Patent Application
20120278146
People are naturally very often strongly influenced by the feedback, comments and opinions, or purchases of others in their social network before, for example, making a purchase. For example, an individual knowing that a family member or friend has commented positively on a certain brand or product, or recently bought a product of a certain brand, may well positively influence the chances that the individual will make a similar purchase.
There is a need for techniques in online advertising relating to, among other things, encouraging users to promote or publicize their favorite brands and/or products.
Some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods in which users who are or who may like to be associated with certain brands and/or products may be detected by one or more computers based at least in part on e.g., user search history information, user purchase history information, user profile information, etc. The detected users may then be presented with an offer to act as ambassadors (i.e., represent the brand and/or product in a promotional capacity) for the brand and/or product. The offer may be presented by the advertiser (i.e., the brand) or a third party entity (e.g., Yahoo!), or in combination by both entities.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments, users who accept offers to act as ambassadors for certain brands and/or products may advertise or promote those brands and/or products a number of ways. For example, users may post status updates on their social networking platform to advertise for a brand and/or product. A user may post, for example, “gap.com is having a huge sale!” as a status update to alert his social network of the sale. Another way users may advertise is by promoting the brands and/or products in emails and/or IMs. For example, users may create an email and/or IM signature with text, logos, and/or other graphical information to promote the brand and/or product. An email and/or IM signature might include a statement such as, for example, “I just got Puma Pro Soccer shoes . . . they're awesome!” In addition, it may include hyperlinks, logos, slogans and other graphical or textual information. Thus, every individual who receives emails and/or IMs from the user will see the user promoting the brands and/or products.
In some embodiments, the user may promote the brands and/or products by displaying a customized avatar, or other visual or multimedia electronic character or manifestation of an entity associated with the user, for instance. The user may be offered the option to use a customized avatar which reflects one or more of the particular products and/or brands that the user is associated with. For example, if the user has recently purchased a pair of Puma shoes, the user may be given the option to use an avatar which shows those particular shoes. Alternatively, or in addition, the user may be given the option to customize or create the avatar by selecting the brands and/or products the user wants reflected in the avatar. The avatar may then be displayed on social networking platforms, message boards, online services like Yahoo! Fantasy Football, etc.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments, users who advertise or promote their favorite brands and/or products may be rewarded for their promotional activities. The type and amount of the reward may vary based at least in part on, for example, the number of social networking platforms utilized in the promotions, the duration of the promotions, the number of individuals who viewed the promotions, etc. Rewards may include, for example, cash rewards, rewards points, coupons, discounts, and other incentives.
Each of the one or more computers 104, 106 and 108 may be distributed, and can include various hardware, software, applications, algorithms, programs and tools. Depicted computers may also include a hard drive, monitor, keyboard, pointing or selecting device, etc. The computers may operate using an operating system such as Windows by Microsoft, etc. Each computer may include a central processing unit (CPU), data storage device, and various amounts of memory including RAM and ROM. Depicted computers may also include various programming, applications, algorithms and software to enable searching, search results, and advertising, such as graphical or banner advertising as well as keyword searching and advertising in a sponsored search context. Many types of advertisements are contemplated, including textual advertisements, rich advertisements, video advertisements, social networking related advertisements, mobile advertisements, discount or group discount advertisements, etc.
As depicted, each of the server computers 108 includes one or more CPUs 110 and a data storage device 112. The data storage device 112 includes a database 116 and a Brand Ambassador Program 114.
The Program 114 is intended to broadly include all programming, applications, algorithms, software and other and tools necessary to implement or facilitate methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. The elements of the Program 114 may exist on a single server computer or be distributed among multiple computers or devices.
At step 204, using one or more computers, an offer to serve as an ambassador for the brand is presented to the user if the user is detected to be associated with the brand, or if it is determined that the user may like to be associated with the brand.
At step 206, using one or more computers, it is determined, if the user accepts the offer, if at least a portion of the user's online activities are directed to promoting the brand.
At step 208, using one or more computers, if at least a portion of the user's online activities are directed to promoting the brand, the user is presented with one or more rewards based at least in part on the user's promoting of the brand.
At Step 304, brand ambassadorship is offered to an appropriate user. This can include, using one or more computers, providing an offer to serve as an ambassador for the brand to the user if the user is detected to be associated with the brand, or if it is determined that the user may like to be associated with the brand.
