Patent Publication Number: US-2011078006-A1

Title: Modular coupons in trail-of-breadcrumbs advertising

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Advertising is a form of communication used to help sell products and/or services. Typically, advertising communicates a message that includes a name of the product and/or service and some reason how that product and/or service would benefit, or otherwise be desirable to, the consumer. On-line advertising systems host advertisements that may advertise various products and/or services. Such advertisements may typically be presented to users accessing documents hosted by the advertising system, or to users issuing search queries for searching a corpus of documents. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an overview of the issuance of modular coupons in a “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2A  is a diagram of a network in which multiple media delivery networks and media presentation devices may be used to conduct the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a diagram of a specific example of the network of  FIG. 2A  in which a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a wireless network, an Internet, and an optical network may deliver “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising to a respective Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) phone, a cellular phone, a computer and a set-top box associated with a television; 
         FIG. 3  depicts media delivery to the exemplary media delivery devices of  FIG. 2B ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a device, according to an exemplary implementation, that may include the ad/coupon server of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary process for providing “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising to a user; 
         FIG. 6  depicts the provision of a text message, which includes a breadcrumb and a multi-stage coupon, to a cellular telephone via a wireless network; 
         FIG. 7  depicts the provision of an audio recording, which includes a breadcrumb and a multi-stage coupon, to a POTS telephone via a PSTN; 
         FIG. 8  depicts the provision of television audio, video or text, which includes a breadcrumb and a multi-stage coupon, to a set top box (STB) associated with a television; and 
         FIG. 9  depicts the provision of a webpage to a computer via the Internet for user entry of previously obtained multi-stage coupons. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of an overview  100  of the issuance of modular coupons in a “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign according to an exemplary embodiment. A “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign, as shown in  FIG. 1 , may involve the delivery of a series of advertisements to a user via multiple different media delivery networks and via respective, different media presentation devices. Each of the advertisements in the series of advertisements may include a “breadcrumb” that the user may follow to receive a subsequent advertisement, possibly via a different media delivery network and media presentation device. Each of the advertisements in the series of advertisements may further include a multi-stage, modular coupon. As the user progresses through each stage of the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign, the user may collect each modular coupon of the multi-stage modular coupons. The collected coupons may be used to purchase a product or service at a discount at the end of the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign or, possibly, at some intermediate stage in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign. The amount of the discount may, in some implementations, depend on the number of multi-stage coupons collected by the user (i.e., how far the user progressed in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign). 
       FIG. 1  depicts one example of a “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign in which advertisements, including multi-stage coupons, are provided to a user via the user&#39;s cell phone, POTS phone, television and/or computer. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a text message may initially be sent to the user via the user&#39;s cell phone. The text message may include an advertisement  105  which further includes a first breadcrumb  110  and a first multi-stage coupon  115 . Breadcrumb  110  may include a text message that further includes a phone number to a telephone call-in center. Multi-stage coupon  115  may include a first modular coupon in a series of modular coupons. The first modular coupon may include, for example, a first portion of a code (e.g., a portion of the digits of the code). 
     The user may “follow” breadcrumb  110  by using the received phone number to call in to a call-in center that may provide an advertisement  120  as a pre-recorded audio message. The user may, for example, use a POTS phone or cell phone to receive the pre-recorded audio message. Advertisement  120  may include a second breadcrumb  125  and a second multi-stage coupon  130 . Breadcrumb  125  may include a pre-recorded audio message which may include audio information that enables the user to locate a television (TV) advertisement. Such information may include, for example, a day and time during which the advertisement may be broadcast on a certain channel. Such information may alternatively include information directing the user to turn on their STB and TV so that the advertisement may be shown (i.e., pre-empting regular television programming during the duration of the advertisement). Multi-stage coupon  130  may include a second modular coupon. The modular coupon may include, for example, a second portion of a code (e.g., a portion of the digits of the code). 
     The user may then “follow” breadcrumb  125  by watching the user&#39;s television. The user may use the user&#39;s STB and television to watch an advertisement  135 . Advertisement  135  may include a breadcrumb  140  and a multi-stage coupon  145 . Breadcrumb  140  may include television audio, video and/or textual information that may further include information that will enable the user to access a webpage hosted on the Internet. For example, breadcrumb  140  may include a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associate with the webpage. Multi-stage coupon  145  may include a third modular coupon in the series of modular coupons. The third modular coupon may include, for example, a third portion of a code (e.g., a portion of the digits of the code). 
