Method for measuring the effectiveness of stimuli on decisions of shoppers

What is claimed is:

1. A method for measuring the effect of stimuli on the purchasing decisions of product shoppers, comprising the steps of

a) exposing a plurality of individually identifiable shoppers to an identifiable stimulus intended to prompt a shopper's decision to purchase an identified product,

b) providing individual shoppers with a dispenser activatable by a shopper and traceable to said shopper, said dispenser being programmable by electronic signals transmitted from a central location, said dispenser being capable of printing and dispensing permanent records,

c) following exposure of a shopper to said stimulus and upon the activating by a shopper, dispensing by said dispenser at a shopper's location a permanent record carrying an incentive to purchase said identified product as conveyed by said programming signals, said incentive being available upon the purchase of said product, said shopper's activating including an identification of said stimulus for printing on said record, said record being traceable to said dispenser by means of identification on said record,

d) In conjunction with the purchase of said product, a shopper presenting said record to receive said incentive, said record identifying

I. the purchased product,

II. the dispenser having dispensed said record, and

III. the stimulus which prompted said shopper's decision to purchase the identified product,

e) repeating the aforementioned steps a) to d), and

f) tabulating a shopper's records to analyze said shopper's purchasing behavior in response to identified stimuli.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said coupons are the severed portions of a matrix.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said matrix is a paper tape.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shoppers are exposed to a plurality of identified stimuli to promote the sale of identical products and in which individuals identify the specific stimulus which has caused them to purchase the identified product.

5. A method for determining the purchase behavior of individual members of a household, comprising the steps of

assigning a personal identification reference element to each member of a household,

presenting to members of said household identifiable stimuli intended to promote the sale of identified products,

a household member selecting a promoted product for intended purchase,

providing at household locations means identified with a household and activatable by a member of said household for generating and dispensing monetary coupons traceable to said means,

following activating of said means by a member of said household, generating and dispensing at said household location a coupon carrying a monetary incentive to purchase a selected product, said incentive being available upon the purchase of said product, said activating including an identification of the stimulus which prompted said selection by said individual member of said household, said activating including an entering of said household member's personal identification,

in conjunction with the purchase of a selected product a household member surrendering said coupon to receive said incentive,

collecting surrendered coupons, and

determining the purchase behavior of individual members of a household by tabulating said surrendered coupons carrying incentives to purchase products selected by individual members of said household identified on said coupons.

6. A method for determining the purchase behavior of individual members of a household, comprising the steps of

assigning a personal identification reference element to each member of a household,

presenting to members of said household identifiable stimuli intended to promote the sale of identified products,

a household member selecting a promoted product for intended purchase,

providing at household locations means identified with a household and activatable by a member of said household for generating and dispensing monetary coupons and for compiling a cumulative record of said coupons, said coupons and said record being traceable to said means,

following activating of said means by a member of said household, generating and dispensing at said household location a coupon carrying a monetary incentive to purchase a selected product, said incentive being available upon the purchase of said product, said activating including an identification of the stimulus which prompted said selection by said individual member of said household, said activating including an entering of said household member's personal identification, said identification appearing on said coupons and on said record,

in conjunction with the purchase of a selected product a household member surrendering said coupon to receive said incentive,

collecting surrendered coupons, and

determining the purchase behavior of individual members of a household by tabulating said surrendered coupons carrying incentives to purchase products selected by individual members of said household identified on said coupons and by analyzing said tabulation in the context of said cumulative record.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said cumulative record is a redeemable record.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said cumulative record is a mailing piece.

9. The method according to claim 8, including the step by a household member of mailing said cumulative record to an organization for evaluation.

10. A method for evaluating the inducement effect of a stimulus on individuals comprising the steps of:

an organizer exposing individuals to a stimulus intended to induce the performance of a desired act by said individuals,

providing said individuals with electronically programmable token dispersers capable,

upon the request of individual ones of said individuals, of dispensing a token having value to said requesting individual, said value being available upon the performance of said act and upon surrender of said token,

programming said dispersers by means of electronic instructional signals transmitted from a central location, said programming including value information to be borne by said token, said step of programming occurring subsequent to exposure of individuals to said stimulus and, prior to an individual requesting the dispensing of a token through entry of a command in said dispenser,

dispensing to each of said requesting individuals a token bearing said value information,

performing the desired act by at least some of said individuals having tokens,

said token surrendering individuals surrendering said tokens to said organizer,

said token surrendering individuals receiving said value, and

said organizer measuring the inducement effect of said stimulus on individuals by evaluating the performance of the desired act by said individuals as evidenced by surrendered tokens.

11. The method according to claim 10, in which said stimulus is identified by individuals who enter said identification on said token following dispensing thereof.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said stimulus is identified by an individual at the time of surrendering said token.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said dispenser includes means for inhibiting the reception of specific electronic signals, said inhibiting being controlled by instructional electronic signals.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said dispenser includes means for negating the printing of records not specifically identified by said instructional signals.

15. A method for measuring the effectiveness of broadcast and print advertisements, said method comprising the steps of:

presenting advertisements to shoppers, said advertisements advertising specific products, each advertisement being identifiable by timing of its presentation and/or by a reference element,

providing shoppers with dispensers, each dispenser having means operable by an individual shopper for printing and dispensing a hard copy record carrying an incentive to purchase at least one of said specific products, the benefit of said incentive being receivable in a retail store within a stipulated period of time, each of said dispensers being identifiably associated with an individual one of said shoppers, said record being of the type which is honored upon the purchase of an advertised product by a shopper in said retail store, said record identifying the dispenser having printed said record and indicating the advertisement corresponding to said advertised product,

a shopper selecting for intended purchase at least one of said advertised products,

a shopper operating said shopper's dispenser to direct the printing of one of said records,

a shopper's dispenser printing and dispensing said at least one record to said shopper, said record identifying said shopper's dispenser, one of said advertised products, and the advertisement corresponding to said advertised product that wa presented when the shopper selected the advertised product for intended purchase,

a shopper purchasing said selected product in said retail store,

in conjunction with said purchase, a shopper presenting said record in said retail store within said stipulated period of time to receive the benefit of said incentive,

collecting presented records from said retail store, and

tabulating a presentation rate of said presented records relative to their associated advertisement.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said period of time ends on the day following the day of dispensing said record.

17. The method according to claims 1, 5, 6 or 15, wherein a single stimulus promotes the sale of a plurality of identified products and wherein a shopper enters a selection of a product from said plurality in said dispenser, the token dispensed by said dispenser carrying value available to a shopper upon the purchase of the selected product.

18. A method for evaluating the effectiveness of stimuli on the purchasing behavior of individuals comprising the steps of

a seller exposing individuals to an identifiable stimulus intended to promote the purchase of a product,

providing said individuals at their locations electronically programmable token dispensers operable by said individuals and capable upon the request of individual ones of said individuals of dispensing a token carrying a purchase incentive value, said value being available to a shopper upon purchase of a product promoted in said stimulus and upon surrender of said token,

programming said dispensers by means of electronic instructional signals transmitted from a central location, said programming including information relative to the purchase incentive value carried by said token,

subsequent to exposure to said stimulus, an individual operating said dispenser to request a token, said request identifying the stimulus to which said individual has been exposed,

dispensing said token to said individual,

said individual purchasing said promoted product from a seller,

said individual surrendering said token to a seller,

said individual receiving said incentive value, and

said seller analyzing the effectiveness of said stimulus as evidenced by surrendered tokens.

19. A method for measuring the purchase inducing effect of stimuli under a variety of circumstances on a plurality of individuals, the method comprising the steps of

a seller exposing a plurality of individuals to stimuli intended to induce the purchase of products by said individuals,

providing said individuals at their individual locations electronically programmable token dispensers capable upon the request of an individual of dispensing to said individual a token having purchase inducement value, said value being available to an individual upon the purchase of a product and the surrendering of said token,

programming said token dispenser through electronic signals transmitted from a central location, said programming including a varying of purchase inducement values,

subsequent to the exposure of individuals to said stimuli, an individual requesting the dispensing of a token through entry of a command in said dispenser,

dispensing a requested token at said individual's location,

said individual purchasing said product,

said individual surrendering a token to the seller,

said individual receiving said value, and

said seller measuring the inducement effect of said stimuli on said individuals by analyzing the purchase of said products by said individuals,

said measuring method being implemented under a variety of circumstances, singly or in combination, said circumstances being determined by said seller and varying with respect to and selected from the group consisting of the nature, frequency and combination of stimuli; the nature and value of inducements; the nature and price range of promoted products; shoppers' demographic and psychographic characteristics; shoppers' distance from point of purchase; the time of day; the day of the week; and the season.

