Method of delivering advertising material

Abstract

A unique packaging method is disclosed. The method advertises products related to a product shipped in a box and comprises obtaining a box, placing a product in the box, and identifying a particular product category associated with the product being shipped in the box. This may be followed by obtaining an elongated flexible planar member having a width and a length substantially greater than the width, the planar member having an upper surface and a lower surface. The flexible planar member is provided with a layer of adhesive material deposited on and covering a substantial portion of the lower surface to form a packaging tape. The tape is imprinted with indicia comprising visually perceivable information to provide a purchaser with information relating to various products within the particular product category by disposing the information on the upper surface of the tape. The box is sealed with the tape. The method thus serves to particularly well-target advertising, as it is sent to consumers of known products. At the same time the invention provides the advantage of low-cost as compared to dedicated printed packages.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A packaging tape adapted to be used to structurally stabilize the form of a package containing a product, and to close the package, comprising: 
 (a) an elongated flexible planar member having a width and a length, said length being substantially greater than said width, said planar member having an upper surface and a lower surface;    (b) a layer of adhesive material disposed on and covering a substantial portion of said lower surface; and    (c) printed indicia disposed on said upper surface, said indicia bearing visually perceivable information depicting a well-known character known to work in a profession associated with the profession of a user of said products.    
   
   
       31 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said packaging tape is adapted to be applied to a package, and said indicia further conveys information related to the contents of said package.  
   
   
       32 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said indicia further comprises pictures of a plurality of products related to the product contained within said package.  
   
   
       33 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said indicia further comprises an electronic address of a source for products related to said products.  
   
   
       34 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said indicia are organized in cells with different orientations to provide for readability with different orientations of said tape.  
   
   
       35 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said indicia conveys information on products within the same line of products as the product contained within said package.  
   
   
       36 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said indicia contains information about products likely to be sold to purchasers of contents of said package.  
   
   
       37 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said packaging tape is color coded with a specific color, and said specific color identifies the product contained within said package as coming from a product group.  
   
   
       38 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said character is Dilbert.  
   
   
       39 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said character is a fictional representation of an engineer and said products are engineering related products.  
   
   
       40 . A packaging tape as in claim  1 , wherein said indicia, at least in part, takes the form of a color cartoon, said cartoon having said character engaging in a humorous presentation in a frame.  
   
   
       41 . A packaging tape as in claim  11 , wherein said character is a nationally known popular character, said popular character interacting within said frames with other characters.  
   
   
       42 . A packaging tape as in claim  11 , wherein said indicia are organized in cells with different orientations to provide for readability with different orientations of said tape.  
   
   
       43 . A packaging tape as a claim  11 , wherein said tape is disposed in the form of a roll.  
   
   
       44 . A packaging tape as in claim  11 , wherein said printed indicia takes the form of a number of cells with identical informational content, said cells being disposed in repetitive fashion along the length of said elongated flexible planar member, said cells being disposed alternatively with different orientations, whereby, regardless of the orientation of the paper, a viewer is able to read the informational content of at least one of said cell.  
   
   
       45 . A method of building consumer loyalty by communicating information by shipping a product, comprising: 
 (a) identifying a product;    (b) forming an adhesive tape by applying visual indicia on one side of a tape, said visual indicia comprising visually perceivable information depicting a well-known character known to work in a profession associated with the profession of a user of said product;    (c) applying an adhesive to the other side of said tape;    (d) putting said product in a carton; and    (e) closing said carton by using said adhesive tape.    
   
   
       46 . A method as in claim  16 , wherein said visual indicia are contained in cells oriented in different directions to provide for viewing with different carton orientations.  
   
   
       47 . A method of building consumer loyalty by communicating humorous information by shipping a product, comprising: 
 (a) identifying a product;    (b) forming an adhesive tape by applying visual indicia on one side of a tape, said visual indicia comprising visually perceivable information depicting a humorous cartoon segment;    (c) applying an adhesive to the other side of said tape;    (d) putting said product in a carton; and    (e) closing said carton by using said adhesive tape.