Abstract:
A floor advertising method that utilizes a floor mat having a recessed area for receiving an advertising panel. In one aspect, the method uses a floor advertising system comprising: a floor mat having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a recessed area in the top surface, the recessed area having a depth; and a panel having an advertisement, the panel positioned in the recessed area. In some embodiments, it is preferred that the panel have a thickness that is substantially equal to or less than the depth of the recessed area. In another aspect, the invention is a method of doing business utilizing such a floor advertising system.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/225,700, filed Sep. 13, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of advertising, and specifically to systems and methods of advertising on floor space. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Advertising has traditionally used signs or visual displays to convey product information to a consumer. Although visual displays are effective, there is a need for more effective advertising systems and methods of advertising that will attract consumers, hold their attention, and convince them to purchase the advertised product. 
         [0004]    One particular field of advertising is the advertising of products within stores, including for example grocery stores, super markets, and retail stores. Traditionally, products were advertised in stores through the use of vertical signs or visual displays. Although such vertical signs were effective advertising tools, there is a particular need for new methods and systems of in-store advertising that will convince consumers to purchase various products. 
         [0005]    One type of advertising that has recently become popular is so-called floor decals/mats, which are essentially signs that rest on or are adhered to the floor. The term “decal” and “mat” are used interchangeably throughout this application. Advertisers deem floor advertising beneficial because the floor decals can be located on the floor of a store proximal to the area in which a product is shelved. These floor decals also increase the advertising space that can be utilized in stores and public places. 
         [0006]    While the general use of floor decals as an advertising means has been accepted over the years, existing systems and methods suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, existing decals are of a unitary structure wherein the advertiser&#39;s message is built into or permanently painted on or secured to the decal itself. Thus, if the advertiser wishes to change their message/advertisement, or if the message/advertisement becomes worn over time, the entire floor decal must be replaced. Similar drawbacks arise when a new advertiser wishes to take over the floor space rented by another advertiser. Because floor decals can be costly to manufacture, replacing an entire decal for such purposes is undesirable. Thus, a need exists for a system and method of floor advertising that affords the user the ability to change the advertising message without replacing the entire floor decal. 
         [0007]    An additional problem with existing floor decals is that they are designed for use on specific types of surfaces. As such, these floor decals can not be used safely on a variety of surfaces without presenting the danger of slipping. Still another problem is that existing floor decals often become dirty or worn in short periods of time due to heavy consumer traffic and, therefore, require additional maintenance and/or replacement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved floor advertising system and method. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a floor advertising system and method that affords the user the ability to change the advertisement/message without replacing the entire floor decal/mat. 
         [0010]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide a floor advertising system and method that can be safely used on a variety of floor surfaces. 
         [0011]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a floor advertising system and method that is durable. 
         [0012]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a floor advertising system and method that acts as a cleaning mat and/or protective floor covering for high traffic areas. 
         [0013]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a floor advertising system and method that is cost effective to maintain, update, and/or manufacture. 
         [0014]    In one aspect, the invention is a method of advertising comprising: a) providing a floor mat having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a recessed area in the top surface, the recessed area having a depth; b) inserting a first panel having a first advertisement in the recessed area; and c) positioning the floor mat on a floor of a retail store. In one embodiment, this method can further include: d) removing the first panel having the first advertisement from the recessed area after a predetermined period of time; and e) inserting a second panel having a second advertisement in the recessed area. For the reasons discussed with the inventive system, in one embodiment, it may be preferable that the panels used in the inventive method of advertising have a thickness that is substantially equal to or less than the depth of the recessed area. 
         [0015]    In another aspect, the invention is a method of doing business comprising: a) identifying a store having vacant floor space; b) paying the store a first amount of currency for rights to the vacant floor space; c) providing a floor mat having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a recessed area in the top surface, the recessed area having a depth, the floor mat having being of an area that fits within the vacant floor space; d) identifying an advertiser that desires to advertise in said store; e) charging the advertiser a second amount of currency to advertise on the vacant floor space of the store; f) providing a panel having an advertisement for the advertiser, the advertiser&#39;s products, and/or the advertiser&#39;s services; and g) positioning the floor mat on the vacant floor space of the store and inserting the panel into the recessed area of the floor mat. As discussed above, in one embodiment, the panel may have a thickness that is substantially equal to or less than the depth of the recessed area. 
