Abstract:
A method for advertising in media, comprising receiving an ad/catalog, determining the properties of the ad, generating a placement cost of ad containing said properties, receiving payment, recording payment for the properties of the ad and placing the ad. In one embodiment, the method comprises an advertiser submitting an ad/catalog for placement in a medium.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    This invention relates generally to the field of advertising. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of placing advertising space in distributed electronic and hardcopy media. 
         [0005]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0006]    The association of a product with a particular experience, event or location can be a key ingredient to effective advertising. Advertisers regularly seek associations with quality experiences or locations. Additionally, a captive audience or the number of views may dictate the success of a particular ad campaign. As a result, ads can be found almost anywhere. 
         [0007]    While magazines and periodicals routinely print ads, and in fact primarily exist on the ad dollars targeted to their readership; marketing and advertising in books has been relatively untapped as an advertising market. In part, this is due to the relatively low rate of turn over of a book once purchased. Additionally, the lifetime of a book may exceed the intended ad or product lifetimes. 
         [0008]    Certain television, film, radio, and computer advertisements largely support the media in which they are distributed. Publisher or distributor assistance in targeting advertising to subscribers, readers, or viewers is limited to placing certain ads in conjunction with certain media contents. Furthermore, the distributed copies of certain electronic media, including compact disc (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs) and MP3s are relatively free from advertisements. Increasing popularity of mobile or cellphones have also created potential opportunities for advertisers. These recent developments in publishing music, video, books for distribution, both on paper and in electronic media, have established a new niche to expand marketing techniques as a means of reaching potential customers. Consequently, there is a need for a business method for advertising in published and distributed media. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0009]    These and other needs in the art are addressed in one embodiment by a method for advertising in multiple classes of published or distributed media, comprising receiving an ad, determining the properties of the ad, generating a placement cost of ad containing said properties, receiving payment, recording payment for the properties of the ad and placing the ad. 
         [0010]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    For a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a business method for advertising in published media. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment of a business method for advertising in published media. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The business method  1  for advertising in published media is generally illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A publisher  10  receives advertiser  20  product graphics, or ads  22  from an electronic process  11 . After submission the ads  22  are placed in published media, or content  12  such as books  14 , e-books  16  and other content  18 . Other content  18  comprises any copyright protected material for production, publishing, and/or distribution. Other content  18  may comprise, without limitation compact discs (CD), digital video discs (DVD), MP3s, and POD-casts. The placement of the ad  22  is dependent on a number of factors calculated in transaction steps  28 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a second diagram of business method  1  for advertising in published media. The ad  122  is advertiser  120  generated content submitted to the publisher  110 . The ad  122  is comprised of discrete properties  124  such as but not limited to dimensions, colors, verbiage, images, and film of product being sold. Discrete properties  124  may be related to content  112  ad  122  is to be placed within. In certain instances the ad  122  comprises camera ready or publishing ready copy. The properties  124  of the ad  122  are used to generate an ad cost  132  that define transaction step  30 . Further transaction step  30  provides publisher  110  the rights to place the ad  122  in any content  112  that meets the discrete properties  124  of the ad  122 . The ad cost  132  is calculated for all ads  122  containing similar properties. In certain instances ad cost  132  may be considered an “a la carte” option for advertisers. As publisher determines location and content  112  for placing ad  122 , ad cost  132  may be a discounted cost. Discounts to ad cost  132  may comprise quantity of ads, multiple ads across multiple medium, location, and other considerations. Further, publisher may alter ad cost  132  to make provisions for pro-rating, in-kind, or other negotiated contracts. 
         [0016]    Additional transactions  40  require further calculations in addition to ad cost  132 . Additional transactions  40  include supplemental properties  126  of the ad  122  such as location in medium, relationship to medium, and product placement without limitation. The supplemental properties  126  are used to generate the supplemental cost  134  of the ad  122 . Alternate transaction step  40  is calculated as a supplemental cost  134 . 
         [0017]    The supplemental properties  126  can be considered rights, shares, stakes, contracts, commodities or other contracts as known to one skilled in the art for controlling the location wherein the publisher  120  places the ad  122  in content  112 . For example, certain advertisers  110  may prefer to have their ad  122  placed early in the content  112 . Early placement may comprise, without limitation, in the front of a book, at the top of a webpage, or during the introduction of an audio-visual media. It can be envisioned that placement preference decreases as the ad is placed later in the content  112 . In these instances, later in the content may comprise, without limitation, the back of the cover of a book, the bottom of a webpage, or during the conclusion and credits of an audio-visual media. The supplemental cost  134  may be higher for an advertiser  110  that chooses to place the ad  122  elsewhere in the content  112 . 
         [0018]    In certain instances it may be advantageous for a publisher  120  to further conduct premium transactions  50  with an advertiser  110 . Premium transactions  50  are rights, shares, stakes, contracts, commodities or other contracts as known to one skilled in the art, that the advertiser  110  purchases from publisher  120 . Premium transactions  50  control premium properties  128 . A premium transaction  50  may further include the advertiser  120  selecting to place ad  122  in the works of a particular author, artist, group, company, or other content producer, without limitation. Further, a premium transaction may comprise an exclusivity clause, such that one advertiser&#39;s products are to be limited to association with a particular content producer. 
