Method and system for verifying exposure to message content

Abstract

An effective, entertaining and rewarding way to advertise. Transforms advertising from something Consumers avoid to a drawing card that attracts the Consumers. Communicates Consumer Rewarded Advertising Vehicle Immersive Ad Bundles (“CRAV Ads”). The CRAV Ads include a Vignette, a Query, an optional Alert, and an optional Answer. Promoters can sell CRAV Ads to Advertisers. Promoters or Advertisers can use the Broadcast Network to promote future CRAV Ads. Promoters can use the Broadcast Network, the Device, the Information Gathering System, and the Data Storage Center to communicate the CRAV Ads to Consumers and to interact with Consumers. Promoters or Advertisers can use the Device, the Information Gathering System, and the Data Storage Center to gather Consumers' responses to CRAV Ads. Promoters can edit and/or distribute registration and response information to Advertisers. Promoters can select winners and distribute prizes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for providing interactive advertising content, comprising: 
 first means for communicating a Consumer Rewarded Advertising Vehicle Immersive Ad Bundle (CRAV Ad) comprising an advertisement that prompts interaction with consumers, prompts the submission of consumer information from the consumers, and offers rewards to consumers for responding to the advertisement; and    second means for collecting the consumer information related to the CRAV Ad from the consumers.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second means for collecting the consumer information comprises: 
 response devices for the consumers to use to register for the opportunity to respond to the CRAV Ad, and to respond to the CRAV Ad;    an information gathering system for collecting the consumer information from the response devices.    
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the CRAV Ad comprises: 
 an advisory alerting the consumers to pay attention to the advertising information; and    content inviting the consumers to collect at least a portion of the advertising information to assist a response by the consumers to the advertisement.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the CRAV Ad comprises a mass media advertisement.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the CRAV Ad is communicated to the consumers without their request.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rewards are delayed, substantial rewards.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first means comprises a communication broadcast system for delivering visual and/or audible media to consumers.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  comprising third means, operatively coupled to the second means, for storing the collected consumer information to support subsequent processing operations.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the third means comprises a database of demographic information related to the consumers supplying the consumer information.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the third means comprises: 
 a Personal Data Center (PDC) Database for storing personal consumer information relating to the identities of the consumers; and    a Data Compiling and Storage (DCS) Center Database for storing non-personal consumer information relating to the opinions, demographics, and other non-identifying information for the consumers.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the third means further comprises a Privacy Database for privacy and security protection that matches the personal consumer information from the PDC with the non-personal consumer information from the DCS.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the CRAV Ad comprises: 
 a Vignette for communicating to the consumers the advertisement; and  
 a Query for communicating to the consumers at least one question.  
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the user is told that at least one question of one or more Queries relates to one or more of the Vignettes shown in a series, causing the Consumers to pay attention to all of the Vignettes shown in the series.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each question in the Query comprises a selected one of an immersion verification question which refers to information covered in the Vignette, a trivia question, a polling question, a demographic information question, a consumer information question, a consumer preference question, and a purchasing habit question.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the CRAV Ad further comprises an Alert for providing the consumers with advance notice that the Vignette is scheduled for subsequent delivery to the consumers.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the CRAV AD further comprises a Sneak Peek Vignette for communicating to the consumers the Vignette or other content that will help the consumers answer the Query, the Sneak Peek Vignette communicated to the consumers in advance of the Alert.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the user is told that at least one question of one or more Queries relates to one or more of the Sneak Peek Vignettes shown in a series, causing the Consumers to pay attention to all of the Sneak Peek Vignettes shown in the series.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the CRAV Ad further comprises an Answer for communicating to the consumers answers to at least one question in the Query, the Answer delivered to the consumers only after a passage of a time period of sufficient length to allow the consumers to respond to the Query.  
     
     
         19 . A method of communicating a Consumer Rewarded Advertising Vehicle Immersive Ad Bundle (CRAV AD), comprising: 
 communicating the CRAV Ad to the consumers, the CRAV Ad comprising an advertisement that prompts interaction with consumers, prompts the submission of consumer information from the consumers, and offers rewards to consumers for responding to the advertisement;    responsive to responses submitted by the consumers in connection with communication of the CRAV Ad, collecting the consumer information by parsing the responses; and    offering to reward at least one of the consumers that submits one of the correct responses in connection with communication of the CRAV Ad.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of rewarding at least one of the consumers that submits one of the responses comprises: 
 searching the consumer information for qualifying consumers;    randomly choosing winners from the database;    contacting the winners;    forwarding the names of the winners to interested entities;    announcing the names of the winners; and    forwarding the rewards to the winners.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of randomly choosing winners from the database further comprises choosing winners and alternate winners to be used in case a winner cannot receive a reward.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 contacting the winners to verify the winners' consumer information; and    removing the name of the winner if the winner cannot verify the winners consumer information.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of providing advance notice of the communication of the CRAV Ad to the consumers.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of selling the CRAV Ads, comprising: 
 deciding how many CRAV Ads and how many regular ads to communicate to the consumers during a content communication; and    selling the chosen number of CRAV Ads and the chosen number of regular ads to advertisers.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of promoting the CRAV Ads to the consumers comprises: 
 selecting at least one mass communication medium to distribute to the consumers an advanced notice of the communication of the CRAV Ads;    using the selected mass communication medium to communicate to consumers the advance notice presenting the future availability of the CRAV Ads; and    responsive to the communication of the advance notice, collecting registration information from the consumers to register for the opportunity to respond to the CRAV Ad.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of collecting registration information further comprises: 
 separating, for privacy purposes, personal consumer information relating to the identification of the consumers from the non-personal consumer information relating to the opinions, demographics, and other non-identifying information.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of communicating the CRAV Ads to the consumers and collecting information from the consumers comprises: 
 broadcasting a Vignette for communicating to the consumers the advertisement; and    broadcasting a Query for communicating to the consumers at least one question;    allowing the consumers to answer at least one question from the Query.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein each question in the Query comprises a selected one of an immersion verification question which refers to information covered in the Vignette, a trivia question, a polling question, a demographic information question, a consumer information question, a consumer preference question, and a purchasing habit question.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the CRAV Ad further comprises broadcasting an Alert for providing the consumers with advance notice that the Vignette is scheduled for subsequent delivery to the consumers.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the CRAV AD further comprises broadcasting a Sneak Peek Vignette for communicating to the consumers the Vignette or other content that will help the consumers answer the Query, the Sneak Peek Vignette communicated to the consumers in advance of the Alert.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the CRAV Ad further comprises broadcasting an Answer for communicating to the consumers answers to at least one question in the Query, the Answer delivered to the consumers only after a passage of a time period of sufficient length to allow the consumers to respond to the Query.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of allowing the consumers to answer at least one question from the Query comprises: 
 asking the consumers to enter an identification verification issued to the consumers after the consumers have registered; and    allowing the consumers to answer at least one question in the Query if the consumers enter the correct identification verification.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of allowing the consumers to answer at least one question from the Query comprises: 
 asking the consumers to enter an identification verification issued to the consumers after the consumers have registered; and    not allowing the consumers to answer at least one question from the Query if the consumers do not enter the correct identification verification.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of allowing the consumers to answer at least one question from the Query comprises: 
 asking the consumers to enter an identification verification issued to the consumers after the consumers have registered; and    allowing the consumers to answer at least one question from the Query and then complete the registration and be issued the identification verification if the consumers do not enter the correct identification verification.