         [0016]    Moreover, in some embodiments of the aforementioned aspects of the invention, it may be preferable that the panels used substantially correspond in size and shape to the recessed area. This will prohibit sliding of the panel within the recessed area. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an advertising floor mat according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the advertising floor mat of  FIG. 1  with the panel and lamina removed. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the advertising floor mat of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the advertising floor mat of  FIG. 1  taken along line III-III. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart of a method of advertising according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a method of doing business according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a floor advertising system  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The floor advertising system  100  comprises a floor mat  10 , a panel  20 , and a lamina  30 . Because the lamina  30  is substantially transparent, the top right corner of the lamina  30  is bent upward in the illustration so that its existence is visible. Normally, the entirety of the lamina  30  will lay flat atop the panel  20 . 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the floor mat  10  will be described in detail. For ease of illustration and description, the panel  20  and the lamina  30  have been removed from the illustration of the floor mat  10 . In some embodiments, the floor mat  20  is preferably an all rubber bi-level construction. Suitable types of rubber for construction include, without limitation, nitrile butadiene rubber (“NBR”), styrene-butadiene rubber (“SBR”), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (“EPDM”), Neoprene, chlorinated polyethylene (“CPE”), Natural rubber or various combinations of the above. NBR is preferred. The invention, however, is not limited to rubber or any particular material for construction of the floor mat  10 . Other suitable materials of construction, include without limitation wood, metal, carpet, ceramic, natural, manmade, and recycled materials. Depending on the type of material used for construction, the floor mat  10  can be formed by injection molding, stamping, press-molding, milling, vacuum forming and autoclave. 
         [0025]    The floor mat  10  comprises a top surface  13  and bottom surface  14 . The top surface  13  (including the top surfaces of the scrapers  15 ) can be textured or otherwise roughened to increase the friction coefficient if desired. The same can be done to the bottom surface  14 . Texturing or roughening the surfaces  13 ,  14  of the floor mat  10  helps prevent both unwanted slipping atop the floor mat  10  and/or unwanted shifting of the floor mat  10  on the floor. Other properties that can be built into the surfaces are static dissipative or conductive, antimicrobial, and antifatigue properties. 
         [0026]    The floor mat  10  further comprises an advertising section  12  and, optionally, a scraper section  11 . The scraper section  11  is provided to serve the function of removing dirt, dust, and other debris from the bottom of people&#39;s shoes or feet. The scraper section  11  comprises a plurality of scrapers  15  surrounded by a containment groove  16 . In some embodiments, the top surface of the scrapers  15  can be substantially flush with the remaining top surface  13  of the floor mat  10 . However, the scrapers  15  can be further raised if desired. The scrapers  15  act as ridges that scrape, rub, or otherwise knock debris loose from a person&#39;s shoes (or other objects) as they pass thereover. The containment groove  16  is a depressed trench that surrounds the scrapers  15 . As a result, once debris is removed from a person&#39;s shoes or other objects by the scrapers  15 , the debris remains trapped in the scraping section  11  of the floor mat  10  and will be prohibited from coming into contact with a person&#39;s shoes or other objects again. 
         [0027]    While the scrapers  15  are exemplified as rectangular elements, the scrapers  15  can take on any shape, including, without limitation, circular, thatched, triangular, oval, pentagonal, hexaganol, octagonal, or irregularly shaped. In other embodiments, the scrapers can be in the form of ridges, grating, or a roughly textured surface. In other embodiments of the invention, the floor mat  10  may not even have a scraper section  11  and will merely consist of the advertising section  12  as described below. 
