Abstract:
A point of purchase advertising system and method that enables a vendor to selectively broadcast advertising and promotional content at a point of purchase display in a retail store. The point of purchase display is provided with video display means, typically a monitor, that is operatively coupled to a remote transmission source, preferably via the Internet, that can transmit data to the point of purchase display content that is selectively chosen to target potential customers based upon the demographics and geographic location of the retail store. Such content can be updated continuously and modified to selectively promote particular types of products and/or target customers.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present invention is directed to point of purchase displays that are operative to display content provided by a vendor associated with the display such that the content can be continuously updated and selectively chosen to address specific types of products sold at the point of purchase display or target select customer groups. 
         [0004]    Point of purchase displays are well known in the art. Such displays are extensively utilized in retail settings to generate consumer interest and promote sales of various products. Typically, point of purchase displays are utilized to promote the products of one particular vendor amongst several others displayed in a particular retail setting. Retail stores will also usually have several point of purchase displays from a group of competitors, all of which being operative to attract consumer attention and promote the sale of a particular vendor&#39;s products. For example, many point of purchase displays are utilized for the promotion and sale of items such as sunglasses and watches, and often the point of purchase displays from a variety of competitors are grouped together to thus allow the consumer to examine and inspect the products from multiple vendors. 
         [0005]    Often times, it is the attractiveness and positioning of the point of purchase display that facilitates the sale of a particular vendor&#39;s products. Indeed, vendors expend substantial sums in designing point of purchase displays that are operative to effectively attract consumer attention and entice consumers to purchase the vendor&#39;s product. 
         [0006]    Such objective, however, has been extremely difficult to accomplish. In this regard, numerous display designs, fanciful artwork, lighting, and the like have all been extensively utilized and are well known in the art. Additionally, it is known to utilize various types of media such as videos, to help draw attention to a particular point of purchase display. 
         [0007]    The use of media such as videos, however, is limited insofar as the content of the media is typically stagnant and cannot be readily updated. In addition, videos played in connection with a particular point of purchase are typically not customized to target a specific demographic of potential customers or can be readily updated to highlight a specific type of product. In this regard, it is often considered optimal for vendors to selectively target potential consumers for any given retail setting within which a point of purchase display is utilized, and specific types of content which may be good for retail stores in one geographic region or one particular age group of potential consumers will not necessarily be effective in other geographic areas and/or other dissimilar potential consumer groups. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, there is a substantial need in the art for a point of purchase display that is capable of delivering advertising content and the like to potential consumers in a retail setting that is further capable of delivering customized content that can be readily updated. There is a further need in the art for such a point of purchase display system and method that can utilize existing telecommunications infrastructure, namely the Internet, to enable point of purchase displays utilized in a variety of retail settings to each selectively deliver content that most effectively addresses the potential customers in each respective retail setting. There is still further a need in the art for such a point of purchase display system and method that is of relative low cost, efficient, easy to implement and substantially more effective in promoting and advertising than prior art point of purchase systems and methods. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-identified deficiencies in the art. In this regard, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for delivering content through a point of purchase display such that the content can be continuously updated from a remote location and further, can be customized to focus the promotion and advertising of particular types of products of a vendor and/or selectively target specific types of consumer groups in specific types of geographic regions. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the point of purchase display is provided with video display means, typically a monitor, and coupled to a remote means for generating and transmitting content, typically a server, via a telecommunications link, which is preferably the Internet. Preferably, a variety of point of purchase displays in dedicated retail outlets will be operatively coupled to a remote server, the latter serving as the base from which content can be selectively generated and selectively transmitted such that the content ultimately displayed at a point of purchase display at a particular retail store is custom tailored to target a specific consumer group, selectively advertise and promote a particular product of the vendor or otherwise create content that can uniquely address the particular needs and tastes of the consumers of a particular store. For example, the content that is displayed in a given store may be tailored such that the same addresses a particular consumer group, such as teenagers, conveys a particular theme, such as sports, lifestyle, etc., and may likewise be utilized to promote the retail store or present news and information that is pertinent to a particular geographic area associated with the retail store and the like. 
         [0011]    The systems and methods of the present invention are capable of being utilized using existing technology, and may be readily implemented utilizing known telecommunications hardware and methodology known in the art. In this respect, it is contemplated that the remote location from which the content is generated may transmit such information via the Internet and that the particular content displayed at a particular retail store may be accessed by means of a dedicated website through which the particular content for the store may be retrieved and broadcast at the point of purchase. Other variations will likewise be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    These as well as other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram of the point of purchase advertising and promotion system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the system of  FIG. 1  as utilized to transmit content to a variety of point of purchase display units wherein each unit is provided with customized content; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of the various factors taken into consideration when generating content to display at a particular point of purchase display in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and sequences of steps for constructing and operating the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments and that they are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention. 
