Patent Application
20100198668
This invention relates to a method for promoting or advertising and more particularly, to a method for promoting or advertising a product or service using anthropomorphic objects.
The consuming public has become more and more resistant to advertising. Commercials are often fast-forwarded over using digital video recorder technology. Print ads are less acceptable as consumers turn toward a “greener” lifestyle. Internet advertising is less effective in capturing the attention of consumers who prefer to select “Skip Advertisement,” or to block pop-ups. Accordingly, advertisers are continually seeking more interesting and entertaining ways of advertising and promoting products and services to consumers who are likely to ignore efforts at capturing their attention.
Various unique methods and techniques of advertising and promoting products and services are known. For example, advertising techniques are known whereby customers are presented with a distinctive or characteristic odor or smell associated with a product simultaneously with the visual display or presentation of such goods to the customer. However, such techniques are generally useful for only certain types of products, and in limited locations.
As another example, catchy slogans such as WHERE'S THE BEEF® and GOT MILK?® are used as marketing tools to promote various products and services. However such slogans can become irritating and may quickly lose effectiveness.
Accordingly there is a need for a more unique and effective long-term method or technique for promoting goods and services.
A method of promoting a product or service is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of identifying an object representative of a competing product or service, identifying an undesirable natural attribute and an unnatural attribute associated with the object, simultaneously applying the natural attribute and unnatural attribute to the object, and presenting the object having the natural and unnatural attributes to a user via the user interface so as to convey to the user that the competing product or service is inferior to the product or service being promoted.
Also disclosed is a method of conveying a message to a user about the quality of a promoted product or service, the method comprising presenting the user with an anthropomorphic object representing a competing product or service, identifying at least one undesirable characteristic associated with the competing product or service, applying the undesirable characteristic to the anthropomorphic object, and conveying to the user via a user interface that the competing product or service is inferior to the promoted product or service by the application of the undesirable characteristic to the anthropomorphic object.
Also disclosed is a method of promoting a product or service comprising the steps of anthropomorphizing an inanimate object representative of a competing product or service, attributing an undesirable characteristic associated with the competing product or service to the inanimate object, and conveying to a user via a user interface that the competing product or service is inferior to the product or service being promoted based on the attribution of the undesirable characteristic to the inanimate object.
The invention may be better understood by references to the detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
a-c illustrate an example of an animated anthropomorphic figure that may represent a product or service being promoted, and that may be featured within advertising content, the figure being illustrated in three different human-like positions.
Next, a natural attribute associated with the representative object is identified (step 105). In this step 105, a natural attribute is one that is naturally associated with the representative object. For example, an article of clothing may have the following natural attributes (by way of example only): soft, wrinkled, striped, silky, pleated, new, ripped, colorful, dirty, stained. On the other hand, an unnatural attribute of an object is one that is not naturally occurring with respect to that object, for example: intelligent, literate, animate, electronic, alive, hostile, antagonistic, intimidating, derisive, unfriendly, sarcastic, mean, sad.
In one embodiment of the method of
Next, an unnatural attribute associated with the representative object is identified (step 110). In one embodiment, where the representative object is naturally inanimate, the unnatural attribute associated with the object may be a human or human-like characteristic, such as, for example, verbally literate or animated (e.g., exhibiting human-like movements or gestures, such as clapping, talking, singing; winking, dancing). For example, in the context of floral delivery services as discussed above, the step of identifying an unnatural attribute associated with the bouquet of flowers may include identifying “talking” or “dancing” as the unnatural attribute. In the other examples discussed above, the unnatural attribute associated with an article of clothing and/or a delivered package may also be identified as “talking” or “dancing.” While the examples above describe the identified unnatural attribute associated with an inanimate object as being human-like in nature, one of skill in the art would appreciate that other unnatural attributes, such as electronic, robotic or motorized may be identified in step 110. Further, it should be understood that more than one unnatural attribute may be identified in step 110.