Step 306 may include, using one or more computers, if the user accepts the offer, determining if at least a portion of the user's online activities are directed to promoting the brand.
Step 308 may include, using one or more computers, if at least a portion of the user's online activities are determined to be directed to promoting the brand, presenting the user with one or more rewards based at least in part on the user's promoting of the brand.
At step 404, using one or more computers, an offer to serve as an ambassador for the brand is presented to the user if the user is detected to be associated with the brand, or if it is determined that the user may like to be associated with the brand.
At step 406, using one or more computers, the user is offered the option to use a customized avatar which shows one or more of the particular products and/or brands that the user is associated with. For example, if the user has recently purchased a pair of Nike shoes, the user may be given the option to use an avatar which shows those particular shoes. Alternatively, or in addition, the user may be given the option to customize the avatar, or provide specifications for the system to customize the avatar according to those specifications.
At step 408, using one or more computers, the user is presented with one or more rewards based at least in part on the user's display of the avatar. The rewards and/or other incentives may be based at least in part on, for example, the number of social networking platforms the avatar is displayed on, the duration the avatar is displayed, etc.
User A's social network 516 may view or notice User A's comments and/or praises about the brand and/or product. This may convince one or more members of User A's social network to purchase the same or similar product as purchased by User A. In some embodiments, User A may be rewarded based at least in part on User A's promoting of the brand and/or product as depicted in block 518. The reward or incentive may be determined based at least in part on one or more of the number of social networking platforms utilized in promotions, number of individuals who viewed the promotions, duration of promotions, quality of promotions, etc. The reward may be provided by the advertising entity (e.g., the brand that the user is advertising for) and/or a third party entity (e.g., Yahoo!) or in some combination by both entities.
The above described exemplary embodiments of the invention assist consumers in deciding what brands and/or products to purchase and provide an incentive for users to promote their favorite brands and/or products. The number of products available for purchase in any given category is increasing exponentially. Thus, it has become difficult for consumers to decide which brands and/or products to purchase. Consumers may rely on blogs, reviews, etc. before making a purchase decision. However, since consumers don't personally know the authors behind the blogs, reviews, etc. it may be difficult for them to trust these sources. Consumers typically tend to trust reviews, comments, opinions regarding brands and/or products from their peers. Exemplary embodiments of the invention therefore provide an incentive for users who have purchased or are likely to purchase certain brands and/or products to promote those brands and/or products. Users who carry out promotional measures may be rewarded with rewards points, discounts, coupons, cash rewards, etc. Potential consumers who are on the receiving end of the promotional measures will be more likely to be receptive to them since the source is one of their own peers.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention, users who are or who may like to be associated with certain brands and/or products may be detected by one or more computers (e.g., server computers 106 and/or advertiser computers 108 in
Alternatively, or in addition, another way to detect if a user is or would like to be associated with a particular brand and/or product is to determine if the user has recently purchased a product. For example, if a user uses an online service to purchase a Toyota Corolla, then the user may be presented with an offer to act as an ambassador for Toyota. In return, the user may receive an offer, for example, for a free oil change. In another exemplary method, a user's online profile may be used to determine if the user is or would like to be associated with a particular brand and/or product. For example, if the user's online profile indicates that she likes Coach hand bags, she may be presented with an offer to act as an ambassador for Coach. It should be noted that the above described exemplary methods to detect if a user is or would like to be associated with a particular brand and/or product may be utilized independently or in combination with each other and with other methods.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments, users who accept offers to act as ambassadors for certain brands and/or products may advertise or promote those brands and/or products a number of ways. For example, users may post status updates on their social networking platform to advertise for a brand and/or product. A user may post, for example, “gap.com is having a huge sale!” as a status update to alert his social network of the sale. Another way users may advertise is by promoting the brands and/or products in emails and/or IMs. For example, users may create an email and/or IM signature with text, logos, and/or other graphical information to promote the brand and/or product. An email and/or IM signature might include a statement such as, for example, “I just got Puma Pro Soccer shoes . . . they're awesome!” In addition, it may include hyperlinks, logos, slogans and other graphical or textual information. This way, every individual who receives emails and/or IMs from the user will see the user promoting the brands and/or products.