20. A method for quantifying the diminishing effect of a broadcast or print advertisement comprising the steps of

exposing shoppers to an identifiable advertisement which promotes the sale of a first product in a retail store,

providing individual shoppers an opportunity to operate a dispenser for generating a permanent record carrying an incentive to purchase said first product intended to be purchased by said individual shopper, said record identifying said advertisement,

a shopper operating said dispenser,

a dispenser generating a first product record carrying said incentive,

dispensing said first product record to said shopper,

compiling in individual dispensers at shoppers' locations listings of first product records dispensed to individual shoppers,

a shopper delivering a first product record to a retail store,

prior to the purchase of said first product in said retail store, a shopper being exposed to the advertising of a second product competing with said first product,

a shopper deciding whether to purchase said first product,

a shopper, having decided to purchase said first product, purchasing said first product and surrendering to a retail store said first product record to receive the benefit of said incentive,

tabulating the first product records surrendered by a shopper to a retail store, and

deducting the surrendered first product records of a shopper from the first product listing of said shopper,

so as to quantify the loss of sales of the first product advertised in said identified advertisement and intended by a shopper to be purchased, between the time of said shopper's exposure to said advertisement and the time of said shopper's purchase of said first product in a retail store.

21. In a method for evaluating the effectiveness of stimuli on individuals, the method being of the type including the steps of:

a) exposing individuals to at least one stimulus intended to induce the performance by said individuals of an act desired by an organizer,

b) distributing permanent records to individual recipients at their locations, said records having value that has been determined by said organizer and is available to a record recipient upon the performance of said desired act induced by said stimulus,

c) receiving said value by said individuals upon performance of said act and surrender of said record to said organizer

d) said organizer evaluating the effectiveness of said stimulus as evidenced by surrendered records,

the improvement which comprises the steps of:

e) carrying out said method under a variety of circumstances, said circumstances varying with respect to and selected from a group of variables consisting of the nature, frequency and combination of stimuli; the nature and value of inducements; the nature of the desired act; individuals' demographic and psychographic characteristics; individuals' distance from the location of the performance of the desired act; the time of day of the stimilus; the day of the week of the stimulus; and the season of the stimulus; and

f) evaluating the effectiveness of stimuli under said varying circumstances applied discretely or in combination.

22. A method for evaluating under varying sets of circumstances the effectiveness of stimuli experienced by individuals, the method comprising the steps of:

a) exposing individuals to a stimulus under a set of circumstances, said circumstances having been selected from a group comprising nature, frequency, combination and timing of stimuli; and redemption value of records,

b) individuals acting upon said stimulus,

c) distributing permanent records having redemption value, said value being available to said individuals who have acted upon said stimulus and who redeem said records,

d) evaluating the effectiveness of said stimulus as evidenced by records redeemed,

e) repeating steps a)-d) under at least one additional varied set of circumstances, and

f) evaluating the change in the effectiveness of stimuli under said varied sets of circumstances as evidenced by said records redeemed.

23. The method according to claims 1, 5, 6, 10, 18, 20, 21 or 22, wherein the effectiveness of a stimulus is measured over at least one discrete determined period of time.

24. The method according to claims 1, 5, 6, or 15 wherein said stimulus is carried by one television station in the market served by said television station.

25. The method according to claims 1, 5, 6, or 15 wherein said stimulus is carried by one radio station in the market served by said radio station.

26. The method according to claims 1, 5, 6, or 15 wherein said stimulus is carried by one print publication in the market served by said print publication.