         [0017]    Referring now the Figures, and initially to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a system  10  through which a vendor can provide customized content through a point of purchase display  12  associated with the vendor within a retail environment  14 . Per conventional point of purchase displays, the display  12  will be operative to store and display merchandise of a particular vendor, and may take any of a variety of forms well-known in the art. Integrated as part of such display is at least one video monitor  16  operative to receive and display content transmitted via a communications link  18  from a remote location. Such display may take any of a variety of forms well-known in the art, including LCD and plasma displays, and the like. 
         [0018]    Operatively coupled to the point of purchase display means is a means for generating and transmitting content  20  to the point of purchase display  12 . Such means  20  preferably comprises a server as shown that is operatively coupled to the point of purchase display  12  via the Internet. Per conventional practices, content from the server  20  may be generated and ultimately transmitted to the point of purchase display video transmission means  16 , which will in turn display the content at the point of purchase  12  in the retail setting  14 . In this respect, it is contemplated that the point of purchase display  12  will be coupled to a computer or the like that will be operative to access a website through which the content from the remote server  20  can be accessed and displayed, per conventional practices. Advantageously, however, the content provided from the remote server  20  will be custom tailored to suit the particular needs of the vendor, and can be designed and updated as frequently as desired to maximize the effectiveness of the content as displayed at the point of purchase  12  in the retail setting  14 . 
         [0019]    In this respect, it is contemplated that the content generated in the remote location can be tailored to emphasize one or more particular products being sold at the point of purchase display, or may be designed to attract attention from a particular group of potential customers. Likewise, the content generated at the remote location can be designed to provide news and advertisements of interest of a particular geographic region, typically that associated with the retail store, or address a particular theme, such as a specific type of sports or lifestyle theme as may be associated with the vendor&#39;s products and/or the retail store within which the point of purchase is situated. 
         [0020]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , there is shown a variety of factors that may be taken into consideration in generating the content for display at the point of purchase displays of the present invention. As illustrated, such factors include information regarding the vendor&#39;s products, any applicable sales, rebates, etc. associated with the vendor&#39;s products, information regarding a particular consumer group to which the advertising content is to be directed, news or information that is pertinent to the geographic area within which the retail store is situated, and any particular theme that is associated with the vendor&#39;s products or is of interest to any particular target group of potential consumers. 
         [0021]    For example, if a vendor has a product line of sports watches, the point of purchase display  12  will, per conventional point of purchase displays, prominently display the merchandise of the vendor, but will also have a video monitor  16  through which content regarding the watches, or the target group of potential consumers will be displayed. The content may be designed to provide pricing information regarding the watches as well as provide information as to how such watches function, how well they perform in sporting activities (e.g., water resistant properties), may feature one or more endorsees of vendor&#39;s products (which may be a local sports hero or other recognized individual from a given geographical area associated with the retail store within which the point of purchase display is situated), and provide other general information of interest for the target group of consumers. Moreover, to the extent the retail store  14  specializes in skiing sports, the content delivered to the point of purchase display may include news and information regarding skiing events, whether they be local or national, news related to the sport of skiing, local snow conditions and the like. To the extent the retail store is associated with water sports, such as surfing, the content may be tailored such that the content displayed emphasizes local surfing conditions, upcoming surfing events, and news related to surfing. Similar adjustments can be made to content that will readily be recognized and appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown how the systems and methods of the present invention can be utilized to broadcast select content to a plurality of point of purchase displays wherein each point of purchase display is situated in a dedicated retail setting. As illustrated, the remote server  20  will be operatively coupled to each respective point of purchase displays  12  and operative to transmit content thereto. Utilizing techniques well-known in the art, the content generated by the server may be selectively chosen to suit the particular needs of each respective retail setting. For example, CONTENT “A” may be generated and transmitted to one point of purchase display to address the market for one particular retail setting whereas CONTENT “B” and CONTENT “C” will be generated for use in other point of purchase displays in other retail settings. 
         [0023]    By generating such content and making the same selectively accessible through dedicated websites, preferably such that each point of purchase display is associated with a dedicated website, advertising and promotional content can be readily transmitted and upgraded as frequently as desired so that the content displayed through the point of purchase display  12  is continuously updated and further, will optimally address the patrons associated with each respective retail setting. For example, it is contemplated that point of purchase displays situated on the east coast can display content that is relevant to consumers living in the vicinity of the various retail settings within which the point of purchase displays are situated. Such content may be directed to local sports activities, local weather and the like that are pertinent to those geographic areas, which would be entirely different from point of purchase displays situated in the western part of the country, as would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. As discussed above, the content that is selectively transmitted to each of the point of purchase displays will preferably be designed to provide the optimal promotional advertising impact per target consumer group per retail store as can be envisioned. 
         [0024]    Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts and steps described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices and methods within the spirit and scope of the invention.