Method for displaying and marketing alcoholic beverages

Abstract

The invention includes an apparatus for marketing, displaying, measuring, or mixing bottled alcoholic beverages in bars, restaurants, and other places that sell alcoholic beverages. The invention enables visual examination of bottles that have caps with a hole for purposes of display by freely hanging from hooks. The invention provides the ability to display bottled alcoholic beverages, recipe cards, and promotional materials in an upright, hanging fashion on displays. In a bar or restaurant, the invention provides the ability to transport many different alcoholic beverages directly to the countertop or table that enables the beverage to be displayed for purchase or mixing with a number of other drinks. For the purposes of displaying the alcoholic beverages, the invention includes a base, a frame, and wire racks having hooks. The hooks are used for hanging bottled alcoholic beverages, recipe cards, and promotional materials.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a device and method for supporting and transporting bottled alcoholic beverages and for marketing and providing bottled alcoholic beverages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Previously, bottled alcoholic beverages have been displayed in bars, restaurants, liquor stores, convenience stores and grocery stores on long shelves along side numerous other brands. Each individual brand is not customarily displayed together on one upright display in a hanging fashion. Furthermore, prior displays are not known to include a display device in the shape of the bottles hanging from it along with recipe cards and promotional materials also for hanging from the display. Previously it was not known to market a set of bottled alcoholic beverages and a display device together with drink-specific recipe cards and promotional materials.

[0003] Previously, in a bar or restaurant bottled alcoholic beverages have not been displayed on a device which may be transported directly to the countertop or table where the customer is located. Previously, customers had to request the type of mixed drink they would like and wait for the server or bartender to prepare it for them. Those pre-mixed drinks are not normally prepared according to the consumers' desired taste rather according to the preference of the server or bartender. Although, individual bottles of alcoholic beverages are sometimes brought to a customers table allowing them to pour or mix their own drinks, it was not previously known to provide a display with a plurality of alcoholic beverage bottles hanging from it for the consumers' individual selection and mixing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a device for displaying bottled alcoholic beverages. The display includes a frame supported by a base wherein the frame is upright and preferably shaped like a bottle with wire racks. Hooks are distributed along the wire rack and used for supporting the plurality of provided bottled alcoholic beverages as well as recipes and promotional materials. The provided bottled alcoholic beverage caps have holes in them such that they fit over a hook. Once the provided bottled alcoholic beverages are placed on the hooks, consumers who are close by are able to easily see and choose from a plurality of bottles at once.

[0005] The Applicant has further created a unique and useful method of marketing which includes packaging and providing a plurality of bottled alcoholic beverages, recipes, promotional and sales materials and an upright display device. The display can be a bottle shaped structure having circular racks and hooks around each rack for hanging the bottled alcoholic beverages. The provided bottled alcoholic beverages have specially designed caps with holes in the center for hanging on the hooks around each rack. When the bottled alcoholic beverages, recipes and promotional materials are placed around the racks they are visible to the user for selecting and drink preparation. Once the bottled alcoholic beverages and promotional materials are placed around the racks, the display may be placed on a table or countertop in a bar or restaurant. In addition to the bottled alcoholic beverages provided on the display, non-alcoholic diluting bottled beverages as well as glasses are provided and placed next to the display. The user may select individual bottles off the rack for mixing with the provided non-alcoholic diluting bottled beverage according to provided recipes to create a mixed drink of desired taste.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The foregoing objects, advantages, and features, as well as other objects and advantages, will become more apparent with reference to the description, claims and drawings below, in which like numerals represent like elements and in which:

