Abstract:
A digital creative interaction system receives a request for creative briefs for the target consumer group from a client and determines parameters of the request for creative briefs. The digital creative interaction system issues the request for creative briefs to a plurality of sources. The digital creative interaction system, in response to issuing a request for creative briefs, receives creative briefs and corresponding bids. The digital creative interaction system deploys each of the creative briefs to the target consumer group and captures user behavior data responsive to the deployed creative briefs.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/169,892, filed on Apr. 16, 2009, and entitled “Digital Platform”, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Advertising agencies, creative contractors and marketers (generally creative agencies) design advertisements (ads) for clients. These ads may be directed toward the public as a whole or a specific segment of the public, at the direction of the clients. The ads are designed in order o meet a business objective typically identified by the clients, the potential clients or a third party. A business objective may include selling a product, selling a service, etc. 
         [0003]    When using an ad, the business objective of is usually to increase sales of a product or service. However, many clients may purchase ineffective ads because it is difficult for the client to determine the impact of an ad on a business objective. For example, once an ad is deployed to the public, it is difficult to determine a measure of sales or other measure of success attributable to the deployment of the ad. Therefore, clients may be deploying ineffective ads to the public that do not garner sales. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The embodiments of the invention will be described in detail in the following description with reference to the following figures. 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates a digital creative interaction system, according to an embodiment; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates a more detailed block diagram of the digital creative interaction system, according to an embodiment; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  illustrates a method for determining a creative brief, according to an embodiment; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  illustrates a computer system, according to an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0009]    For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the embodiments are described by referring mainly to examples thereof. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, that the embodiments may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In some instances, well known methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments. Also, the embodiments described herein may be used with each other in various combinations. 
       1. Overview 
       [0010]    According to an embodiment, a digital creative interaction system integrates creative development and quantitative testing of creative briefs. A creative brief is an advertisement or a description of an advertisement. The digital creative interaction system enables clients to electronically learn of a group of potential consumers for a specific product or service. The digital creative interaction system also prepares and issues a request for creative briefs targeted at the group of potential consumers or at a specific segment of the population for the product or service. 
         [0011]    The digital creative interaction system also enables creative agencies to view and respond to various requests for creative briefs. The creative agencies may respond to one or more requests for creative briefs issued by a client with a response bid including a creative brief and corresponding bid that matches parameters in the request for creative briefs. Therefore, if there are multiple responding creative agencies, each responding creative agency is competing against one another by responding to the request for creative briefs with a response bid, introducing a new model of engagement between clients and creative agencies. 
         [0012]    Each response bid may be reviewed and approved by the digital creative interaction system or by an external actor based on parameters in the request for creative briefs. Once each response bid is approved, each creative brief is automatically tested against the targeted group of potential consumers before one of the response bids is accepted. At the end of the automated testing process, metrics are captured by the digital creative interaction system. The metrics include data on the impact of the creative brief on the target group of potential consumers, such as user behavior data in response to the creative brief. Once these metrics are captured by the digital creative interaction system, the client may decide which of the response bids will be accepted. 
         [0013]    The digital creative interaction system permits clients and creative agencies to interact electronically without having to manually send mails, messages, bids, etc. The digital creative interaction system provides a virtual environment for a client to automatically test each creative brief and dyanmically determine which creative brief to select based on metrics gathered by the electronic system. 
       2. System 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a digital creative interaction system  100 , according to an embodiment.  FIG. 1  includes client  102  and creative agencies  104   a - n.  The client  102  is any entity operable to request creative briefs from the digital creative interaction system  100 . The creative agencies  104   a - n  may include advertising agencies, creative contractors, marketers or any other entity that may respond to a request for creative briefs. The client  102  may access the digital creative interaction system  100  via a network, such as the Internet or other type of network. The client  102  may access the digital creative interaction system  100  in order to issue a request for creative briefs or to determine if a creative brief should be requested. As described above, a creative brief is an advertisement or description of an advertisement for an identified product or service targeted at a group of potential consumers, i.e. a target consumer group. 
