AU2005100915A4

AU2005100915A4 - Method and system for buying and selling distressed advertising

Info

Publication number: AU2005100915A4
Application number: AU2005100915A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Christina Tutone
Original assignee: EAA IP Pty Ltd
Current assignee: EAA IP Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-22
Filing date: 2005-10-28
Publication date: 2005-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-28
Also published as: WO2006135981A1; AU2005100915B4; JP2008544380A; EP1929437A1; AU2006261596A1; EP1929437A4; SG163520A1; CA2613142A1

Description

28 Oct 05 06:24p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 02 4 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

Regulabon 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: INVENTION TITLE: Christina Tutone METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BUYING AND SELLING DISTRESSED ADVERTISING The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:24p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 O: 2 4 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

8 2 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BUYING AND SELLING DISTRESSED 0 ADVERTISING 0 Ni Technical Area The invention relates to the area of advertising and in particular, to an online method and system for offering end selling distressed advertising, which would otherwise be o a loss of revenue for a company.

o Whilst the invention can also be applied to the offering and selling of regular 0 advertising, for convenience sake it shall be described herein in terms of a method and system for offering and selling distressed advertising.

Background to the Invention Most publications have a designated percentage or amount of space which is set aside or made available for advertising such that, individuals and/or companies are able to advertise their products and/or services in return for the money they provide to the publication.

When a deadline is approaching for a given publication, any last minute advertising which has not been sold, referred to as distressed advertising, will generally be offered at a discounted rate to existing clients or given away as a bonus to ensure the publication can be completed on time. As a result, publication companies and/or media suppliers often incur a loss of revenue.

At present, the only methods and/or systems available in relation to advertising in an online environment involve websites which allow an indivdual and/or company to place an advertisement for their product(s) and/or service(s). There are also websites which allow an individual and/or company to purchase media advertising space by placing a bid in response to an offer to sell. These existing systems fail to provide a means which enables publication companies and/or media suppliers to offer and sell distressed advertising to marketers, advertising buyers and other professionals who wish to purchase media advertising and in particular, fail to provide a means for COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:24p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 O: 2 4 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

7 3 generating revenue for any publication and/or media suppliers which to date would otherwise be lost.

o Outline of' the Invention 00 It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method and system for offering and selling distressed advertising providing a single location which enables distressed advertising to be displayed for sale and be sold to marketers, advertising buyers and o other professionals who wish to purchase advertising in a particular media forum V) and/or for a particular target audience.

Cl It is a further object of the invention to provide assistance to a customer purchasing distressed advertising and facilitating delivery of advertising content by providing a means that enables any design work for an advertising campaign to be completed by the publication deadline.

The present invention provides a system for buying and selling distressed advertising having: a server, said server having at least one database which is adapted to provide information pertinent to available distressed advertising; an online interface providing a means for a plurality of buyers and sellers to interact with said server and database(s) by a computer connected to said server; a plurality of advertisements for distressed advertising; a search means whereby said buyers may enter at least one desired search parameter and receive search results detailing available distressed advertising meeting the search criteria; and a payment means which enables said buyer to purchase available distressed advertising.

The present invention further provides a method for buying and selling distressed advertising comprising the steps of: providing a server over a distributed communication network, said server having at least one database which is adapted to provide information pertinent to available distressed advertising; providing an online interface as a means of enabling a buyer to view an advertisement for distressed advertising for sale by a seller, purchase a particular COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 200-9-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:24p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 0:24 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

8 4 distressed advertisement from a seller, and facilitate delivery of an advertising Cl content to said seller, U providing a search means whereby said buyer may enter at least one desired search 0 parameter and receive search results detailing available distressed advertising 00 meeting the search criteria; providing said sellers of distressed advertising with access to said server to offer distressed advertising and receive advertising content from said buyer; and providing a system which is adapted to offer and sell distressed advertising at a discounted rate.