         [0019]    Without limitation, premium properties  128  may include without limitation aroma ads, subliminal ads, auditory ads, scrolling ads, and/or foldout or pop-up ads. Placement of the ad  122  in relation to the story, plot, score, or other component of the media, for example a product placement within the topic or subject of the content  112  represents an envisioned premium transaction  50 . In certain industries product placement is a coveted form of subliminal advertising. In an instance of product placement in text, the ad  122  may be placed on the opposing page from a direct reference in the content  112 . Alternatively, the ad  122  may scroll across a perimeter portion of a screen in conjunction with the product placement within an audio-visual media. Without being limited by theory, in these instances the consumer perceives the ad  122  in the media, also notes the add  122 , and associates the ad  122  with the surrounding media, and content reference. The perception may comprise at least in a subconscious or subliminal context. In further instances, the reference to a product or product placement may be differentiated from the surrounding media to draw attention to the product and the ad  122 . Other product placement or visual cues in content  112  may comprise a premium property  128  without limitation. 
         [0020]    The ad  122  can be produced for the advertiser  110  by the publisher  120 . The production cost  60  of the ad  122  is factored into the algorithm for total ad cost  138  after to determining the properties  122 ,  124 ,  126 . Alternatively, production cost  60  can be set up prior to determining properties  122 ,  124 , 126  so that the advertiser  110  grants publisher  120  some control over the content of the ad  122 . 
         [0021]    The calculation of the total ad cost  138  is the sum of ad costs  132 , supplemental cost  134  and premium cost  136 . Adjustments for client  101  or alternative distribution contracts are operated on the total ad cost  138 . The total ad cost  138  is billed from the publisher  110  to the advertiser  120 . Total ad cost  138  represents the final calculation of the formula and fixes the cost of placing the ad  122  in the content  112 . Further the total ad cost  138  can be recorded, used, and referred to in future calculations of placing an ad  122  in a content  112 . 
         [0022]    Alternatively, a third party  101  acts as a distributor for the publisher  110 . In premium transactions  50  of this sort the publisher  120  has the option to lower the total cost  138  associated with placing the ad  122 . The total cost  138  is scaled in relation to the number, means, location and commitment of resources for distribution. Examples of distribution include promotional bundles, point of sale engagements, direct representative, associate sales or other means of distributing a book. The book can be distributed simultaneously with other media such as film, digital, audio, other recordings or other printed media. The third party  101  may comprise a client, a contractor, a sub-contractor or similar person or company that is recognized by the advertiser  110  and the publisher  120 . 
         [0023]    Without wishing to be limited by marketing or advertising theory, incorporating advertising into long duration media, such as books, including electronic books, and DVDs, CDs, or MP3s increases the overall value of the placing the ad to the advertiser. The typical time of possession of these media acts to impart a product association or long-term value to the product. An example of long-term value is customer association with a classic or defining work. Further association of a product with a particular genre of the media represents a form of branding. For instance, without limitation, association of a product with adventure lends the product the reputation of being for the adventurous. Additionally, associating the product with a book will target a particular subset of the population, using the example hereinabove: the product will be targeted to readers of adventure books. In an embodiment, the content  112  is books, wherein the publishing, copyrighting, or trade-marking of the material occurs less frequently than annually, and the content therein does not significantly and substantially change on a per edition, volume or printing basis. The book may be any as known to one in skilled in the art such as, without limitation, fiction, non-fiction, self-help, travel, cooking or other genre. 
         [0024]    Alternatively, the ad  122  may comprise an entire catalog located within the media. Further, the ad  122  may comprise a catalog of products and services. In certain instances, alternating pages of the book may comprise the ad  122 . Without being limited by marketing or advertising theory, merging advertising and entertainment, increases the value of the medium for both distributors of advertising, such as catalog distributors, and for publishers. For the advertisers, the cost of producing the catalog is offset by the capacity to sell the entertainment to prospective clients, customers or other purchasers of the product. In the case of publishers, the cost of publishing the text is offset by the advertisers paying for space. These benefits may be passed on to the customer in the form of lower prices for the entertainment of the text. In further instances, although the cost is lowered for the consumer it is not lowered as much as the cost offset to the publisher. 
         [0025]    The execution of this method involves several distinct ways of advertising in books, e-books, CDs, DVDs, and cell phones. Ads will be placed in the referenced media for organizations, people, places, companies, products, services and any other entity that can be advertised. Another method involves the attachment of a product catalog that is fully integrated into the media that features products and services. With the described business method and commonplace use of the computer, advertising is now more practical and pragmatic in books, e-books, CDs, DVDs and cell phones. Consumers can easily be directed to corresponding websites or Internet resources that consistently update the information provided in the featured advertising. Similarly, websites and Internet resources can be used to update information when a consumer goods catalog is attached to a CD, DVD, e-book or cell phone. Updating information refers to the introduction, discontinuation, improvement, or modification of goods and services sold. An added benefit is the ability to drive traffic to websites and to instantly capture demographic information for further communication with customers, consumers, content providers, and publishers. Ultimately, this connection between this advertising method and the Internet can cultivate new customers. 
         [0026]    Furthermore, regarding text mediums, new technological advances, such as print-on-demand (POD) which lets publishers print books as they are needed, have made it easier to offer advertising space and product catalogs in books. The use of paid advertising space and attached product catalogs in books are viable advertising options because these methods may be less expensive than advertising in other mediums. Due to printing cost differentials in printing volumes, printing large numbers of books can greatly improve the cost/benefit ratio and may prove to be extremely cost effective. In other words, depending on the number of books printed and the number of pages in the book, the advertising space cost to the publisher can be free or negligible. In certain applications, the cost/benefit factor may be negligible for adding advertising to CDs. DVDs, cell phones and e-books as well. 
         [0027]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings of the invention. The embodiments described and the examples provided herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations and modifications of the invention disclosed herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above, but is only limited by the claims which follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.