[0007] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the display showing a plurality of bottles fixedly associated with individual hooks wherein the display is being manually transported.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the display showing a recipe card and a plurality of bottles fixedly associated with individual hooks where one of the bottles is being manually lifted from one of the hooks.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the mixing of a drink by pouring two provided beverages into a glass.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a side elevatioanls view of the display showing a recipe card and a plurality of bottles associated with individual hooks.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of marketing whereby a display is provided as well as bottled alcoholic beverages, recipes and promotional materials for hanging on the display are provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a pictorial view of the display 10 constructed of a supporting material, such as metal. The display is defined by a frame 12, base 20, supporting means 22a, b, wire racks 14a, b, hooks 16a, b and handle 18. The frame 12 is attached to the base 20 on both ends of the supporting means 22 so that the frame 12 stands in an upright position. The wire racks 14 are connected to the supporting means 24 on each side. The wire racks 14a, b are attached to each supporting means 22a, b on opposite sides of the wire rack 14a, b. Hooks 16a are attached and evenly distributed around each of the wire racks 14a, b. The hooks 16a are arranged in an outwardly facing direction and parallel to the base so that bottled alcoholic beverages 28 can hang from them. Furthermore, the wire racks 14a, b are positioned horizontally and far enough apart to allow the hanging of bottled alcoholic beverages 28 without them coming into contact with one another or the frame 10. There is also preferably a large hook 16b attached to the upper most wire rack 14a for use in hanging recipes 26 and other promotional and sales materials. The display 10 is shown with six bottled alcoholic beverages 28 hanging between the two racks 14a, b. As is seen from FIG. 1, the bottled alcoholic beverages 28 are supported by the small hooks 16a through a hole in the cap of the bottled alcoholic beverages 28. Each bottled alcoholic beverages 28 is evenly spaced such that it does not come into contact with any other bottle or any part of the frame 12. The handle 18 of a wire material similar to the frame 12 and racks 16a, b is attached to the top of the frame 12. A plastic shell 24 preferably in the shape of a bottle cap encases the handle 18. A hole 19 large enough for at least one finger to fit through is cut out of the upper portion of the plastic shell, creating a secure means for carrying the display 10.

[0013] FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 show a side view of the display 10 with four bottled alcoholic beverages 28 hanging from the same number of hooks 16a and a recipe card 26 hanging from the large hook 16b. FIG. 2 further depicts one of the hanging bottled alcoholic beverages 28 being manually lifted from the display 10. The provided recipe card 26 may be used to measure the appropriate amount of bottled alcoholic beverage 28 and diluting non-alcoholic beverage 29 to be used in making a mixed drink 30 of the desired taste. Furthermore, the large hook 16b may also be used for the purposes of hanging promotional and sales materials.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows one of the bottled alcoholic beverages 28 being poured along with a diluting non-alcoholic beverage 29 into a glass 32 for the purposes of making a mixed drink 30. Although, FIG. 3 depicts the beverages being poured directly from the bottle, other measuring means may be used to determine the desired amounts of the bottled alcoholic beverage 28 and diluting non-alcoholic beverage 29 before pouring into the glass 32.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of doing business for providing a display, a plurality of bottled alcoholic beverages, recipes and promotional materials. It is seen that this method of marketing includes the step of the supplier preparing bottled alcoholic beverages, displays, recipes and promotional materials, selling and setting up delivery to distributors schematically depicted as step 40 in the flow diagram FIG. 5. The step of selling, of course, entails the corresponding receipt of value to the seller. Furthermore, where the bottled alcoholic beverages, recipes and promotional materials are depleted at the point of sale step 40 may also include the process of reselling the depleted items. Examples of some of the recipes that could be provided are “3 Some” and “3 Cosmo”. Examples of some of the promotional materials that could be provided are materials describing reviews on the bottled alcoholic beverages, descriptions of product history, suggestions for use and consumption as well as locations where the product may be purchased. Step 42 depicts the process of delivering the same materials

Claims

1-13. (Canceled)

14. A display for hanging bottles, promotional and sales materials on display, the display comprising;

a base;

a handle encased by a plastic shell;

a frame adapted for displaying said hanging bottles in a visible manner and formed in the shape of said hanging bottles where said frame has a curvature at its center point causing sections of said frame on either side of the curvature to be positioned parallel to one another and acting as support members and said base is connected to each end of the support members to opposite sides of the base to cause said frame to be supported in an upright position;

racks adapted for supporting said hanging bottles in a visible manner, said frame and said racks being constructed of a metal material and said racks being fixedly connected within said frame to enable a plurality of bottles, including bottle caps with a hole, found in each one, for purposes of display by freely hanging from hooks, without coming into contact with another bottle, or the frame or the base, and wherein said hooks are fixedly connected to said racks in an outwardly facing direction at distances along the racks to enable a plurality of bottles, recipes and/or promotional materials to hang vertically from said hooks.

15. A display as set forth in claim 14, wherein said plastic shell has a shape of a bottle cap with a carrying hole in the upper portion of the shell to enable one to securely transport said display with at least one finger.

16. A display as set forth in claim 14, wherein the display can be used for training and explaining the proper manner of presenting the display to consumers.

17. A display as set forth in claim 14, wherein the display can be used for mixing by the consumer by selecting the desired bottled alcoholic beverage from the display and mixing with the desired amount of mix for purposes of drinking.