27. A method for measuring the effect of purchasing stimuli on purchasing decisions comprising steps of:

exposing an individual to a variety of purchasing stimuli;

presenting said individual with an opportunity to select a plurality of available product-specific coupons;

selecting, by said individual, at least one of said coupons for redemption, said at least one coupon at least partially identifying said individual and at least one stimulus from said stimuli;

redeeming said selected coupons with the purchase of a product; and

reviewing redeemed selected coupons to determine effect of at least one of said stimulus upon comparison of redemption rates of said coupons for said variety of stimuli.

28. A method for measuring the effect of purchasing stimuli on purchasing decisions comprising steps of:

exposing individuals to a variety of purchasing stimuli;

providing means for said individuals to request and be given a variety of product-specific coupons related to said purchasing stimuli;

dispensing requested coupons to requesting individuals, said step of dispensing comprising providing said dispensed coupons with information regarding the purchasing stimuli that said requesting individual was exposed to; and

determining effect of individual stimulus of said variety of stimuli by reviewing a comparison of said requests by said individuals, said purchasing stimuli that said individuals were exposed to, and said coupons that are redeemed.

29. A method for quantifying effect of discrete purchase stimuli variables on purchasing behavior of shoppers comprising steps of:

exposing individuals to purchase stimuli relating to products;

presenting said individuals with an opportunity to select product coupons relating to said products;

selecting, by at least some of said individuals, at least some of said product coupons;

recording information regarding discrete variables of said purchase stimuli that said selecting individuals were exposed to in relation to said selecting individuals' actual selections;

varying said discrete variables of said purchase stimuli over a period of time; and

reviewing selection rates of said selected product coupons relative to different types of said discrete variables of purchase stimuli used over said period of time.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the measuring of the impact of stimuli on individuals and, more particularly to evaluating the short term and long term effectiveness of broadcast and print stimuli under varying circumstances.

Market researchers currently make great efforts to improve the degree of accuracy and validity of results that measure the impact and lasting effect of isolated and combined purchase stimuli such as television and radio commercials, as well as print advertisements. Yet, no method or system for achieving these objectives has been available. A particularly important target area of market research has been the assessment and evaluation of the continuing effectiveness of advertising and sales promotions presented to a shopper before the shopper enters a retail store, as affected by various types of in-store promotions and point-of-purchase advertising.

Also, heretofore, there has been no technique available to market researchers to quantitatively measure on an individual or on a household basis the effect of variables affecting promotions, such as frequency and timing of stimuli, shopping inducements and their effect on different population segments.

It therefore is an object of the present invention to quantify the initial impact and the continuing effectiveness of advertising on shoppers with respect to an identified advertisement in terms of the purchase of the advertised product. It is another object to measure the magnitude of sales which are lost and are excluded from a shopper's intended purchases. Most of these purchases are directed to a different product as a consequence of in-store advertising and the promotion of product competitive with the product initially selected for purchase by said shopper based on the immediate impact of the advertisement.

It is another object of the invention to quantify the impact on shoppers of a number of controlled variables of an advertising or promotional campaign, individually or in combination.

Manufacturers of packaged consumer goods sold in supermarkets sometimes find it difficult to obtain market data from these supermarkets. Yet, such manufacturers who are large advertisers are anxious to obtain as much feedback as possible giving them reliable information not only with respect to the overall redemption of coupons, but broken down by households or, ideally, by individual family members. Such information would be of utmost value to all advertisers in that, once the buying habit or pattern of an individual household is known, marketing efforts can be focused on individual shoppers or families and the mailing cost and other expenses of indiscriminate direct mailings can be avoided. A typical example would be an elderly couple for which the said cumulative record would indicate no babyfood purchase and would obviate corresponding coupon mailings.

The above objectives are attained by the invention by compiling a cumulative record as described in a form that lends itself to direct communication between families and manufacturers without requiring efforts or expenses by retailers.

The methods of the invention utilize shoppers' implementations of individual personal buying decisions, as evidenced by requested discount coupons, in the quantitative measurement of a shopper's buying behavior. At the same time, shoppers' buying decisions are used as yardsticks in the evaluation of the effectiveness of discrete functions of purchase stimuli.

All coupons, by their numbers or other identifications, can be traced to the household having requested them. This makes it possible to compare the coupons requested and redeemed with the coupons requested and not redeemed by individual families or shopping units. The method also permits an evaluation of each individual stimulus or advertisement household by household.

