Abstract:
Advertising materials are provided for cooperative promotions. The materials consist of a set of coupons and a promotional piece or flare. Each coupon includes a back face with award structure information printed thereon and a front face with product advertising printed thereon. Each coupon entitles its purchaser to a substantial discount on a product, which discount exceeds the purchase price of the coupon. Multiple break-open windows are formed in the coupon and are movable between closed and open positions respectively concealing and revealing outcome-determining indicia. The indicia comprise symbol combinations and identify respective coupons as either losers or winners entitled to pre-determined awards. A cooperative promotional method utilizing the advertising materials is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Continuation of patent application Ser. No. 09/584,030, filed May 30, 2000, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to advertising, and in particular to advertising materials and methods for cooperative promotions. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Advertising is a major part of the economy. It plays a significant role in the solicitation of customers for a wide range of commercial enterprises providing various types of goods and services. 
     The overall objective of an advertising campaign is generally to sell the goods and/or services of the advertiser. The normal strategy for accomplishing this objective is to communicate with customers and potential customers, thereby inducing purchases through a combination of information and persuasion. 
     A significant challenge faced by advertisers is attracting the attention of prospective customers. Various advertising techniques have been developed to attract the attention of potential customers. Discounted pricing is a common example and can take many forms. For example, reduced-price “sales” are extensively and repeatedly conducted by many mass merchandisers. Discount coupons are also extensively used in merchandising. A typical discount coupon allows a purchaser to obtain a given product at a reduced price, or provides some additional consideration. Rebates comprise yet another form of price discounting. 
     Another popular advertising technique involves a game or contest played by prospective customers and resulting in monetary or other prizes and awards. Mass merchandisers have employed a number of different promotional methods and types of promotional materials which entertained and motivated prospective customers through the use of such awards. The element of chance in providing such awards tends to stimulate player interest and contributes to the entertainment function of the game materials. 
     However, heretofore there has not been available an advertising system and method which combines the co-promotional features and the player entertainment aspect of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the practice of the present invention, advertising materials are provided for use in co-sponsored advertising campaigns. The materials include an advertising display or flare and a coupon set comprising a predetermined number of coupons. Each coupon has a back face with the award structure printed thereon and a front face with advertising for a product and/or service printed thereon. Each coupon includes a plurality of outcome-determining indicia printed thereon and selectively concealed by break-open windows formed in the coupon and accessible at its front face. 
     In the practice of the method of the present invention, an advertiser initiates a cooperative promotion to sell its goods or services. A promoter identifies retail establishments with customer demographics suitable for the advertised goods and/or services. The materials are designed and manufactured for distribution to the retail establishments. Customers playing the coupons are entertained by the element of chance involved in the selection of winning and losing coupons, which are distinguished by the indicia printed thereon. The advertising materials are purchased in sets by the retail establishments, which resell the individual coupons to their customers. The purchase prices of the individual coupons are less than the value of the coupons, which can permit their purchasers to procure goods and/or services at substantial discounts. The coupons have serial numbers printed thereon for tracking sales data, such as the retail establishments and locations which generate the highest volume of product orders. Customers are entertained by the chance outcome aspect of the coupons, with the possibility of receiving a substantial award. Customers are also directly exposed to advertisers&#39; messages whereby both product and coupon sales are promoted and encouraged. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
     The principal objects and advantages of the present invention include: providing advertising materials for cooperative promotions; providing such materials in sets of predetermined numbers of coupons; providing such coupons with selectively hidden indicia; distinguishing winning and losing coupons by such indicia; providing a cooperative advertising method utilizing sets of coupons; providing such a method which utilizes distribution networks consisting of retail establishments; providing such a method which provides a considerable amount of retail customer/purchaser entertainment; providing such a method which provides a relatively large amount of direct customer exposure for the advertiser; providing such a method which accommodates marketing the coupons in selected retail establishments; providing such a method which facilitates tracking sales data from retail sales of the coupons; and providing such a method which is highly cost effective for the potential results. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. 
     The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 a  is a front elevational view of a coupon of a set of advertising materials embodying the present invention, showing windows thereof in their closed positions. 
     FIG. 1 b  is a front elevational view of the coupon, showing the windows in their open positions. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the coupon. 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a display or flare depicting the award structure. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the various entities involved in the cooperative advertising method of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting the cooperative advertising method of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral  2  generally designates a set of advertising materials embodying the present invention. The advertising material set  2  can be used, for example, for cooperative promotions among different business entities. The advertising material set  2  generally comprises a plurality of coupons  4  comprising a coupon set. Typical sets of coupons range from several hundred to several thousand or more. The advertising materials also include a display or flare  6  for promoting sales of the coupons  4 , the game and for identifying an award structure. 
     II. Coupons  4   
     The set includes a predetermined number of coupons  4 , with an award structure comprising predetermined numbers of winners of different award amounts. Without limitation on the generality of various award structures, the disclosed game materials provide for two winners of $250 each, four winners of $100 each, eight winners of $50 each, ten winners of $20 each, one hundred winners of $2.00 each and two hundred and ninety winners of $1.00 each. The winning coupons  4  are disbursed among a total of 3,078 coupons  4  in the entire set. The coupons have selling prices of, for example, $1.00 each. 
     Each coupon  4  has a back face  8  with the award structure  10  of award values  32  printed thereon. The name of the promotion (e.g., “Sports Spin”) is also printed on the back face  8  at  12 . 
     A front face  14  of the coupon  4  includes product advertising  16  printed thereon and a selling price  18  for the coupon  4 . The product advertising  16  can comprise a “proof-of-purchase” form wherein customers are required to purchase a predetermined number of coupons  4  in order to receive favorable pricing on an advertised product. As used herein, “product” refers to goods and/services. 
