GB2127198A

GB2127198A - Advertising displays

Info

Publication number: GB2127198A
Application number: GB08221051A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard John Mcilvenna
Original assignee: DANCE RAYMOND GORDON; EDGLEY PYSHORN MICHAEL JONATHA
Current assignee: DANCE RAYMOND GORDON; EDGLEY PYSHORN MICHAEL JONATHA
Priority date: 1982-07-21
Filing date: 1982-07-21
Publication date: 1984-04-04

Abstract

An advertising display is positioned at the bottom of a drinking vessel so as to be visible to the drinker as he tips up and drains the vessel. Thus at this time the eyes of the drinker are automatically drawn to and focussed on the display, which may comprise advertising matter or a message which thus becomes personal to the drinker. As he views the display the drinker is a captive audience for the advertisement or message concerned. The vessel is advantageously a beer mug or glass, or a plastics or cardboard cup for use in a commercial establishment.

Description

SPECIFICATION Advertising displays This invention relates to advertising displays, and in particular to the display of advertising matter on drinking vessels or containers.

Beer mugs and glasses, for example, commonly carry advertising matter around the sides thereof, for example the name of a brewer or of the brew or beverage with which a mug or glass is intended to be used. This is a "public" advertisement in the sense of being addressed to all and sundry in the vicinity, but it tends to be ignored generally amongst the profusion of sales messages to be found in a public house, for example, and it certainly makes little or no impact on the drinker concerned. The object of the invention is to provide an advertising display which is "personal" to the drinker on whom it has the maximum effect.

Thus the invention is of particular, but by no means exclusive, application to the display of advertising matter or the like on transparent drinking vessels or containers, such as beer mugs and glasses. It is also advantageously employed with plastics/cardboard drinking cups and the like as used, for example, in drinks vending machines, cafes and canteens.

According to the invention an advertising display is positioned at the bottom of a drinking vessel so as to be visible to the drinker as he tips up and drains the vessel, his eyes then being automatically drawn to and focussed on the display.

The display may be in the form of a message which thus becomes personal to the drinker, for example an exhortation "to have another". Preferably the display is only visible, or clearly visible, as the glass is drained and thus acts as an incentive to the drinker to "drink up" quickly in order to satisfy his natural curiosity and read the display.

The invention is, for example, advantageously applied to the display of advertising matter at the bottom of a transparent drinking vessel, such as a beer mug or glass, and it is desirably such that it can only satisfactorily be read when the vessel is in a raised drinking position. The display may be designed so that it is read by transmitted light and hence is only visible in a raised position with a light source behind it. The display may be applied either to the outside of the bottom of the glass, to the inside bottom surface thereof or be fitted inside the bottom of the drinking vessel. It may be applied as a transfer to the outside, be a reflex device or of reflective material, or be of the "sand falling away to reveal all" type which will necessitate that the container is drained before the drinker can view the display.However, it will be appreciated that many other suitable methods of application of the display may be employed within the spirit of the invention to achieve the desired effect of personal advertising on the bottom of a drinking vessel and arranged so as to be readable by the drinker as he finishes the drink.

Although of general application throughout the soft drinks and alcoholic drinks trades, and in the catering field generally, it is envisaged that a particularly fertile field of application of the invention will be with beer mugs and glasses as used in public houses. These establishments are places where people congregate and where the beverage supplier, namely the brewer, could directly profit by the invention. One of the heavy expenses to be borne by a publican is the high replacement cost of glasses, particularly as a result of pilfering thereof in addition to normal breakages. Each beer glass can cost a publican as much as 50p at present-day prices, and the large loss of glasses which has to be faced has a material effect on profits.Employment of the present invention would make it worth while for the brewer to supply publicans with glasses at a subsidised price, recouping the subsidy from the increased sales which would result from the advertising matter applied to the bottom of the glasses in accordance with the invention.

Such an arrangement would undoubtedly appeal to the publicans and the cost to the breweries would be far outweighed by the increased volume of sales with suitably chosen advertising displays. In fact, outside organisations might well pay the brewer for the privilege of having their own advertisement displayed. Such organisations could sponsor advertisement of their own organisation or products to the extent of completely covering the cost of the glasses.

The invention is of particular advantage as applied to a drinking vessel used with fairly opaque or only partially transparent beverages, as the message dispiayed becomes further unveiled with each mouthful consumed.

This tends to encourage the drinker to consume the drink faster, as he could well be -intrigued to see what the complete advertising message says. In all applications the invention has the advantage that when the drinker's eyes are cast into the bottom of his glass or cup, the "prospect" is a captive audience which is every advertiser's dream. His eyes will be on the "message" and the message alone, and it is a rate opportunity in any selling operation to have the FULL attention of the prospect in such a definite manner. Furthermore, unlike other sales promotional material which in many instances clutters the surroundings and unnecessarily inconve niences the eye, the advertising display of the invention is a "personal" message going di rect to the heart of things and not inconveniencing or affecting anyone else.

Another fertile field of application which is envisaged is with the plastics/cardboard containers or cups used in the regular, usually twice daily, distribution of beverages in industrial establishments, in offices and in commercial concerns generally. The display could in these circumstances be an "in house" message or exhortation which is addressed to the workforce gnerally, or to selected groups of employees. It is to be understood that such a display, whatever the form or content of the message involved, is for the purposes of the present disclosure to be considered as falling within the broad ambit of the term "advertising display".

Claims

1. An advertising display, wherein the display is positioned at the bottom of a drinking vessel so as to be visible to the drinker as he tips up and drains the vessel, his eyes then being automatically drawn to and focussed on the display.

2. An advertising display according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a verbal message which thus becomes personal to the drinker.

3. An advertising display according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the display is only visible, or clearly visible, as the glass is drained.

4. An advertising display according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display is in the form of advertising matter and positioned at the bottom of a transparent drinking vessel, such as a beer mug or glass, and can satisfactorily be read only when the vessel is in a raised drinking position.

5. An advertising display according to claim 4, wherein the display is designed so that it is read by transmitted light and hence is only visible with the vessel in a raised position with a light source behind it.

6. An advertising display according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the display is applied to the outside of the bottom of the vessel.

7. An advertising display according to claim 6, wherein the display is applied to the vessel as a transfer.

8. An advertising display according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display is a reflex device, is of reflective material or is of the "sand falling away to reveal all" type.

9. An advertising display according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vessel is a plastics or cardboard container or cup.

10. An advertising display according to claim 9, wherein the vessel is intended for use with beverages in an industrial establishment, a,,n office or other commercial concern and the display comprises an "in house" message adressed to the workforce of the concern generally, or to selected groups of employees thereof.

11. An advertising display applied to a drinking vessel, disposed and. arranged substantially as herein particularly described.