It is preferred that the invention be made available to targeted consumers such as marketers, advertising buyers or other professionals wishing to purchase advertising.

It is preferred that the online interface may be in th form of a webeite which the buyer(s) or seller(s) can access on a computer connected to the sewver in order to interact with the server.

It is preferred that the website has at least one web page provided with at least one category and/or subheading to assist a user in navigating around the website.

It is further preferred that each category may be provided with at least one advertisement for distressed advertising.

It is preferred that users of the invention must become members in order to obtain appropriate access to the website.

It is preferred that the invention may be able to provide a user with Statistical information such that they are able to evaluate the existing or ongoing trends in the marketplace.

It is preferred that the invention has provided design services which are adapted to have a rapid turnaround to enable a customer to have the design work for their advertising completed prior to the publication or media deadline.

It is preferred that the invention have provided an option which enables a customer to obtain financial assistance.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:24p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 O:24 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

9 In order that the invention may be more readily understood we will describe by way of non-limiting example of a specific embodiment thereof.

o Description of an Embodiment of the Invention 00 In this embodiment, the invention provides a system for offering and selling distressed (last minute or unsold) advertising in an online environment which is adapted to offer and sell distressed advertising to targeted consumers such as marketers, advertising buyers or other individuals or businesses wishing to purchase o distressed advertsing at a discounted rate.

o The system has provided a server I to which a plurality of buyers 2 and sellers 3 can Cl be connected over an online distributed communication network 4 such as the internet or the like. The server 1 can be any standard computer system made from any suitable computer manufacturer such as IBM, Hewlard-Packard, Dell, Compaq, Acer or the like.

The server of the invention has provided at least one database 5 which is adapted to store details of members who wish to obtain full access to the system. Membership is provided as a means of maintaining a targeted audience for the invention such as marketers, advertising buyers and other professionals. The database 5 is adapted to collect and store information about members, including data records for buyers 6 and sellers 7, such as contact details, contract records and other necessary information.

The database may also contain media advertisement records 8, demographical and/r ratings records 9, buyer's sales or bids records 10, media/publisher records 12, internet service provider records 13, banking records 14 and advertising content which is uploaded by a buyer 2 or designer. The database may be used to authorize a person to purchase or sell media advertising or for statistical purposes, subject to privacy laws. It is envisaged that a user will be able to update their details at any given time.

Associated with the database 5 of the invention is preferably an associated database 21, which can be separate from or integrated with the actual server, having various statistical information such as demographical information, ratings and various other informaition that can be obtained by a research group or software program which provides a user with statistics beneficial to a publication or media company in identifying and monitoring target markets. It is envisaged that the means for providing COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:25p Michelle Don Paul 84053097 PAD 6 0 statistical information will be adapted to record and evaluate and reproduce CN information provided on the website and actions conducted through the website. For Sexample, it may be possible to determine which search terms and/or categories are O most searched, the percentage of distressed media purchased and a plurality of 00 other vital information and/or statistics which would be beneficial to publication and/or media companies to indicate various existing or ongoing trends in the marketplace.

The results can then be reproduced in tabulated, plot, or any other suitable form _which provides easy and quick access to relevant information. This information will preferably be on-sold to companies who wish to have access to this data for an additional cost. As such, the method and system for buying and selling distressed I advertising can also be used as a valuable resource tool for individuals and/or Sbusinesses. It also provides an additional means of marketing for an individual and/or CN business to provide exposure to a wide demographical range. It is envisaged that the system may also provide online marketing tools which enable an individual and/or business to further utilise the system as a resource tool, with assistance in creating business and marketing plans.