     The coupons  4  include structure for selectively concealing indicia  20  for determining an award, if any, for the customer. Thus, the indicia  20  include both “win” and “lose” indicators  20   a,b.  In the illustrated embodiment, the coupons  4  are two-ply construction with back and front panels  22 , 24  providing the back and front faces  8 , 14  respectively. The indicia  20  are printed on the inside face of the back panel  22  and are selectively concealed by break-open windows  26  formed in the front panel  24 . The windows  26  have closed and open positions respectively concealing and revealing the indicia  20  by means of removable tabs  27 . The windows  26  are movable between closed positions concealing respective indicia  20  and open positions revealing same. 
     Each indicia  20  comprises a plurality (e.g. three are shown) of symbols  28 , with certain symbol combinations (e.g.,  20   a ) comprising winners associated with respective award values  32 . A serial number  36  associated with the advertising material set  2  is printed on the back face  8  of each coupon  4 . A proof of purchase statement  38  is printed on the front face  14  of each coupon  4  and serves to remind the purchaser of the value of the coupon  4 . 
     Various other structures and devices for selectively concealing the indicia  20  can be employed with the present invention. The disclosed construction is relatively efficient and cost effective. Moreover, the two-ply panel construction employed provides ample area for multiple windows  26 , such as the five which are shown. 
     III. Flare  6   
     The flare  6  includes a front face  30  with the award structure  10  printed thereon. The award structure  10  consists of the award values  32 , the winning indicia  20   a,  and the number of winners entitled to each award value  32 , identified by the reference numeral  34 . The promotion name  12  is also prominently displayed on the flare  6 . As shown, the higher award values  32  are very prominently displayed in order to attract customer interest. The serial number  36  printed on the individual coupons  4  is also printed on the flare front face  30 . 
     IV. Cooperative Promotional Methodology 
     A cooperative promotional advertising method using the advertising material set  2  is disclosed. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the main participants. An advertiser  40  can be any entity with a product, i.e. goods and/or services, to sell. The advertiser  40  can involve an advertising agency  42 , which would engage the promoter  44 . Alternatively, the advertiser  40  can deal directly with the promoter  44 . The advertising materials  2  are designed by a material designer  46  for production by a material manufacturer  48 . A design for the advertising materials  2  would include such features as the name, the total coupon count, the award structure, the graphics, and the product advertising  16 . 
     In addition to arranging for the advertising materials  2 , the promoter  44  arranges for their distribution to retail entities  50 . Since the retail entities  50  sell the coupons  4  in order to generate revenue and also to increase traffic in their establishments, the retailers  50  comprise a second or additional advertiser whereby a synergistic, co-promotion of goods and services of the primary advertiser  40  and the retailer  50  is achieved. The advertising materials  2  can be provided to the retailer  50  by a vendor  52 , such as a distributor who represents a game manufacturer  48 . 
     Customers  54  of the retailer  50  can comprise the purchasers of the coupons  4 . Thus, the retailers  50  can be carefully chosen for their customer profiles and demographics. For example, the goods and/or services of the advertiser  40  can be matched with retailers  50  whose customers  54  would be most likely to purchase the advertised goods and/or services from the coupons  4 . For example, the advertised goods and/or services can correspond to the goods and/or services of the retailer  50  whereby significantly greater redemption of the coupons  4  can occur from a targeted group of potential customers  54 . Moreover, retailers  50  with multiple retail store locations can carry the materials  2 , and can distribute same according to the demographics of their various locations. The serial numbers  36  provide a means for tracking the sales of the advertising material sets  2 . For example, the promoter  44  can monitor the volume of redeemed coupons  4 , and using the serial numbers  36  printed thereon, can determine which retailers  50  received the corresponding advertising material sets  2  from which the redeemed coupons  4  were sold. Such information can be utilized to quantitatively monitor the success of the entire advertising campaign. Valuable market research can be generated thereby. 
     In addition to the regular retail customers  54  who purchase the coupons  4 , gaming laws and regulations in some areas require that the coupons  4  be available to participants  56  who do not make purchases. Such no-purchase participants  56  can be accommodated by the promoter  54 , who can receive their “entries” in the promotion and make awards as appropriate. The promoter  44  can also handle regulatory agency  58  approvals, permits, licenses, etc. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the co-promotional method of advertising of the present invention. The method is started by an advertiser  40  initiating a promotion of its goods and/or services. An advertising campaign is designed, with input from the product information provided by the advertiser  40 . The retailers  50  are selected according to various demographic, marketing and related criteria. The design and license of the award structure and the advertising/promotional materials  2  is accomplished to most effectively market the goods and/or services of the promoter  44  and to create the broadest possible appeal to the customers  54  of the retailers  50 . The materials  2  are manufactured by a material manufacturer  48  and are sold and distributed to the retailers  50  through a network of vendors or distributors  52 . 
     At the retail level the coupons  4  are sold to the retail customers  54 . The retailers  50  can participate in the promotion of the coupons  4  by displaying the advertising flares  6  associated therewith and by various other advertising methodologies, including print, broadcast media, direct mail, etc. 
     The coupons  4  are played by the customers  54  who receive awards from the retailers  50 . Since coupon  4  has a value in excess of its purchase price, the customers  54  are enticed to order the goods and/or services promoted thereon from the advertiser  40  identified thereon. Moreover, a significant entertainment component is provided in the course of playing the materials  2  since the element of chance adds considerably to the interest and motivation of the customers  54 . 
     Finally, the advertiser  40  can take advantage of the sales data by tracking serial numbers  36  of coupons  4  redeemed and thereby determine which retail establishments  50  are most effective for the purposes of the promotion. For example, geographic locations, types of retail establishments and other factors can be taken into account whereby the advertiser  40  can maximize its revenue from conducting such promotions. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.