     The user may then further “follow” breadcrumb  140  to access the webpage via the user&#39;s computer. The webpage may, for example, enable the user to use coupons  115 ,  130  and  145  to obtain a discount on a product and/or service. Thus, to obtain the discount for the product and/or service the user must progress through the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign obtaining each multi-stage coupon, and then entering each multi-stage coupon into the webpage to receive the discount. For example, the web page may include multiple entry fields for each portion of a code that corresponds to each multi-stage coupon  115 ,  130  and  145 . 
     The number of “breadcrumbs” and multi-stage coupons, and the number and types of media delivery devices, depicted in  FIG. 1  is for illustrative purposes only. Fewer, or more, breadcrumbs and multi-stage coupons, and different numbers and types of media delivery devices, may be used consistent with exemplary embodiments described herein. 
       FIG. 2A  is a diagram of a network  200  in which multiple media delivery networks and media presentation devices may be used to conduct the exemplary “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign depicted in  FIG. 1  (or other “trail-of-breadcrumbs” campaigns that are different than that shown in  FIG. 1 ). As shown in  FIG. 2A , network  200  may include multiple media delivery networks  210 - 1  through  210 -N which may serve to deliver media between an ad/coupon server  220  and multiple different media presentation devices  230 - 1  through  230 -M associated with a user  240 . Ad/coupon server  220  may include a server entity that may provide, alone or possibly in conjunction with other devices (not shown), advertising media via media delivery networks  210 - 1  through  210 -N to media presentation devices  230 - 1  through  230 -M. Each of media delivery networks  210 - 1  through  210 -N may include a different type of network, and each may include, for example, one of a PSTN, a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network), the Internet, or an optical network (e.g., a cable television optical network). Other types of networks, than those described here, may, however, be used. Each of media presentation devices  230 - 1  through  230 -M may include a different type of device for receiving advertisements and coupons via a respective network of media delivery networks  210 - 1  through  210 -N. Media presentation devices  230 - 1  through  230 -M may include (but are not limited to) POTS phones, cellular phones, computers, and STBs in conjunction with televisions.  FIG. 2B  below depicts examples of specific types of media presentation devices. 
       FIG. 2B  depicts examples of media presentation devices  230  that may be used by user  240  to receive the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the media delivery networks  210  of network  200  may include a PSTN  210 - 1 , a wireless network  210 - 2 , the Internet  210 - 3  and an optical network  210 - 4  (e.g., a cable television optical network). Media presentation devices  230  may include a POTS phone  230 - 1 , a cellular phone  230 - 2 , a computer  230 - 3 , and a set-top box (STB) connected to a television (TV). As shown, PSTN  210 - 1  may connect to POTS phone  230 - 1 , wireless network  210 - 2  may connect to cellular phone  230 - 2 , Internet  210 - 3  may connect to computer  230 - 3 , and optical network  210 - 4  may connect STB  230 - 4 . Each of POTS phone  230 - 1 , cellular phone  230 - 2 , computer  230 - 3  and STB  230 - 4  may be associated with a same user  240 . 
       FIG. 3  further graphically depicts media delivery, associated with the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign, to the exemplary media delivery devices of  FIG. 2B . As illustrated, ad/coupon server  220 , either alone or in conjunction with other devices (not shown), may send voice media  300 - 1  to POTS phone  230 - 1  via PSTN  210 - 1 . Ad/coupon server  220 , either alone or in conjunction with other devices, may send voice/text/multi-media data  300 - 2  to cellular phone  230 - 2  via wireless network  210 - 2 . Ad/coupon server  220 , either alone or in conjunction with other devices, may send webpages/multi-media  300 - 3 , to computer  230 - 3  via Internet  210 - 3 . Ad/coupon server  220 , either alone or in conjunction with other devices, may transmit television data  300 - 4  to STB  230 - 4  via optical network  210 - 4 . Each of the different types of media delivered to media presentation devices  230 - 1  through  230 - 4  may include an advertisement that further includes a breadcrumb and a modular coupon. Each breadcrumb may direct the user to a subsequent advertisement, breadcrumb and multi-stage coupon. The modular coupon may include a coupon in a series of the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of ad/coupon server  220  according to an exemplary implementation. Server  220  may include a bus  410 , a processor  420 , a main memory  430 , a read only memory (ROM)  440 , a storage device  450 , input device(s)  460 , output device(s)  470 , and a communication interface  480 . Bus  410  may include a path that permits communication among the elements of server  220 . 