The system has provided an online interactive interface accessible through a user's computer in the form of a website (not shown) which enables a user to view, retrieve and store data on the database(s) 5, 21 of the server 1. The website has provided a plurality of web pages which are interconnected or interlinked and can be accessed via links provided on the home page and/or other pages within the website. Each web page may be provided with at least one category and/or subheading to facilitate a user in navigating their way around the area and finding the correct information or location they need. In a preferred embodiment, the website may have the following basic menu breakdown and/or sitemap structure: BUY Categories Print Media

TV

Radio Multimedia/lnteractive New Media Miscellaneous Ad it First (Whats new in advertising?) New listings Listings ending today Purchase assistance Finance Advanced search Target Market search International buyers (in the future will be added) SMS Tools COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:26p Michelle Don Paul 84053097 p. 11 SELL 7 Register to be a seller How to sell tutorial Best Practice selling tips Terms and conditions Target Markets definitions Category information International sellers (in the future) SMS Tools REGISTER SEARCH LIMITED SEARCH -4 Register online How to register tutorial

T&C

Industry regulations Confirm registration Privacy Policy Category Target Market Price Media type Name of Publication radio station channel Campaign date State Ads ending soon New listing Media type State Campaign date Price Register MEMBERS SECTION (log in) BUYER

SELLER-

Update Details Enquiries I emails List Ad Tracking View passed purchases Account Info SMS seller a question.

About your rating Apply for finance Ad it last design services Update Details Enquiries/ema ils/alerts List of Ads onfline Hits/ stats info on items View Past Account Info Add/Delete Ads View sales account View SMS account.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:26p Michelle Don Paul 84053097 p.

1 2 View a buyers rating ADMIN (includes restricted access for Account managers) User management Add/delete/modify accounts Assign Seller levels (contracts) Manage banner advertising Reporting Set up account managers access View account managers View sellers accounts /Past ads View all new online applications for sellers.

View membership database..

View/modify buyer ratings.

SERVICES Registration Forgot your password or username User agreements

T&C

How to sell How to buy Ad it last design services Dispute or complaints International Trading (coming at a later date) Ad it Last trading information Finance information Finance applications Credit card information Paypal Investigations Policies and Procedures SMS tools INTERNATIONAL TRADING (linked to international sites by country) Help Overview How to buy Payment Options Finance Options Disputes and complaints Policies and Procedures Credit card information About Us At last Ad it Last Our team Ad It last news

FAQ

Have an Ad it Last expert contact you.

Contact Us COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:26p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 0:26 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

13 9 Cl The system has provided a search means in the form of a search engine having o specialised search functions which have been developed to enable a potential 0 customer to navigate around the website and search for the appropriate media forum 00 and advertising they require. The search engine can utilise boolean operators or natural language or a selection of search criteria to produce search results. The search engine has provided at least one search criteria which may be utilized to limit or expand a search. The search criteria includes and is adapted to find results according to category, target market, price, media type, name of media publication/ o radio station/ television channel, campaign date, state, new/old listings, Vfl demographical information, ratings or any other useful search criteria.

Cl The system has provided a plurality of advertisements for distressed advertising which are placed by a seller 3 who can be a publisher or media company and/or provider or the like. Each advertisement must provide information such as: the category, publication or company name (le. The Age or Channel 10), recommended retail price, discounted price, percentage of discount provided, campaign date, deadline date, written description of advertising for sale (ie. Full colour 2 page banner advertisement), state for campaign, target market and format or specifications required for the advertising. A plurality of additional options are also made available to a buyer 2 when purchasing media space such as different background colours, images, specialized display formats, priority listng and target market listings however, the provision of these extras is for an additional prescribed fee.

The system has provided a payment means to enable a buyer to purchase an ad and/or a seller to provide payment for use of the system. The payment means is preferably in the form of an a-commerce platform with high level security which is adapted to enable all transactions to be accepted and processed internally via an online environment in a secure manner such that, handling between buyers 2 and sellers 3 is eliminated. In a preferred embodiment of the invention payment must be made in advance at the time of the transaction in order for the advertising to be subsequently sold or provided to the customer. It is envisaged that payments may be accepted and processed directly through the provider or via an approved third party.