Next, the natural and unnatural attributes identified at steps 105 and 110 are simultaneously applied to the representative object (step 115). For example, again referring to the floral delivery service example discussed above, the unnatural attributes of talking and having human mobility may be applied to the representative object, e.g., a bouquet of wilting or withering flowers, as shown in
In another example, the unnatural attributes of talking and animation may be applied to a stained shirt, or to the stain itself. In this example, the stain (undesirable natural attribute of clothing) may, for example, be shaped so as to have the appearance of having a mouth, and the mouth may be made to move and talk (unnatural attribute) such that it is synchronized with an audio narrative. The animation and/or synchronization may be performed with the aid of a general purpose computer or graphics terminal.
In yet another example, the unnatural attributes of talking and animation may be applied to a package. In this example, the package may be ripped (undesirable natural attribute) such that the rip may give the package the appearance of having a mouth formed on a face of the package, and the mouth may be made to move such that it is synchronized with an audio narrative. Alternatively, or in addition, the package may have been dropped such that the contents of the package are broken. An unnatural attribute of the package may be jumping, such that the broken (undesirable natural attribute) contents of the package may be shown by making a jingling or rattling sound when the package jumps about (unnatural attribute).
Returning to
As an example of an advertisement for flower delivery services presented to a user via a user interface, one or more wilted flowers, or a bouquet of wilted flowers, intended to represent flowers sold by a competing floral delivery service, may be illustrated. The flowers may be portrayed in a moving or still video or photograph that has been altered, digitally or by hand, such that the flowers have an anthropomorphic or “living” appearance. For example, the pedals may be made to mimic a mouth and/or the leaves may be made to mimic human arms making various movements and gestures. In the case of a video advertisement, an audio stream may be added to the altered video to give the sound and appearance of the flowers talking. In the case of a still advertisement, a bubble call-out (as in a classic comic book) may be added to indicate speech from one or more of the wilted flowers.
In one embodiment, the text of the narrative may be drafted so as to suggest that the competitor's service is inferior, and that buying flowers through such a competitive delivery service sends a message to the recipient opposite to what is intended by the flowers. For example, the advertisement may show a bouquet of wilted talking flowers sent to a new mother holding her newborn baby. The messages someone typically wants to convey when sending flowers to a new mother are: “Congratulations on your new baby” or “We look forward to your return to work” or “We can't wait to meet your little one.” However, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the wilted flowers may have the additional unnatural attribute of hostility or sarcasm, and be made to “speak” derisive, sarcastic or hostile remarks, such as, “Oh, you were pregnant? We thought you were just fat!” or “We're glad your out of the office—now we can steal your projects!” or “Is it a boy or a girl? It's so ugly, who cares!?!” In a print advertisement, these comments may be written in a bubble callout as in classic comic strips or books. The derisive comments made by the flowers are intended to convince viewers to use the services of the person or company promoting the product, rather than the inferior services represented by the wilted, sarcastic flowers.
In another example implementation of the method disclosed, an advertisement for laundry detergent may be presented to users via a user interface. In such an advertisement, a stained article of clothing (e.g., a shirt) just out of the washing machine may be illustrated, the stained shirt intended to represent a competitor's product. The shirt may be portrayed in a moving or still video or photograph that has been altered, digitally or by hand, such that the shirt appears to be animated or “living.” For example, the shirt may appear to be standing on its own with the shirt-sleeve made to mimic the arms of a human making various movements or gestures. In the case of a video advertisement, an audio stream may be added to the altered video to give the appearance of the shirt or stain talking. In the case of a still advertisement, a bubble call-out may be added to indicate speech from the shirt or stain, as in a comic strip or book.
In one embodiment, the text of the narrative for the laundry detergent advertisement may be drafted so as to suggest that the competitor's detergent is inferior, and that buying the competitor's product sends a message to the recipient opposite to what is intended by a high quality laundry detergent. For example, the advertisement may show a person getting ready for a first date pulling the stained shirt out of the washing machine. The messages someone typically wants to convey when on a first date is: “I want to look my best for you” or “I'm a nice, clean-cut, together person.” However, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the stained shirt may have the additional unnatural attribute of hostility or sarcasm, and be made to “speak” derisive, sarcastic or hostile remarks, such as, “Why even bother—she'll probably stand you up anyway” or “Don't even try to pull yourself together—it's never gonna happen!” In a print advertisement, these comments may be written in a bubble callout as in classic comic strips or books. The derisive comments made by the shirt or stain are intended to convince viewers to buy the laundry detergent of the person or company promoting the product, rather than the inferior product represented by the stained shirt.