     Processor  420  may include, for example, a processor, microprocessor, and/or processing logic that may interpret and execute instructions. In some implementations, processor  420  may include multiple processors (e.g., parallel processors). Main memory  430  may include a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions for execution by processor  420 . ROM  440  may include a ROM device or another type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions for use by processor  420 . Storage device  450  may include a magnetic and/or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive. 
     Input device(s)  460  may include one or more mechanisms that permit an operator to input information to server  220 , such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, voice recognition and/or biometric mechanisms, etc. Output device(s)  270  may include one or more mechanisms that output information to the operator, including a display, a printer, a speaker, etc. Communication interface  280  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables server  220  to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface  280  may include mechanisms for communicating with another device or system via network  200 . 
     Server  220  may perform certain operations or processes, as will be described in detail below. Server  220  may perform these operations in response to processor  420  executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  430 . A computer-readable medium may be defined as a physical or logical memory device. A logical memory device may include memory space within a single physical memory device or spread across multiple physical memory devices. 
     The software instructions may be read into memory  430  from another computer-readable medium, such as storage device  450 , or from another device via communication interface  480 . The software instructions contained in memory  430  may cause processor  420  to perform operations or processes that will be described later. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes consistent with the principles of the invention. Thus, exemplary implementations are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process for providing “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising to a user. The exemplary process of  FIG. 5  may be implemented by ad/coupon server  220 , either alone or in conjunction with other devices. 
     The exemplary process of  FIG. 5  may begin with facilitating the provision of an advertisement with a first breadcrumb and a first multi-stage coupon to user  240  (block  500 ). For example, as shown in the example of  FIG. 6 , a text message advertisement  600  may be sent to user  240 &#39;s cellular phone  230 - 2  via wireless network  210 - 2 . Advertisement  600  may include a breadcrumb  610  and a multi-stage coupon  620 . Advertisement  600  may additionally include information (not shown) about a given product or service. Breadcrumb  610  may include a text message with a call-in center phone number. Multi-stage coupon  620  may include a portion of a coupon code (e.g., “code 4536” depicted by way of example) that may eventually be used, in conjunction with other codes associated with other multi-stage coupons in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign, to obtain a product/service discount. 
     The provision of an advertisement with a next breadcrumb and a next multi-stage coupon to the user may be facilitated based on whether the user followed the previous breadcrumb (block  505 ). For example, referring back to the example of  FIG. 6 , user  240  may follow breadcrumb  610  by calling the call-in phone number to receive a pre-recorded audio message, as further illustrated in  FIG. 7 . As shown, an audio recording advertisement  700  may be sent to user  240 &#39;s POTS phone  230 - 1  via PSTN  210 - 1 . Advertisement  700  may include a breadcrumb  710  and a multi-stage coupon  720 . Advertisement  700  may additionally include information (not shown) about a given product or service. Breadcrumb  710  may include an audio message with information to locate a television advertisement. Such information may include, for example, a day, time and channel at which a next advertisement in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign may be provided. Multi-stage coupon  720  may include a portion of a coupon code (e.g., “code 9512” depicted in  FIG. 7 ) that may eventually be used, in conjunction with other codes associated with other multi-stage coupons in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign, to obtain a product/service discount. 
     It may be determined if the breadcrumb trail continues (block  505 ). The “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign may include a series of multiple advertisements (e.g. two or more), each having a breadcrumb and a multi-stage coupon. If the breadcrumb trail continues (YES-block  510 ), then the exemplary process may return to block  505 . Blocks  505  and  510  may be selectively repeated for each advertisement, breadcrumb and multi-stage coupon in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign. Referring back to the example of  FIG. 7 , user  420  may follow breadcrumb  710  by tuning his/her television to the proper channel at the proper day and time to receive television audio, video and/or text information that includes a link to a webpage. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the television audio, video and/or text information may be sent to user  240 &#39;s STB  230 - 4  via optical network  210 - 4  for display on a television. Advertisement  800  may include a breadcrumb  810  and a multi-stage coupon  820 . Advertisement  800  may additionally include information (not shown) about a given product or service. Breadcrumb  810  may include audio, video and/or textual information that includes a link to a webpage in Internet  210 - 3 . The link may include, for example, a URL of the webpage. Multi-stage coupon  820  may include a portion of a coupon code (e.g., “code 1735” depicted in  FIG. 8 ) that may eventually be used, in conjunction with other codes associated with other multi-stage coupons in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign, to obtain a product/service discount. 