         [0015]    In  FIG. 1 , the client  102  accesses the digital creative interaction system  100 . The client  102  may receive gap determination data  108  indicating the target consumer group to which a creative brief may be directed for a specific product or service. For example, the gap determination data  108  may include data identifying a segment of the population, i.e. target consumer group, that does not purchase a specific product or service sold by the client  102 ; a segment of population, i.e. a target consumer group, that has a small market share of a product or service sold by the client  102 ; etc. The gap determination data  108  may include attributes of the target consumer group. The attributes of the target consumer group are attributes common to each member of the target consumer group and may define the target consumer group. For example, the attributes of a target consumer group may be female, Asian, age between 18 and 24, etc. The gap determination data  108  may come from an external source or from the digital creative interaction system  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the digital creative interaction system  100  receives the gap determination data  108  from gap determination engine  106 , and sends the gap determination data  108  to the client  102 . 
         [0016]    The digital creative interaction system  100  converts the gap determination data  108  into a message for the client  102 . The message includes the gap determination data  108  and is viewable by the client  102  whenever the client  102  accesses the digital creative interaction system  100 . When the client  102  accesses the digital creative interaction system  100 , the client  102  may view all of the messages, i.e. the gap determination data  108  that has been converted into the messages. The messages may also be sent directly to an email system of the client  102 , a text messaging system of the client  102 , etc. 
         [0017]    Based the gap determination data  108  in the messages, the client  102  may prompt the digital creative interaction system  100  to electronically prepare and issue a request for creative briefs  112  to creative agencies  104   a - n.  The request for creative briefs  112  identifies requirements, also referred to as parameters, for a creative brief responding to an identified need for marketing to the target consumer group for the product or service identified by the gap determination engine  106 . The digital creative interaction system  100  may also prepare and issue the request for creative briefs  112  automatically for each message containing the gap determination data  108 . 
         [0018]    The request for creative briefs  112  may be created from a template based on the gap determination data  108 . For example, the request for creative briefs  112  is created when the gap determination data  108  is populated in the template. The template is populated with gap determination data  108  in a product or service to be sold field, a target consumer group field and attributes of the target consumer group field. Once the template is populated with the gap determination data  108 , the digital creative interaction system  100  further populates a creative brief parameters field and a bid parameters field. The creative brief parameters are requirements for creative briefs. The creative brief parameters may include maximum size, specific colors, layout dimensions, layout design preferences, etc. The bid parameters are requirements for the bids corresponding to the creative briefs. The bid parameters may include currency, minimum amount, maximum amount, an acceptable range, etc. Once the creative brief parameters and the bid parameters are populated in the template by the digital creative interaction system  100 , the request for creative briefs  112  is complete. The request for creative briefs  112  may be posted to an electronic board in the digital creative interaction system  100  or may be sent electronically to the creative agencies  104   a - n via text, email, automated message alert, etc.    
         [0019]    The creative agencies  104   a - n  access the digital creative interaction system  100  via a network such as the Internet. The creative agencies  104   a - n  may prepare and respond to the request for creative briefs  112  with response bids  114   a - n.  The response bids  114   a - n  may include a creative brief, as discussed above, and a corresponding bid for the use of the creative brief. All, some or none of the creative agencies  104   a - n  with access to the digital creative interaction system  100  or with access to the request for creative briefs  112  may respond to the request for creative briefs  112  with response bids  114   a - n.  In  FIG. 1 , the creative agency  104   a  and the creative agency  104   b  respond to the request for the creative briefs  112  with the response bids  114   a  and  114   b,  respectively. The creative agency  104   n  does not respond to the request for creative briefs  112 . 
         [0020]    Once some or all of the creative agencies  104   a - n  have responded to the request for creative briefs  112 , the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  are reviewed and approved by the digital creative interaction system  100  or by an external actor. For example, in  FIG. 1 , the digital creative interaction system  100  reviews the response bids  114   a  and  114   b.  The review of the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  includes determining if the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  conform with the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 . More specifically, the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  are reviewed to determine if the product or service to be sold, the target consumer group, the attributes of the target consumer group, the creative brief parameters and the bid parameters match the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 . If the digital creative interaction system  100  determines a response bid does not match the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 , a response is sent to the creative agency that sent the response bid indicating that the response bid was rejected for non-conformance. If, however, the digital creative interaction system  100  determines the response bid matches the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 , the creative brief is marked as approved and sent to test system  110 . 