         [0028]    The advertising section  12  of the floor mat  10  comprises a recessed area  17 . The recessed area  17  is exemplified as being rectangular in shape but can take on any shape, including, without limitation, circular, thatched, triangular, oval, pentagonal, hexaganol, octagonol, or irregularly shaped. The recessed area  17  is a depressed area in the top surface  13  of the floor mat  10 . A containment ledge  18 , which is naturally formed by the depressed nature of the recessed area  17 , surrounds the entirety of the recessed area  17 . In other embodiments of the invention, the containment ledge may only surround two or three sides of the recessed area  17 , or may contain intermittent spaces. However, it is preferred that the containment ledge  18  fully surround the recessed area  17  so as to prohibit the panel  20  and lamina  30  from sliding out of the recessed area  17  when positioned therein as shown in  FIG. 1 . The depth of the recessed area  17  will be discussed in greater detail below with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0029]    While the advertising section  12  comprises a single recessed area  17 , in other embodiments of the invention, a plurality of recessed areas can be provided in a single floor mat. In such an embodiments, a suitably sized advertising panel (and/or lamina) will be positioned in each recessed area in a manner similar to that described below for panel  20  and/or lamina  30 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of the floor advertising system  100  is illustrated. As mentioned above, the floor advertising system  100  comprises the floor mat  10 , the panel  20 , and the lamina  30 . The panel  20  and the lamina  30  correspond in size and shape to the recessed area  17  so that they can be positioned snugly therein. The panel  20  comprises an advertisement  21  on its top surface. In the illustration, the advertisement  21  is for Coca-Cola®. However, the advertisement  21  can be anything and is not limited to any specific manufacturer or service provider and/or message. Moreover, if desired, the panel  20  can have an advertisement  21  on both sides of the panel  20 . The advertisement on the back side of the panel  20  can be a identical to or different than the advertisement  21  that is on the top side. 
         [0031]    Materials of which the panel  20  can be constructed include, without limitation, plastic, vinyl, rubber, paper, cardboard, wood. The advertisement  21  can be a painting, a sticker, a decal, or all pressure sensitive materials, carpet fabrics, inks, plastisol, black or colored rubber that is properly secured to, painted on, or molded into or integrated into the panel  20 . 
         [0032]    The lamina  30  is preferably a transparent or substantially transparent piece of material. However, in some embodiments, the lamina  30  may be tinted with a color or some other design. Suitable materials for constructing the lamina  30  include, without limitation, plastic, vinyl, and films that are supported and unsupported, preferably with pressure sensitive adhesive. The main function of the lamina  30  is to protect the panel  20  from damage and/or wear without obstructing a customer&#39;s view of the advertisement  21 . It should be noted that in some embodiments of the invention a lamina  30  may not be used or may be integrally formed into the panel  20  itself. 
         [0033]    Referring still to  FIG. 3 , when assembled (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ), the panel  20  is first inserted into the recessed area  17  with the advertisement  21  facing upward. The lamina  30  is then inserted atop the panel  20 . The alignment of the panel  20  and the lamina  30  during assembly is indicated by the dotted arrows. When assembled properly, the floor advertising system  100  will be as illustrated in  FIG. 1  (with the corner of the lamina laying flat). 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , which is a cross sectional view of the floor advertising system  100  taken along III-III of  FIG. 1 , the relative dimensions of the thickness t P  of the panel  20 , the thickness t L  of the lamina  30 , and the depth D of recessed area  17  will be discussed. 
         [0035]    The recessed area  17  of the floor mat  10  has a depth D. In some embodiments of the invention it may be preferable that the nominal depth D be within a range of from about 0.0105 inches to about 0.25 inches, and most preferably about 0.125 inches. The panel  20  has a thickness t P , which is preferred to be in the range of about 1.5 to about 4 millimeters. Similarly, the lamina  30  has a thickness t L , which is preferred to be in the range of about 2 millimeters to 10 millimeters. The invention, however, is not limited to any particular dimension for the depth D of the recessed area  17 , the thickness t P  of the panel  20 , or the thickness t L  of the lamina  30 . 
