Match containers having manufacturer coupons

Abstract

Improved match containers having removable coupon sheets are provided for. The match container comprises a plurality of matches packaged in the container and a coupon sheet. The coupon sheet provides a substrate on which the manufacturer coupon is imprinted. It is removable from the container by a consumer for redemption of the manufacturer coupon. The manufacturer coupon further includes machine readable code associated with the manufacturer coupon to facilitate the automated processing of the manufacturer coupon. Improved methods for distributing manufacturer coupons via the novel match containers also are provided for.

Description

CLAIM TO PRIORITY[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of an application of Marcus L. Thuesen and Lejo C. Brana, entitled “Matchbooks Having Advertising Media”, U.S. Ser. No. 13 / 373,159, filed Nov. 7, 2011, which is a divisional of an application of Marcus L. Thuesen and Lejo C. Brana, entitled “Matchbooks Having Advertising Media”, U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 893,252, filed Aug. 15, 2007, which is a continuation of an application of Marcus L. Thuesen and Lejo C. Brana, entitled “Matchbooks Having Advertising Media”, U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 980,547, filed Nov. 3, 2004, now abandoned. This application also claims priority of the following provisional applications: “Match Containers Having Manufacturer Coupons,” U.S. Ser. No. 61 / 569,751, filed Dec. 12, 2011; “Match Containers Having Manufacturer Coupons,” U.S. Ser. No. 61 / 567,112, filed Dec. 5, 2011; and “Match Containers Having Manufacturer Coupons,” U.S. Ser. No. 61 / 564,277, filed Nov. 28, 2011.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present inven...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0036]The subject invention also provides for matchbooks having a separable coupon sheet which is captured by the matchbook or other primary packing associated therewith and which may be removed from the matchbook without impairing the functionality of the matchbook. The subject invention also provides for match boxes having a manufacturer coupon. The manufacturer coupon includes machine readable code associated with the manufacturer coupon to facilitate the automated processing of the manufacturer coupon.

[0037]Other novel match boxes have a separable coupon sheet which provides a substrate on which a manufacturer coupon is imprinted. The manufacturer coupon includes machine readable code to facilitate au...

Problems solved by technology

For example, while distribution by broadcast media is relatively inexpensive, the cost of producing entertainment, news and other content to attract an audience for broadcast media can be extremely expensive, and those costs are reflected in advertising fees.

Content production costs for printed mass media also can be substantial, and printed mass media can be expensive to produce and distribute.

While most direct advertising contains little or no content beyond the advertising message, and thus, involves relatively low content cost, the cost of direct advertising nevertheless can be substantial.

Such costs typically include the generation of a mailing list and postage or other delivery costs.

Moreover, a substantial portion, if not the majority of all advertising messages are never viewed by their intended audience for one reason or another.

Many consumers receiving the advertisement may have no interest in the advertised good or service, or they may not be able to afford it.

There also is a general clutter of advertisements that makes it difficult for a particular ad to capture the attention of consumers, especially if the consumer is distracted or otherwise occupied when the opportunity for viewing the ad arises.

The response rates for all of these methods, however, are greatly reduced because the vast majority of the ads are never viewed.

Even when presented to a consumer, however, many ads are not really viewed because they are lost in the clutter of many other ads, and this is a common problem with newspaper inserts and some forms of direct mailings.

Thus, most advertising methods are very inefficient and wasteful.

The effective cost for each advertising message that is actually communicated to consumers is generally many times higher than the nominal cost per message.

Many products, however, have relatively little imprintable area available for a bar code and even minimal product identification as is required to produce a consumer redeemable, manufacturer coupon.

While matchbooks have served as a vehicle for disseminating merchant coupons, there are no known instances where matchbooks in fact have been used as a vehicle for disseminating manufacturer coupons.

While the covers of conventional matchbooks usually have sufficient imprintable area on which a coupon may be provided, they nevertheless are poorly suited for such purposes.

If the coupon, i.e., the cover is detached immediately by a consumer it will impair the functionality of the matchbook.

On the other hand, considerable time may elapse before the matches are consumed and functionality is no longer an issue, during which time the consumer may lose the matchbook or his enthusiasm f...

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