If a user requires financial assistance it is possible for the user to have an account with the provider which enables them to be invoiced and provide payment at a later date so thai they are not disadvantaged from using the system.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:26p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 O:26 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

1 4 o The system of the invention also provides a design service 24 which can be c-I employed by a buyer 2 in an instance where they do not have the advertising content o pre-prepared and the seller requires finalised advertising content. The design service o 24 Is adapted to have a rapid turnaround between 24-48 hours such that, when a 00 customer purchases distressed advertising they are able to utilise a designer who can complete the design work by the closing deadline- This alleviates the problem of individuals and/or companies not being able to purchase distressed advertising simple because they would not be ready by the media or publication deadline. It is envisaged that the design services 24 will be able to be purchased anchor engaged o online via a built-in facility on the website whereby a potential buyer 2 will be able to upload &r provide a description of all the details and design online and have the information directly submitted to the designer. The contact details of the designer 16 will also be made available such that the buyer 2 can speak to them directly.

Alternatively, if the seller 3 is able to organise for the design to be completed, a buyer can request this service at the time of purchasing the distressed advertising.

It is envisaged that the invention may also offer advertising to both buyers 2 and sellers 3 on the website of the invention as a means for generating revenue for the provider 25 of the invention. The provider may have provided account managers with restricted access such that they are able to add/delete/modify accounts, assign contracts to sellers, manage banner advertising, control buyer and seller ratings and other specific duties as required.

The method of the invention involves a buyer 2 registering the details to become a member and gain full access to the online distressed advertising system and services provided. This can be done via the online portal/interface accessible through a buyer's 2 computer via the Internet. Once a buyer 2 has provided their contact details and other necessary information, they are issued with a unique usernarne and password which they can utifise to log onto the system or server 1 and have access to the services and facilities available. It is envisaged that membership may be divided into buyers or seller's membership areas such that members may only have access to the appropriate sections of the website. It will also provide them with access to their own personal members section on the website which may have details of past purchases, sales, invoices, receipts and other relevant information.

Thus, once the a buyer 2 has logged in, they can perform administrative functions such as changing their password or updating their account, browse the media COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: 'Time 18: 29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct D5 06:27p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 O:27 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

1 advertisement database 5 and/or purchase media advertising space by beginning a Cl new search and/or purchase or resuming a saved search and/or purchase.

0 A buyer 2 can search via the search engine for a particular media forum and certain 00 target markets utilizing various search criteria to find the appropriate advertising they require. By conducting a generalized search it is possible that the system may also introduce them to new media forums and/ or target markets which they had not considered previously. If a buyer 2 has any queries relating to a given advertisement they can contact the seller 3 directly via an online means to clarify the query or o request further information by submitting a request/ question online.

o Once the buyer 2 is ready to purchase distressed advertising they can press a 'buy" Cl button which will cause a confirmation screen to appear confirming the advertising details and pice to be paid. Once this information has been confirmed by the buyer, they will then be directed to a payment section having incorporated e-commerce facilities with a high security level so they can pay for the advertisement in a secure environment. Alternatively, the buyer 2 may apply for finance approval for the transaction whereby their details will be sent to the provider to approve their application for an accountAwith the provider and/or third party finance company. Once payment has been received successfully, the buyer 2 will be shown a receipt outlining the advertisement details, payment confirmation and deadline for the design/artwork to be submitted. The buyer 2 can then print this receipt, or return to a saved electronic version at a later date which will be stored in their members section accessible when they log into the webeite. If a buyer 2 has not yet finalised the advertising content 15 or design work for the advertising, they can arrange to use the design service 24 who will complete the work prior to the publication or media deadline. Alternatively, the may request that the seller organise and complete the creative work at the time of purchase it this is an option made available by the seller 3. A buyer 2 can also choose to be notified by email, ems, mail or any other suitable mneans if advertising is placed by a particular seller, for a particular media and/or target audience which they may be interested in.