         [0021]    The dashed line around the digital creative interaction system  100  and the test system  110  indicates the test system  100  may also be included in the digital creative interaction system  100 . The test system  110  places the creative brief into a live environment, such as the Internet, to measure the impact of the creative brief on the target consumer group. For example, if the creative brief is an advertisement for shoes for European women between 18 and 24, the creative brief is placed online to measure the impact of the creative brief on the segment of the population that includes European women between 18 and 24. The test system  110  captures user behavior data including user behavior of the target consumer group when presented with the creative brief. The user behavior data includes the specific response of a member of the target consumer group and the number of times the specific response was encountered, among other data. The captured user behavior data is returned to the digital creative interaction system  100 . The captured user behavior data for each creative brief tested may be used by the client  102 , along with the corresponding bid, to determine which of the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  to accept. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram detailing the digital creative interaction system  100 , according to an embodiment. The digital creative interaction system  100  includes gap determination data conversion unit  210 , request for creative briefs creation unit  220 , response bid approval unit  230  and testing control unit  240 . The dashed box around the digital creative interaction system  100  and the test system  110  indicates the test system  100  may also be included in the digital creative interaction system  100 . 
         [0023]    The gap determination data conversion unit  210  receives the gap determination data  108  from the gap determination engine  106 . As discussed above, the gap determination data  108  output by the gap determination engine  106  may include a product or service to be sold, a target consumer group, and attributes of the target consumer group. The gap determination data conversion unit  210  converts the gap determination data  108  into a message for the client  102  so the client  102  may view the gap determination data  108  as messages from the digital creative interaction system  100 . 
         [0024]    The request for creative briefs creation unit  220  creates the request for creative briefs  112  if the client  102  prompts the digital creative interaction system  100  to electronically prepare and issue the request for creative briefs  112  or if the digital creative interaction system  100  is configured to automatically prepare and issue the request for creative briefs  112  for each message created by the gap determination data conversion unit  210 . The request for creative briefs creation unit  220  creates the request for creative briefs  112  by populating a template, as discussed above. Once the template is populated by the request for creative briefs creation unit  220 , the request for creative briefs  112  is complete. 
         [0025]    The response bid approval unit  230  receives the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  from the creative agencies  104   a  and  104   b.  Once the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  have been received, the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  are reviewed to determine if the response bids  114   a - n  conform with the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112  by the response bid approval unit  230 . If the response bid approval unit  230  determines a response bid does not match the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 , a response is sent to the creative agency that sent the creative brief indicating that the response bid was rejected for non-conformance. If, however, the response bid approval unit  230  determines the response bid matches the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 , the creative brief is marked as approved. 
         [0026]    The testing control unit  240  forwards the creative briefs of the approved response bids  114   a  and  114   b  to the test system  110 . The test system  110  places the creative briefs into a live environment, such as the Internet to measure the impact of the creative briefs on the target consumer group, as discussed above. The test system  110  captures user behavior data including user behavior of the target consumer group when presented with the creative briefs. The captured user behavior data is returned to the testing control unit  240 , which contains memory to store the captured user behavior data. The captured user behavior data for each creative brief tested may be used by the client  102 , along with the corresponding bid, to determine which of the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  to accept. 
       3. Method 
       [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates method  300  for determining a creative brief, according to an embodiment. The method  300  is described with respect to the digital creative interaction system  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  by way of example and not limitation. The method  300  may be performed by other systems. The method  300  starts at step  310  and includes steps  310 - 332 . 
         [0028]    At step  310 , the digital creative interaction system  100  determines whether gap determination data  108  has been identified for a product or service. As discussed above, the gap determination data  108  may include the product or service to be sold, the target consumer group, and the attributes of the target consumer group. If gap determination data  108  has not been identified, the process ends at step  310 . If gap determination data  108  has been identified, the process continues to step  312 . 
         [0029]    At step  312 , the identified gap determination data  108  is converted to a message for the client  102 . The message includes the gap determination data  108  and is viewable by the  102  whenever the client  102  accesses the digital creative interaction system  100 . As discussed above, when the client  102  accesses the digital creative interaction system  100 , the client  102  may view all of the messages. The messages may also be sent directly into an email system of the client, a text messaging system of the client, etc. 
         [0030]    At step  314 , the digital creative interaction system  100  determines whether a request for creative briefs  112  is to be created. As discussed above, based the gap determination data  108  in the messages, the client  102  may prompt the digital creative interaction system  100  to prepare and issue the request for creative briefs  112  or this may be determined automatically by the digital creative interaction system  100 . If a request for creative briefs  112  is not to be prepared, the process ends at step  314 . If a request for creative briefs  112  is to be prepared, the process continues to step  316 . 