         [0036]    As used herein, the term “about” means ±10%. 
         [0037]    As also used herein, the articles “a”, “an”, and “the” refer to one or to more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element. 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, it is preferred that the depth D of the recessed area  17  be substantially equal to the combined thickness of the panel  20  and the lamina  30 , which is equal to t P +t L . This results in the floor advertising system  100  having a smooth/flush upper surface. In other embodiments, it may be preferred that the combined thickness t P +t L  of the lamina  30  and the panel  20  be less than the depth D of the recessed area  17 . By ensuring that the combined thickness t P +t L  of the panel  20  and the lamina  30  is less than or substantially equal to the depth D of the recessed area  17 , the panel  20  and/or lamina  30  are prohibited from protruding from the recessed area  17 . Such protrusion is undesirable when it would create a lip or raised ledge on which a customer could trip and/or fall. 
         [0039]    In embodiments of the present invention that either do not contain a lamina or have the lamina integrally formed into the panel  20 , it may be preferable that the thickness t P  of the panel  20  itself be substantially equal to or less than the depth D of the recessed area  17 . However, the invention is not so limited, and in other embodiments, the panel  20  and/or lamina  30  may protrude form the recessed area  17 . 
         [0040]    If desired, an adhesive can be applied to the back of the panel  20  and/or to the floor of the recessed area  17 . The application of an adhesive will further ensure that the panel  20  does not slide out of the recessed area  17 . The adhesive can be a special solvent removable adhesive, designed to adhere and/or remove from NBR, SBR, EPDM, Neoprene, CPE, Natural rubber or various combinations of the above. The adhesive can have a thickness t a  of from about 0.5 to about 2 millimeters. In addition to an adhesive, other means can be used to secure the panel  20  within the recessed area  17 , including, without limitation, double-sided tape, sewing, suturing, stapling, a tight-fit assembly, a flange assembly, or the like. Similar measures to secure the lamina  30  in place can also be taken. However, in some embodiments, no measures may be taken to secure the panel and/or lamina in place so that they can be easily removed and replaced as needed. When an adhesive or other means is used to secure the panel, the total thickness of the panel, lamina (if present), and adhesive (or other means) is preferably less than or substantially equal to depth D of the recessed area  17 . 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a method of advertising on the floor of a store according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in a flow chart format. The method of  FIG. 5  will be discussed in relation to the floor advertising system  100  of  FIG. 1-4  for ease of discussion. As used herein, the term “floor” includes, without limitation, the interior floor of a store, the floor within an entranceway of a store, and the ground or pavement outside of a store. 
         [0042]    The inventive advertising method starts at start block  500 . At step  510 , the floor mat  10  of  FIG. 2  is provided. Depending on the situation, the floor mat  10  can be provided by a third party manufacture, by a store itself, by an advertiser, or by a company specializing in the coordination of advertisers and stores, such as FLOORgraphics®, Inc. Similarly, the floor mat  10  can be created a third party manufacture, by the store itself, by an advertiser, or by a company specializing in the coordination of advertisers and space providers. 
         [0043]    Once the floor mat  10  is provided, the floor mat is positioned on the floor of a store, such as a retail store, wholesale store, club store, a grocery store, or the like (hereinafter referred to as a “space provider”), thereby completing step  520 . There is no limitation on the location of the floor on which the floor mat  10  is positioned. For example, the floor mat  10  can be placed outside of the store, in an entranceway of the store, or in the store near the product to be advertised. The exact positioning of the floor mat  10  will be dictated by many considerations, including, without limitation, the advertiser&#39;s preference, the available floor space, the size of the floor mat  10 , the amount of money paid by the advertiser, etc. 
