Distributed marketing platform

Abstract

A system for providing access to a distributed marketing platform is disclosed. In particular, the system may be utilized to allow a local marketer to access marketing resources for one or more brands through the use of a sub-account. The system may generate the sub-account for the local marketer, which may be utilized by the local marketer to access a master account associated with a particular brand that the local marketer desires to connect with. Access to the master account and its resources may be granted to the sub-account if the local marketer submits valid key and account information to an online portal associated with the master account. Additionally, the sub-account may be allowed to connect to other master accounts associated with other brands by using the online portal and without violating master account agreements of direct-solicitation and cross-promotion of the master accounts to the sub-account.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for providing access to a distributed marketing platform, the system comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions;   a processor associated with an online portal that is associated with a master account, wherein the processor executes the instructions to performing operations, the operations comprising:
 transmitting a first key to a device of a user, wherein the key is utilized to provide access to resources provided by the master account; 
 receiving, at the online portal, a second key from the device of the user; 
 transmitting, to the device of the user, a prompt to register a sub-account with the online portal if the second key matches the first key, wherein the sub-account identifies the user as a local affiliate of a brand of the master account; 
 receiving, from the device of the user, a request to register the sub-account with the online portal in response to the prompt; 
 determining if the request to register the sub-account with the online portal is approved; and 
 providing the sub-account with access to the online portal so that the sub-account can access the resources provided by the master account if the request to register the sub-account with the online portal is determined to be approved, wherein a level of the access to the resources provided by the master account is based on rules that are set by the master account that are associated with the first key and the sub-account. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, to the device of the user, a notification that the request to register the sub-account with the online portal has been denied if the request to register the sub-account is determined not to be approved. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise providing the sub-account with access to the resources provided by the master account subject to the level of the access to the resources that is based on the rules set by the master account that are associated with the first key and the sub-account. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a notification that indicates that the sub-account cannot register with the online portal if the second key does not match the first key. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise generating the first key, and wherein the first key comprises a unique combination of characters. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise associating the rules that are set by the master account with the first key and the sub-account. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, to the device of the user, an indication of an assignment of the sub-account to a subgroup associated with the master account, wherein the assignment to the subgroup is based on the rules that are set by the master account. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the subgroup contains a plurality of sub-accounts, wherein at least a portion of rules associated each of the plurality of sub-accounts match the rules that are set by the master account that are associated with the key and the sub-account. 
     
     
         9 . A method for providing access to a distributed marketing platform, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a device of a user, a first request to access an online portal associated with a master account, wherein the online portal provides access to resources provided by the master account;   receiving, from a device of the master account, a data packet including a master account identifier, a third party identifier, and a key in response to the first request to access the online portal, wherein the master account identifier uniquely identifies the master account, wherein the third party identifier uniquely identifies the user;   determining, by utilizing instructions from memory that are executed by a processor, if the user has a sub-account with the online portal based on the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet, wherein the sub-account identifies the user as a local affiliate of a brand of the master account;   transmitting, to the device of the user, a prompt to register the sub-account with the online portal if the user is determined to not have the sub-account with the online portal;   receiving, from the device of the user, a request to register the sub-account with the online portal in response to the prompt;   determining if the key and the request to register the sub-account with the online portal have been approved; and   providing the sub-account with access to the online portal if the key and the request to register the sub-account with the online portal are determined to be approved, wherein the access to the online portal provides access to the resources provided by the master account.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising limiting a level of the access to the resources provided by the master account based on rules that are set by the master account that are associated with the key and the sub-account. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving the data packet in response to the first request to access the online portal associated with the master account, wherein the first request to access the online portal associated with the master account is a single sign-on request. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising storing a file associated with a browser of the user when the request to register the sub-account with the online portal is approved, wherein the file comprises the master account identifier, the third party identifier, and a sub-account identifier associated with the online portal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving a second request to access the online portal after the sub-account is registered with the online portal, and further comprising enabling the sub-account, in response to the second request, to access the resources provided by the master account based on matching information in the file with the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving a second request to access the online portal after the sub-account is registered with the online portal, and further comprising transmitting instructions to cause the device of the user to present a login screen to enter a username and a password if the file is not found. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising enabling the sub-account, in response to the second request, to access the online portal if the username and the password are received from the device of the user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising registering the sub-account with the online portal if the request to register the sub-account has been approved. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, to the device of the user, an indication of an assignment of the sub-account to a subgroup associated with the master account, wherein the assignment to the subgroup is based on rules that are set by the master account that are associated with the key and the sub-account. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the resources provided by the master account comprise one or more of marketing programs, marketing materials, marketing funds, and marketing assets. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising enabling the sub-account to access a different master account using the online portal. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable device comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a device of a user, a request to access an online portal associated with a master account, wherein the online portal provides access to resources provided by the master account;   receiving, from a device of the master account, a data packet including a master account identifier, a third party identifier, and a key in response to the request to access the online portal, wherein the master account identifier uniquely identifies the master account, wherein the third party identifier uniquely identifies the user;   determining, by utilizing instructions from memory that are executed by a processor, if the user has a sub-account with the online portal based on the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet, wherein the sub-account identifies the user as a local affiliate of a brand of the master account; and   providing the sub-account with access to the online portal if the user is determined to have the sub-account, if the key is approved, and if information in a file of the user matches with the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet.