System and method for interactive marketing using networked devices

Abstract

An interactive marketing technique may include distributing an electronic marketing item to electronic devices. The users of the electronic devices may share the marketing item with other electronic devices to progressively attain credit that leads to an ability to use the marketing item. Each time an electronic device shares the marketing item, location information is collected to determine where sharing of the marketing item is active.

1 . A method of collecting marketing information, comprising:
 distributing an electronic marketing item to a first electronic device;   tracking passes of the marketing item from the first electronic device to one or more other electronic devices and subsequent passes of the marketing item from the other electronic device or devices to additional electronic devices, the electronic devices located in a geographical area and wherein tracking each pass includes determining a location of an electronic device involved with the pass; and   analyzing the determined locations to identify a portion of the geographical area that has a large amount of passing activity relative to another portion of the geographical area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for each pass, the location is determined for the passing electronic device at the time of the pass. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for each pass, the location is determined for the receiving electronic device at the time of the pass. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relative amount of passing activity is measured by density of the passing electronic devices. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relative amount of passing activity is measured by volume of the passing electronic devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying at least one merchant that is associated with the portion of the geographical area with the relatively large amount of passing activity and that offers a product or service associated with the electronic marketing item. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising directing inventory to satisfy a projected demand for the product or service to the identified merchant, the projected demand being a function of the passing activity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising notifying the merchant of the passing activity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising conducting additional marketing activity for the product or service in the portion of the geographical area with the relatively large amount of passing activity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning credit to any of the electronic devices that initiate a pass of the electronic marketing item, the credit valuable toward redemption of the electronic marketing item for at least a partial discount toward a product or service associated with the electronic marketing item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronic marketing item has an image component and, as received by one of the electronic devices, an initial portion of the image component that is displayable by the electronic device is less than the entire image component; and   credit obtained by passing of the electronic marketing item with the electronic device permits the electronic device to display a portion of the image component that is larger than the initial portion of the image component.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the credit is an aggregate of credit received for a combination of passes through a chain of the electronic devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a predetermined amount of aggregated credit permits display of the entire image component. 
     
     
         14 . A server comprising a processor that executes a marketing support application, the marketing support application containing logic to:
 distribute an electronic marketing item to a first electronic device;   track passes of the marketing item from the first electronic device to one or more other electronic devices and subsequent passes of the marketing item from the other electronic device or devices to additional electronic devices, the electronic devices located in a geographical area and wherein tracking each pass includes determining a location of an electronic device involved with the pass; and   analyze the determined locations to identify a portion of the geographical area that has a large amount of passing activity relative to another portion of the geographical area.   
     
     
         15 . The server of  claim 14 , wherein the marketing support application further includes logic to identify at least one merchant that is associated with the portion of the geographical area with the relatively large amount of passing activity and that offers a product or service associated with the electronic marketing item. 
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the marketing support application further includes logic to control the directing of inventory to satisfy a projected demand for the product or service to the identified merchant, the projected demand being a function of the passing activity. 
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the marketing support application further includes logic to notify the merchant of the passing activity. 
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the marketing support application further includes logic to assign credit to any of the electronic devices that initiate a pass of the electronic marketing item, the credit valuable toward redemption of the electronic marketing item for at least a partial discount toward a product or service associated with the electronic marketing item.