Code game business promotion method

Abstract

A method of promoting business includes the use of a customer interactive message decoding game. The method involves identifying a prize winning message, providing separately a static code in a promotional area, such as an in-store display, a newspaper or magazine insert or product packaging, and distributing a number of game pieces, at least one of which includes a complementary code for deciphering the message by combining it with the static code, without which the message could not be readily discerned.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A business promotion method utilizing an interactive code game, the method comprising the steps of: 
 identifying a prize winning message;    providing a static code in a designated promotional area, the static code defining a portion of the prize winning message such that the prize winning message is not discernable from the static code alone; and    distributing a plurality of game pieces to customers wherein at least one game piece differs from the other game pieces and includes a complementary code defining a portion of the prize winning message complementing the static code such that the game piece can be used to decipher the code and produce the prize winning message.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prize winning message is text.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the static code includes non-alphanumeric components of the text message and wherein the complementary code includes non-alphanumeric components of the text message which when combined with the static code non-alphanumeric components define the text message.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributed game pieces that do not have a complementary code have a non-complementary code that does not produce the prize winning message when combined with the static code.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the distributed game pieces having a non-complementary code include a consolation prize message.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promotional area is an in-store display.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promotional area is a product package.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the promotional area is the interior of a product package.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the static code is printed on a game piece separate from a game piece with the complementary or a non-complementary code.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game pieces are distributed in product packaging.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game pieces are affixed to an exterior surface of product packaging.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the games pieces are distributed in a carryable paper.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the game pieces are affixed to newspaper or magazine inserts.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game pieces include a transparent part on which the complementary code is printed.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a registration mark is printed on the transparent part for aligning the complementary code and the static code in such a way as to make the prize winning message appear.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game pieces are transparent sheets on which is printed the complementary code or a non-complementary code and which are removably affixed to an object.  
     
     
         17 . A business promotion method utilizing an interactive code game, the method comprising the steps of: 
 identifying a prize winning message;    providing a static code on a first substrate in a designated promotional area, the static code defining a portion of the prize winning message such that the prize winning message is not discernable from the static code alone; and    distributing a plurality of game pieces to customers wherein at least one game piece differs from the other game pieces and includes a complementary code on a second substrate, said complementary code defining a portion of the prize winning message complementing the static code such that the game piece can be used to decipher the code and produce the prize winning message; 
 wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is transparent so that the substrates are placed in overlying registration with one another with the transparent substrate on top of the other substrate to combine the static and complementary codes.