In some embodiments, the user may promote the brands and/or products by displaying a customized avatar. The user may be offered the option to use a customized avatar which reflects one or more of the particular products and/or brands that the user is associated with. For example, if the user has recently purchased a pair of Puma shoes, the user may be given the option to use an avatar which shows those particular shoes. Alternatively, or in addition, the user may be given the option to customize or create the avatar by selecting the brands and/or products the user wants reflected in the avatar. The avatar may then be displayed on social networking platforms, message boards, online services like Yahoo! Fantasy Football, etc.
In some embodiments, detection of a user's interest in or favorable disposition towards a brand may include categorization according to the type, level or quality of such. For example, in some embodiments, the following categories of candidates may be used. In some embodiments, the category may influence the nature or degree of incentive or reward, as the examples that follow illustrate.
User conducts frequent searches for a certain brand through one or more search engines. For example, if the user searches for “Adidas soccer ball” often, then the user might get a proposal from the system to be an ambassador for Adidas with coupons incentive to use and purchase a ball (20% coupon).
User purchases a product of high value online. For example, if the user uses an online service to purchase a new Toyota Corolla, then the user might get a proposal from the system to be an ambassador for Toyota car with an incentive for a free oil change.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, the system can predict or determine a good candidate ambassador. For example, if it can be determined that a user is preparing to be a mother, then the user might be a great candidate to be a brand ambassador of Pampers products with the benefits that may include getting special discounts on the product.
In some embodiments, a formula may be used for calculating a percentage of some reward to give to the brand ambassador. For example, the following may be utilized.
% Incentive={[(Number of Social applications engaged)*Wn+(Quality of ambassador)*Wt+(Time of commitment)*Wt+(Level of social Network communication)*W1]*100}/30 (Eq. 1)
In Eq. 1, the W terms are weighting factors which may be determined based on factors such as the relative importance given to the associated term, or the relative value of the associated term in promoting the brand.
In Eq. 1, number of Social applications engaged is the number of Y! applications that the user decided to use in brand ambassadorship activities. For example, instant messaging can be one, email another, and so on. For the sake of simplicity, the maximum value of this term is taken to be 5.
In Eq. 1, Quality of the Ambassador is the degree or level of quality of the ambassador. Quality may depend on the kind of ambassador the user is. For example, the following quality categories or ratings may be associated to the following types of ambassadors:
In Eq. 1, the Time of Commitment term is to reflect that the more time that the user is willing to commit to being an ambassador, the greater the incentive should be. For example, for every 1 additional week of, or including, a certain level of time commitment, the value of this term may increase by 1, for the maximum of 10 weeks leading to a maximum value of 10 points.
In Eq. 1, the Level of social Network communication term may be dependent on the potential, or sometimes actual, number of social network members that saw or experience displayed branding of or from the brand ambassador. For example, if the number of members exceed a 1000, the value of this term may be 10, and for 900 to 1000, the value may be 9, etc.
With those numbers in mind, an example of the above formula maximum may be the following:
% Incentive={[(5)*1+(5)*1+(10)*1+(10)*1]*100}/20={20*100}/30=100% (Eq. 2).
There are many ways that an ambassador may promote a brand. Some ways are as follows.
User can can set his or her Yahoo! Updates, and other social networking Web site or service status to advertise for a product (Example: Setting your status to indicate a sale going on gap.com).
In some embodiments, user emails can be configured to include advertising for the brand. This can include, for example, an automatic email signature on every outgoing email, which may include advertising for a brand, such as an image of the Nike swish, and text saying “Nike”, etc. By showing the brand as part of every email sent, then the brand ambassador can share his or her brand preference with whomever the user is sending an email to.
A user may add textual information to his or her Instant Messaging status (Example: Tom Just got the PUMA Pro soccer shoes), and this can serve as advertising for the brand was just bought, preferred, etc.
They System can offer an option for the brand ambassador use his or her avatar, in any of various applications, to promote a brand. For example, if the user just bought a new Coach handbag, then the avatar may carry the same handbag, which may serve as a nice lure for other online shoppers to notice this and to buy accordingly. This may be a particularly useful approach for younger users. Other examples can include Y! Buzz, etc.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments, the determined reward or incentive may be provided by the advertiser (i.e., the entity that the user is advertising for) or by a third party entity (e.g., Yahoo!), or in some combination by both entities.
While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention.