         [0044]    Once the floor mat  10  is positioned at the desired location on the floor, the panel  20  is inserted into the recessed area  17  of the floor mat  10  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The panel  20  is inserted into the recessed area  17  with the advertisement  21  facing upward so as to be visible by customers passing by, thus, completing step  530 . In some embodiments of the invention, the lamina  30  may also be inserted into the recessed area atop the panel  20  at this time. As discussed above, adhesive or other connection means can be incorporated into these steps if desired. 
         [0045]    After a period of time has passed, the panel  20  is removed form the recessed area  17 , thereby completing step  540 . The length of this period of time is dictated by a number of factors, including, without limitation, the estimated lifetime of the panel  20 , the amount of money paid for by an advertiser, the term of an agreement, and/or the amount of wear the panel  20  has sustained. 
         [0046]    At step  550 , a new panel is inserted into the recessed area  17  of the floor mat  10  as described above. The new panel can be identical to the panel  20  except that it may contain a different advertisement. However, in some embodiments, the new panel may contain an advertisement identical to the one on the panel  20 . Moreover, if the panel  20  was constructed so that it had an advertisement on both sides of the panel  20 , step  550  can consist of merely flipping the panel  20  over and inserting it back into the recessed area  17  with the opposite side facing upward. 
         [0047]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 , a method of doing business according to the present invention is exemplified. The method of  FIG. 6  will be discussed in relation to the floor advertising system  100  of  FIG. 1-4  for ease of discussion. 
         [0048]    At step  610 , a company specializing in the coordination of advertisers and space providers, such as FLOORgraphics®, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “the controller”), identifies a store (i.e., a space provider) that has vacant floor space. Once a space provider is identified, the controller pays the space provider an amount of currency/money for rights to the vacant floor space, thereby completing step  620 . The controller can lease the rights to the vacant floor space for six months, a year, or any other period of time. Preferably, in some embodiments, the period of time will be an extended period of time. The controller can pay the space provider in one lump sum payment or in a series of payments over time. 
         [0049]    At step  630 , a floor mat  10 , such as the one illustrated in  FIG. 2 , is provided. The floor mat  10  can be created/provided by the controller, by a third party manufacturer, or by the space provider itself. The floor mat  10  is created so as to be an area that fits within the vacant floor space that was leased by the controller. 
         [0050]    At step  640 , which can be performed prior to step  630  if desired, the controller identifies an advertiser that desires to advertise on the floor space of the space provider identified in step  610 . Once such an advertiser is identified, the controller charges the advertiser an amount of money/currency to advertise on the leased floor space for a period of time, completing step  650 . In some embodiments, the controller will rent/sub-lease the floor space it leased from the space provider to the advertiser for a period of time that is a fraction of the time which the controller leased the space from the space provider, such as 2-4 weeks. 
         [0051]    At step  660 , the controller then provides a panel  20 , such as the one shown in  FIG. 3 , having an advertisement  21  for the advertiser, the advertiser&#39;s products, and/or the advertiser&#39;s services. In some embodiments, the panel  20  can be created by the controller, a third party manufacturer, or the advertiser. The advertisement  21  on the panel  20  can be designed by the controller, at the direction of the controller, by a third party, by the advertiser, or at the direction of the advertiser. 
         [0052]    Once created and provided, the panel  20  (which contains the advertisement  21 ) is inserted into the recessed area  17  of the floor mat  10 , and the floor advertising system  100  is positioned on the vacant floor space of the space provider, thereby completing step  670 . At step  680 , once the period of time for which the advertiser has paid for its advertisement to exist on the floor space has elapsed, the panel  20  is removed from the floor mat  10  and the process returns to step  640 . In embodiments of the invention where the panel is created so as to have an advertisement on both sides of the panel, step  680  may merely require that the panel be flipped over and inserted back into the recessed area  17  of the floor mat  10  with the opposite side facing upward. 
         [0053]    Of course, the panel  20  can be replaced, cleaned, and/or otherwise maintained as needed by the controller or the space provider. As discussed above, the lamina  30  can be incorporated if desired into any of the aforementioned methods. 
         [0054]    While the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, various alternatives and modifications will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.