It may not be necessary to provide for all of these indications by shoppers on a nationwide scale, as market research on a more limited scale will yield data essential with respect to some marketing aspects, such as product development, packaging and overall advertising. In other respects, however, household by household data and purchasing behavior are valuable, such as in respect to direct mailings. These and other benefits of the invention are described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects quantifying the effects of advertising and promotional activities are achieved by the invention.

In practicing the invention, the systems described in the above identified patents and patent applications are used. Persons exposed to the stimulus of a television, radio or printed advertisement or other promotion are given an opportunity to respond to a task, such as the selection of an advertised product or to provide an answer to a question. Following a response, such persons receive a token having value, such as a coupon carrying a discount on the product featured in the advertisement. In the case of a correct answer to a question, a shopper's response is entered in a programmed response unit, which evaluates and scores the response and which prints a discount coupon specifying the advertised product. The response unit is programmed by electronic instructional signals which convey acceptable responses and the value of awards won by successful respondents. Each broadcast or print advertisement can be identified by a reference element, such as alphanumeric data and/or by the time of its appearance. Thus a shopper in the process of selecting a product and receiving a prize coupon identifies the stimulus that brought about the selection and buying decision.

In another version of the above method, a shopper need not respond to a question, but makes a product selection and requests the printing and dispensing of a coupon carrying a discount on the chosen advertised product by entering an appropriate request in the entering device of a response unit.

The response units at individual shoppers' locations have means for dispensing individual coupons following a response and for compiling a cumulative record of products for which the shopper has requested or selected discount coupons. Such a cumulative record can take the form of a tape intermittently printed as coupons are requested. Whereas the coupons are dispensed individually when printed as described in connection with the drawings, the tape matrix having the cumulative coupon data printed thereon is temporarily retained in the response unit in the form of a tape.

It is removed and replaced the way the tapes of known calculators are retained until fully used, at which time they are replaced.

In the event a shopper uses, i.e. redeems all of the coupons requested by purchasing the specified product, the total number of products thus purchased will equal the number of products listed on the cumulative record compiled by the response unit of that shopper.

If, however, a shopper changes his or her mind following receipt of a coupon reading on a specified product and if said shopper purchases a competitor's product instead, or purchases no product, the total of presented coupons will be less than the total of products shown on said cumulative record, which reflects a shopper's original intention. The difference between these two sets of data represents the loss of sales due to a change of heart by a shopper following the time of exposure to the identified stimulus.

By identifying on each coupon the wanted product, the stimulus responsible for the initial buying decision and the member of a household, the method generates a person-by-person behavior pattern and reaction to discrete stimuli and to controlled variations thereof.

While the methods of the invention are applicable to all forms of stimuli, including stimuli to induce acts other than purchases, such as survey responses, the descriptions that follow focus primarily on purchase promotions and are intended to be only illustrative.

The methods of the invention permit the heretofore unattainable statistical analysis of a great many factors that have an impact on the buying behavior of shoppers. The advance in the statistical measurement of intangible factors such as the combination effect of stimuli or their timing and the increase or decrease in the monetary value of purchase incentives as reflected by the buying behavior of individual shoppers, is made possible by the methods of the invention which induce shoppers to avail themselves of monetary incentives in the form of shopper-selected, product-specific discount coupons and similar hard copy records; said inducements being promoted by the stimuli whose impact is to be quantified under controlled varied conditions.

The present method permits generating the buying pattern not only of a household but of the individuals comprising said household, including children. To identify each individual and in view of the fact that each household is associated with an identified response unit, the additional identification for each member of the household can be a very simple one, such as a one-digit number or initial. Children will have no problem entering their personal identification symbol when making a product selection.

