match those on the outer surface of gift card  42 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  depicts a front view  52 A and an inside view  52 B of preprinted gift card  52  and includes a pre-printed recordable optical medium  58  fixed under tabs  56 A and  56 B (collectively “tabs  56 ”) according to an embodiment of the invention. The depicted gift card kit  50  is of the same design as gift card kit  40  in  FIG. 4 , except that the artwork in  FIG. 4  is different from the artwork in  FIG. 5 . In this embodiment of the invention, recordable optical medium  58  is attached to gift card  52  using tabs  56 . Gift card  52  may additionally comprise instructions for a purchaser to attach recordable optical medium  58  to gift card  52  using tabs  56 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  80  for using a gift card kit according to an embodiment of the invention. Generally, a purchaser or gift giver would perform method  80 , although the invention is not necessarily limited in that respect as more than one individual could also perform the various steps of method  80 . Method  80  comprises purchasing a gift card kit ( 82 ), recording one or more items onto a recordable optical medium included with the gift card kit ( 84 ), and giving a gift card included with the gift card kit with the purchaser-recorded optical medium ( 86 ). For example, the one or more items may include songs, photographs, or video clips. The items can be selected specifically for the gift recipient and may have personal meaning to that person. Method  80  may additionally comprise following directions, which may be included with the gift card kit. In some embodiments, the recordable optical medium may be a CD-R, a DVD-R, or a CD-RW.  
         [0025]     Various embodiments of the invention have been described. These and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.