     Returning to block  510 , if the breadcrumb trail does not continue (NO-block  510 ), then the multi-stage coupons may be received from the user (block  515 ). Referring back to the example of  FIG. 8 , user  240  may follow the last breadcrumb  810  to webpage  900 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . As shown, webpage  900  may be sent to user  240 &#39;s computer  230 - 3 . Upon receipt of webpage  900 , user  240  may enter the previously received coupons  620 ,  720  and  820  as codes in respective fields  910 ,  920  and  930  in webpage  900 . In a situation where the multi-stage coupons are not received from the user, the exemplary process may end without provision of the discount to the user. 
     A discount on a product or service may be provided to the user based on the one or more received multi-stage coupons (block  520 ). The amount of the discount may, in some implementations, depend on the number of multi-stage coupons collected by the user (i.e., how far the user progressed in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign). In other implementations, a discount may only be provided if the user progressed through the entire “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign and supplied the codes associated with all of the multi-stage coupons. The discount may be provided to the user, for example, at the time that the user “checks out” when purchasing a product and/or service on-line. When “checking-out,” the user may enter the codes associated with the multi-stage coupons to have the discount subtracted from the total cost of the user&#39;s on-line order. 
     An extent of user progression in the trail of breadcrumbs ad campaign may be determined (block  525 ). Ad/coupon server  220 , either alone or in conjunction with other devices, may keep a record of user  240 &#39;s progress through the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign. Ad/coupon server  220  may further determine which advertisement media delivery transitions are the most effective. The advertisement transitions may include, for example, an advertisement and breadcrumb sent to the user via a wireless network followed by the transition to an advertisement and breadcrumb sent to the user via a cable television optical network. Ad/coupon server  220  may analyze whether the user follows each provided breadcrumb to determine which media delivery transitions are the most effective. The analysis may include, for example, the determination of a “drop-off” percentage for each stage of the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign. For example, the analysis may determine that X % of users fail to continue to follow the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” when the trail leads from access to media via a cellular phone to access to media via a POTS phone. As another example, the analysis may determine that Y % of users fail to continue to the follow the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” when the trail leads from access to media via a POTS phone to access to media via a STB and television. 
     The exemplary process of  FIG. 5  may be selectively repeated for each user who chooses to follow a “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaign by receiving advertisements, breadcrumbs, and coupons at multiple media presentation devices  230 - 1  through  230 -M. 
     Exemplary embodiments described herein may enable “trail-of-breadcrumbs” advertising campaigns to be conducted that involve providing a series of advertisements to a user via multiple different media delivery networks and via respective, different media presentation devices. Each of the advertisements in the series of advertisements may include a “breadcrumb” that the user may follow to receive a subsequent advertisement, possibly via a different media delivery network and media presentation device, where the advertisement may further include a multi-stage, modular coupon. The user may collect each modular coupon of the multi-stage modular coupons as the user progresses through each stage of the “trail-of-breadcrumbs.” The collected coupons may subsequently be used to purchase a product or service at a discount at some point in the “trail-of-breadcrumbs” (e.g., at the end, or at some intermediate stage). 
     The foregoing description of implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. For example, while series of blocks have been described with regard to  FIG. 5 , the order of the blocks may be modified in other implementations consistent with the principles of the invention. Further, non-dependent blocks may be performed in parallel. 
     Variations of exemplary embodiments described herein may include a capability of the user to opt-in or opt-out of “trail-of-breadcrumb” advertising. Variations of exemplary embodiments may additionally include enabling the user to set ad preferences and/or to join particular advertising campaigns. 
     It will be apparent that embodiments, as described above, may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement embodiments is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the embodiments have been described without reference to the specific software code, it being understood that software and control hardware may be designed based on the description herein. 
     Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as “logic” that performs one or more functions. This logic may include hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit or a field programmable gate array, or a combination of hardware and software. 
     Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the invention. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. 
     No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.