The described methods thus add to present market research tools the capability of statistically measuring the effectiveness of the discrete purchase behavior of an individual consumer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The systems and methods of the invention are outlined in the following description, taken in connection with the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a system incorporating the invention and configured to show two embodiments of receiving stations, one receiving station employing simulcast radio and television signals of a program produced in a studio, and the second receiving station employing a television receiver system modified to receive an instructional signal from the studio;

FIG. 2 shows the audio spectrum and a portion thereof designated for an instructional signal;

FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic response unit in each remote receiving station of FIG. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing details of a dispenser of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention, similar to that of FIG. 3, the system of FIG. 6 employing the transmission of two signal groups each having plural sets of signals, wherein first and second signals of the first signal group are transmitted by video and audio portions of a television program, the first and the second signals presenting respectively a studio scene and a task for respondents, each and wherein two sets of signals of the second group, an instructional group, are combined with an audio signal of the first group;

FIG. 7 is an alternative embodiment of the system of FIG. 6 wherein the signals of the second group are interleaved with the video signal of the first group by use of the vertical retrace time slot of a television transmission;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a response unit for use with either of the systems of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a timing unit of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows the audio spectrum and a portion thereof designated for instructional signal bands of the second signal group utilized, respectively, for answers and criteria for evaluating answers;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of receiving stations of the invention installed, as a further embodiment of the invention, in an aircraft, with separate receiving stations located at each passenger seat, this embodiment employing a recording of a game situation with instructions for response, each receiving station being equipped for both audio and video;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing interconnection of electric components of the system of the invention for the installation of FIG. 11, the system of FIG. 12 employing response units having components disclosed in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a modification of the central station of FIG. 6 to provide for an audio-only recording of the game program for use by the receiving stations of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is an alternative embodiment of FIG. 12 for use of an audio recorder, the system of FIG. 14 employing a recording provided by the system of FIG. 13, the system of FIG. 14 employing response units having components disclosed in FIG. 8;

FIGS. 15 and 16 show a modification of the systems of FIGS. 13 and 14, respectively, wherein the central station and the response units of the receiving stations have been modified to be operative with response-criteria and scoring signals transmitted as unintelligible audio signals in the same audio band employed by the recorded audio description of a task-setting program and the audio instructions for response to the task;

FIG. 17 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the invention showing both the central station and a receiving station in which an audio recorder having four separate channels is employed, the channels communicating audio signals for task and instructions, for synchronization, for response criteria, and for scoring criteria;

FIG. 18 shows additional equipment which may be incorporated in the response units of FIGS. 11, 12, 14 and 16 for communication of scoring results by a digital communication system to a central dispenser for a hard-copy output of game results;

FIG. 19 is a timing diagram showing burst transmissions of response and scoring criteria between voice signals for an audio-only recording employing a single recording track;

FIG. 20 is a timing diagram showing simultaneous transmission of voice, synchronization, response and scoring criteria signal in an audio-only system employing a multiple track recording medium;

FIG. 21 shows schematically an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the tape recorder is provided with five channels to allow separate and independent recordation of a verbal description of a scene and verbal instructions for responding to tasks presented in the scene;

FIG. 22 shows diagrammatically a further embodiment of the invention wherein a respondent can activate a prerecorded program by use of a telephone, the prerecorded program including a task, questions, instructions for responding, response criteria, and signals enabling automatic comparing of answers to predetermined responses and a scoring of responses by a response unit;

FIG. 23 shows diagrammatically a further embodiment in the transmission of an instructional signal from a central station to a remote receiving station by use of an optical link in combination with the video portion of a television transmission;

FIG. 24 is a diagram explaining operation of a telephone system of FIG. 22 for use in debiting and crediting a respondent;

FIG. 25 shows diagrammatically the storage of information in two of the memories of the response unit of FIGS. 8 and 26;

FIG. 26 is a block diagram of a response unit which is a modification of the response unit of FIG. 8;

FIG. 27 is a flow chart for operation of a computer in the response unit of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a sequence of steps in the practice of the method of the invention;

FIG. 29 is a block diagram of a further embodiment of the invention wherein a central station and a set of remote playing stations are employed to conduct a wagering game including the issuance of coupons, or other form of wagering record, in a forgery proof system;

FIG. 30 is a block diagram of a playing station of the system of FIG. 29; and

FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing method steps employed at various components of the system of FIG. 29 for practicing the forgery proof wagering game.

FIG. 32 is a diagram of the method steps leading to shoppers' selection of a product coupon.

FIG. 33 is a diagram of the method steps leading to an analysis of the lasting effectiveness of stimuli to promote shopping decisions.