The method of the invention invokves a seller 3 being able to sell last minute distressed advertising to potential marketers, advertising buyers and other professionals in a safe and secure manner. The seller 3 registers their details to become a member and gain full access to the online distressed advertising system and services provided. This can be done via the online portal/interface accessible COMS ID No: SBMI-01849830 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct D5 06:27p Michelle Don Paul 28 ct 5 O: 2 7 Mihele Dn Pul84053097 p.

18 12 through a sellers 3 computer via the internet. Once a seller 3 has provided their c-I contact details and other necessary information, they are issued with a unique username and password which they cafl utilise to log onto the system or server 1 and o have access to the services and facilities available. It will also provide them with 00 access to their own personal member's section on the website which may have details of past purchases, sales, invoices, receipts and other relevant information.

Thus, once the a seller 3 has logged in, they can perform administrative functions such as changing their password or updating their account, search statistical information from associated databases 21 as a resource tool and/or begin uploading o an advertisement for distressed advertising The seller 3 is required to pay a prescribed fee which can be paid periodically or per CA advertisement. Once the payment has been received successfully the seller 3 can then upload one or more advertisements for distressed advertising onto the server 1.

It is envisaged that when a seller 3 has uploaded an advertisement for the first time, they may have to await clearance for the advertisement to be approved. The seller .3 will also be able to liaise with a potential buyer 2 by receiving queries from potential buyers 2 and being able to respond to them via enquiry and feedback facilties provided by the invention. The seller 3 may also sign up to view statistical information collected by the system to monitor marketplace trends. Both the buyer 2 and seller 3 may also choose to purchase advertising on the website of the system.

Further embodiments of the invention may have provided SMVS/WAP(3 technology to enable buyers 2 and sellers 3 to access and utilise the invention via a mobile device.

There may also be provided a phone order service which will allow a buyer 2 to have a representative conduct a search and report back to them if they do not have internet access or if they do not have time to search themselves.

In another embodiment, the invention has provided an online newsletter and an emagazine which contains the advertisements which may take longer to sell such that, the website can constantly be updated and refreshed to provide the latest advertising availabilities. to customers. The website can also have incorporated an toolbar or desktop item which can be downloaded to notify a user of various information.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:28p Michelle Don Paul 84053097 p.17 13

O

Cl While we have described herein specific embodiments of the method and system for o offering and selling advertising, it is further envisaged that other embodiments of the 0 invention could exhibit any number and combination of any one of the features 00 previously described. However, it is to be understood that any variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

0 0 ol COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28

Claims

2. A method and system for buying and selling distressed advertising as claimed in claim I wherein the online interface is in the form of a website.
3. A method and system for buying and selling distressed advertising wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a sewver over a distributed communication network, said server having a database which is adapted to provide information pertinent to available distressed advertising; providing an online interface as a means of enabling a plurality of buyers to view an advertisement for distressed advertising for sale by a seller, purchase a particular distressed advertisement from a seller, and facilitate delivery of advertising content from said buyer to said seller, providing a search means whereby said buyers may enter at least one desired search parameter and receive search results detailing available distressed advertising meeting the search criteria: and providing a plurality of sellers of distressed advertising with access to said server to offer distressed advertising and receive advertising content from said buyer. COMS ID No: SBMI-01 849630 Received by II' Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28 28 Oct 05 06:28p Michelle Don Paul 84053097 p. 19 0 4. A method and system for buying and selling distressed advertising as C- claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the distressed advertising is offered and sold at a discounted rate. O 00 5. A method and system of buying and selling distressed advertising as claimed in any one of the above claims having a design service which enables said buyer to have design or creative work completed prior to a publication deadline. 0 DATED: 28 October 2005 SChristine Tutone 0 C By Her Patent Attorneys Actuate Intellectual Property COMS ID No: SBMI-01849630 Received by IP Australia: Time 18:29 Date 2005-10-28