Control Group Creation for Ad Campaign Measurement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for measuring advertising campaign effectiveness often require consumer participation, which can be inaccurate and invasive, and struggle to identify a control group that accurately corresponds to campaign participants while maintaining consumer privacy.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for creating a control group by associating consumer profiles with measurement profiles based on account identifiers, microsegments, and spend behaviors to identify a control group that corresponds to campaign participants, ensuring accurate and privacy-respecting campaign measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If consumer participation methods (surveys and polls) are used to measure advertising effectiveness, then consumer insights can be obtained, but data accuracy deteriorates due to potential fabrication and consumer privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertising effectiveness dataVSAvoiddata accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary measurement system that uses device identifiers and behavioral data as a mediator between advertisers and consumers. This intermediary layer captures actual consumer behavior through device interactions rather than relying on self-reported survey data, thereby improving data accuracy while maintaining consumer privacy through automated tracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual consumer participation (surveys and polls) with an automated electronic tracking system that uses device identifiers, cookies, and behavioral data collection. This substitution eliminates the need for direct consumer involvement in data collection while improving measurement accuracy through automated, objective tracking of consumer interactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If revenue or consumer activity analysis is performed following an advertising campaign, then campaign impact can be assessed, but the ability to directly correlate results to specific campaigns deteriorates and detailed consumer group information becomes unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecampaign effectiveness informationVSAvoidcampaign correlation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by establishing control groups before advertising campaigns begin. These control groups are pre-identified using device identifiers and behavioral characteristics, allowing for direct before-and-after comparisons that precisely measure campaign impact on specific consumer segments without relying on post-campaign analysis alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing consumers into distinct groups (control groups and test groups) based on device identifiers, behavioral patterns, and demographic characteristics. This segmentation enables precise measurement of campaign effects on specific consumer segments while maintaining the ability to aggregate results for overall campaign assessment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If separate microsegments are used to identify control groups, then consumer privacy is maintained, but the ability to identify control groups that directly correspond to campaign participants deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer privacy protectionVSAvoidcontrol group correspondence accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by creating virtual representations of consumers through device identifiers and behavioral profiles rather than using actual personal information. These digital copies serve as control group members, maintaining privacy protection while enabling precise matching and correspondence between control groups and campaign participant groups through identifier-based linking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS10726429B2Method and system for creating a control group for campaign measurements

Publication Date: 2020.07.28 MASTERCARD INT INC

AI summary

A method for creating a control group for campaign measurements includes: storing a plurality of consumer profiles, each profile including data related to a consumer including an account identifier, spend behavior, and microsegment associated with the consumer; receiving a plurality of measurement profiles, each profile including data related to a consumer including a specific account identifier and indication of participation or non-participation in a campaign; associating each consumer profile with a measurement profile where the included account identifier corresponds to the specific account identifier of the measurement profile; identifying a campaign group, the campaign group including consumer profiles, each profile including a common microsegment and spend behavior and associated with a measurement profile indicating participation in the campaign; and identifying a control group, the control group including consumer profiles, each profile including the common microsegment and spend behavior and associated with a measurement profile indicating non-participation in the campaign.