FIG. 34 depicts an embodiment of a mailing piece used in the invention, FIG. 34-A being the side with purchase information and FIG. 34-B being the side with mailing information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, FIGS. 1-5 disclose embodiments of the invention useful for programs to be conducted with participation from remote audiences. In the disclosure of FIGS. 6-10, the system is adapted for a greater selection of, and modification of, parameters in criteria for evaluating answers to questions. The criteria are controllable from a central station. A level of difficulty in the questions may be selected by a contestant. The embodiment of the system of FIGS. 1-5 is described in terms of two signal groups, namely, a radio/television signal group, Group One, and an instructional signal group, Group Two. The embodiment of the system of FIGS. 6-10 is described with reference to at least four types of signals, namely, a television signal presenting a studio scene (TV program), a television signal presenting a task such as a set of questions (task signal), a signal setting forth acceptable answers to questions (response criteria), and a signal setting forth criteria to be employed in the evaluation of the answers (scoring mode). In FIGS. 11-22, there is shown a set of embodiments of the invention wherein an event, scenario, presentation, situation or other scene having a task to be performed is recorded for subsequent playback to respondents. The system of FIGS. 1-5 will be described first, this being followed by a description of the system of FIGS. 6-10 and the system of FIGS. 11-23. The systems of the various embodiments will now be described primarily in the context of responses to tasks and questions; it being understood that the practice of the invention is applicable to the making, evaluation and rewarding of predictions. Methods and systems employed in the context of predictions of the outcome of events are more particularly described in connection with FIGS. 22 and 24.

FIG. 1 presents a simplified description of a system 10 wherein a central station 12 includes a studio 14, such as a television studio which broadcasts programs to many external or remote receiving stations, two such receiving stations 16 and 18 being shown by way of example. In accordance with the invention, each of the receiving stations 16 and 18 includes means for observing the broadcast program, such as a television screen 20, and means by which persons in the external viewing audience can respond to situations presented in the studio, the response means being a response unit 22 which evaluates and records responses entered by persons in the viewing audience.

Two signals are broadcast by the central station 12 to each of the receiving stations 16 and 18. One of these two signals is a program signal for presenting on the television screen 20 a program generated in the studio 14. The second of the two signals is an instructional or command signal for operation of the response unit 22, the instructional signal providing appropriate commands to the response unit 22 for evaluating, rejecting or accepting, and scoring audience responses to questions raised in the televised program.

Two modes of transmission are provided for the two signals. In the case of the receiving station 18, both of the signals are carried by a single television channel carrier radiated from an antenna 24 of the central station 22, and received by an antenna 26 at the receiving station 18. The antenna 26 connects with a television system 28 which includes the foregoing television screen 20 and, furthermore, includes circuitry 30 for the separation of the instructional signal from the program signal. The instructional signal is then applied via line 32 to the response unit 22. In the case of the receiving station 16, the two signals are processed separately. The instructional signal is broadcast by a radio channel employing a radio antenna 34 at the central station 12, and received by an antenna 36 at the receiving station 16. Thus, at the receiving station 16, a standard television set 38 including the screen 20 receives the televised program via antenna 26 and presents the program on the screen 20. A separate radio receiver 40 and demodulator 42 are employed for receiving the instructional signal and for applying the instructional signal to the response unit 22.

In the practice of the invention, the instructional signal may be transmitted to a remote receiving station in any convenient manner such as via a cable transmission or by a specially broadcast transmission (not shown) or by combining the instructional signal with the audio signal in a radio broadcast or television broadcast. The combination of the instructional signal with the audio spectrum is demonstrated in the graph of FIG. 2 which shows a typical relationship of amplitude versus frequency in a transmitted audio spectrum. In that spectrum, a relatively narrow frequency band is set aside for transmission of the instructional signal, the narrow frequency band being at the upper frequency edge of the audio spectrum.

For example, the bandwidth of the instructional signal may be approximately 1% of the audio bandwidth, this being sufficient to enable a relatively slow transmission of instructional data to the response units 22 in the respective receiving stations. By maintaining the amplitude of the instructional signal well below that of the audio signal, the instructional signal does not introduce more than a negligible amount of interference with the audio signal. Also, it is noted that the instructional signal