In yet another example implementation of the method disclosed, an advertisement for a courier service may be presented to users via a user interface, such as a computer display screen, a movie theater screen, a television display, or a print advertisement. In such an advertisement, a smashed-up or torn package may be illustrated, representing the courier services of a competing company. The package may be portrayed in a moving or still video or photograph that has been altered, digitally or by hand, such that the package appears to be animated or “living.” For example, the package may have several large tears that appear to be the eyes and/or mouth of the package, so as to mimic the face of a person. In the case of a video advertisement, an audio stream may be added to the altered video to give the appearance of the package talking. In the case of a still advertisement, a bubble call-out may be added to indicate speech from the package, as in a comic strip or book.
In one embodiment, the text of the narrative for the courier service advertisement may be drafted so as to suggest that the competitor's service is inferior, and that using the competitor's service sends a message opposite to what is intended by a high quality courier service. For example, the advertisement may show a person receiving a birthday gift sent via the competitor's courier service. The messages someone typically wants to convey when sending a birthday gift is: “Happy Birthday” or “Have a great day on your special day.” However, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the torn package may have the additional unnatural attribute of hostility or sarcasm, and be made to “speak” derisive, sarcastic or hostile remarks, such as, “We wanted to send you something that looks as old as you do,” or “Who cares if this vase is cracked—you're probably too old to see the crack anyway!” In a print advertisement, these comments may be written in a bubble callout as in classic comic strips or books. The derisive comments made by the package are intended to convince viewers to use the company promoting the service to deliver your package, rather than the inferior service represented by the smashed package.
In other embodiments, as illustrated in
By way of another example, the animated flower 350 may “sing” a well-known holiday jingle that is known to engender feelings of happiness and/or nostalgia. In yet another embodiment, the flower 350 may interact with the user to navigate the user through the web pages of the website. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the present invention provides a wide variety of applications for promoting products and services via the Internet.
The advertising content described above may be delivered to a user in any number of conventions means. For example, the advertising content may be disseminated via a television broadcasters such as NBC®, ABC®, CBS®, and the like. Alternatively, the advertising content may be presented to an end-user via a communications network, such as the Internet, the World-Wide Web, or a wireless Internet network. In any such communications network, the network may include an end-user computer that connects to, and communicates with, a host server. Advertising content may be stored on the host server. The content may then be communicated from the host server via the Internet to the end-user computer, where the advertisement is broadcast to the end-user via a computer having a user-interface display, such as a cathode ray tube (“CRT”), liquid crystal display (“LCD”), or plasma display.
As yet another example of a means for delivering the above-described advertising content, the advertising content may be delivered via a mobile broadcasting network that includes, for example, a broadcast center, a satellite, and a mobile receiver having a display. The mobile receiver may be, for example, radiotelephones, mobile telephones, cellular telephones, smartphones, wireless-enabled PDAs, wireless-enabled portable computers, network-enabled devices such as PCs, TV set top boxes and other similar devices. The mobile broadcasting network may include a satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (“DMB”) network and/or a terrestrial DMB network.
As will be understood by those of skill in the art, the advertising content may be delivered by other means, including print advertisements, billboards, electronic billboard, and marketing materials such as t-shirts and other clothing, mouse pads, coffee mugs, water bottles, coupons, sweepstakes or contests, and note pads.
Having described illustrative embodiments incorporating the present invention, it is to be understood that other embodiments may also be used. It will be appreciated that various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein and all such modifications and changes are within the scope of the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/148,817 filed Jan. 30, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to the extent permitted by law.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61148817 | Jan 2009 | US |