         [0031]    At step  316 , the request for creative briefs  112  is created from a template based on the gap determination data  108 . As discussed above, the request for creative briefs  112  is created when the template is populated with gap determination data  108  in the product or service to be sold field, the target consumer group field and the attributes of the target consumer group field and when the digital creative interaction system  100  further populates the creative brief parameters field and the bid parameters field. 
         [0032]    At step  318 , the request for creative briefs  112  is issued to creative agencies  104   a - n.  The request for creative briefs  112  may be posted to an electronic board in the digital creative interaction system  100  or may be sent electronically to each of the creative agencies  104   a - n  via text, email, automated message alert, etc. 
         [0033]    At step  320 , the digital creative interaction system  100  determines whether response bids  114   a - n  have been received. As discussed above, the response bids  114   a - n  include a creative brief and a corresponding bid for the use of the creative brief. All, some or none of the creative agencies may respond with a response bid. If at least one response bid has not been received, the process ends at step  320 . If at least one response bid has been received, the process continues to step  322 . 
         [0034]    At step  322 , the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  received at step  320  are reviewed by the digital creative interaction system  100  or by an external actor. The review of the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  includes determining if the response bids  114   a  and  114   b  conform with the requirements in the request for creative briefs. The response bids  114   a  and  114   b  may be reviewed to determine if the product or service to be sold, the target consumer group, the attributes of the target consumer group, the creative brief parameters and the bid parameters match the requirements in the request for creative briefs  112 . If it is determined that a response bid does not match the requirements in the request for creative briefs, a response is sent to the creative agency that sent the creative brief indicating that the response bid was rejected for non-conformance at step  324 . If, however, it is determined that the response bid matches the requirements in the request for creative briefs, the creative brief is marked as approved and the process moves onto step  326 . 
         [0035]    At step  326 , the creative brief sent to the test system  110 . 
         [0036]    At step  328 , the test system  110  accepts the creative brief and places the creative brief into a live environment, such as the Internet, to measure the impact of the creative brief on the target consumer group. 
         [0037]    At step  330 , the test system  110  captures user behavior data including user behavior of the target consumer group when the presented with the creative brief. The user behavior data includes the specific response of a member of the target consumer group and the number of times the specific response was encountered, among other data. The captured user behavior data is returned to the digital creative interaction system  100 . 
         [0038]    At step  332 , the captured user behavior data for each creative brief tested may be used by the client  102 , along with the corresponding bid, to determine which of the response bids to accept. For example, digital creative interaction system  100  may rank or weight the creative briefs. The creative briefs may be ranked or weighted based on cost to the client for the creative brief and effectiveness of the creative brief. Effectiveness is determined from metrics from the captured user behavior of step  330 . The metrics may indicate whether the users made a purchase when presented with the brief or whether a user clicked on the ad, or other metrics. The system may present the rankings, weights and metrics to the client  102  and the client may select a creative brief. The creative agency may then be paid for the selected creative brief, and the selected creative brief is then used by the client, such as for advertising or other marketing. 
         [0039]    According to an embodiment, the digital creative interaction system  100  may also be an agent running on equipment belonging to the client  102 , a system accessed via the Internet a web service, etc.  FIG. 4  shows a computer system  400  that may be used as a hardware platform for the digital creative interaction system  100 , according to an embodiment. The computer system  400  may be used as a platform for executing one or more of the steps, methods, and functions described herein that may be embodied as software stored on one or more computer readable storage devices, which are hardware storage devices. 
         [0040]    The computer system  400  includes a processor  402 , unit or processing circuitry that may implement or execute software instructions performing some or all of the methods, functions and other steps described herein. Commands and data from the processor  402  are communicated over a communication bus  404 . The computer system  400  also includes a computer readable storage device  403 , such as random access memory (RAM), where the software and data for processor  402  may reside during runtime. The storage device  403  may also include non-volatile data storage. The computer system  400  may include a network interface  405  for connecting to a network. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other known electronic components may be added or substituted in the computer system  400 . 
         [0041]    While the embodiments have been described with reference to examples, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claimed embodiments. Also, the embodiments described herein may be used to determine user behavior in response to creative briefs, which creative briefs to implement that receive the highest scoring in a scoring system based on user behavior data, which creative briefs provide the most website traffic, etc.