Method and apparatus for merchandising dispensable products

Abstract

A method for merchandising products in fillable containers is disclosed. The method employs a container having a digital storage media affixed to the container, which is displayed to the consumer to affect the consumers buying decision. Container and digital media systems useful in the invention also are disclosed.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/531,942 filed on Dec. 23, 2003 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Merchandising Dispensable Products.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method of merchandising products in a retail, convenience store or similar environment. More specifically, the method relates to promoting the sale of vendible or dispensed products, such as soft drinks, by providing promotional or informational digital media on the container for the dispensed item.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the past few decades, convenience stores have become a much more prominent source for certain consumer goods. Typically located at high traffic areas such as busy corners or interstate highway interchanges, convenience stores alternatively may by located at high foot or motor vehicle traffic locations such as busy corners or shopping malls. They are also co-located with one or more other types of quick service facilities such as gasoline stations, dry cleaners or “fast food” restaurants.

A convenience store provides consumers with quick and easy access to certain high demand items such as milk, bread, over-the counter medicines and snacks. In a convenience store, the consumer typically expects to select her or his purchases and take them to a cashier for check out.

In addition to providing the staple items mentioned above, the convenience store provides a venue for offering food items to be dispensed from a bulk supply by or for the consumer, to be consumed either on the premises or away from the convenience store. Consumer items fitting this description include many cup-borne items such as coffees, soft drinks, frozen drinks or soft ice creams.

Promotion of dispensed items in the convenience store environment is an important aspect of convenience store operation. The process is popular with consumers because the consumer can select the size and type of product she or he desires, and in some cases, the type of cup or container into which the product is dispensed. The process also is popular with convenience store operators because such products generally provide the store with a good margin for the store's investment, and provide yet another reason for consumers to stop at the convenience store.

The popularity and potential profitability of consumer-dispensed convenience store products causes convenience stores to encourage sales of such products. The convenience store operator often offers various types of attractive reusable containers for receiving the dispensed product, and can use various pricing incentives to entice the sale of these products in connection with other products. But consumers demand ever more sophisticated incentives to induce their purchase of bulk-dispensed products.

Given the popularity of electronic entertainment devices such as games, and music and video players, one approach used to induce sales of certain convenience-store vended products such as soft drinks, is to provide a container lid that contains within it some form of a mini- or full-sized compact disc (CD) or digital video disc (DVD). While the use of such a disc-containing lid can promote the sales of cup-borne products, the use of the disc-containing lids has several drawbacks.

First, media-containing lids are relatively small and easily hidden away in a pocket or purse, making theft of the lid and its promotional item a problem. This is particularly true of consumer-dispensed products in the convenience store environment where there is limited staff to oversee consumer behavior at the dispensing station.

Additionally, cup lids containing digital media such as CDs or DVDs tend to be expensive to produce. This expense accrues both because of the mechanical structure of the lid, as well as FDA regulations.

Structurally, the lid must be formed with the media inside, limiting the conditions under which the lid can be manufactured without harming the media. Furthermore, in the case of a soft drink, the lid typically must provide a means for passing a straw through the lid to be useful to the consumer. This further complicates the mechanical construction of the lid.

Cup lids containing CDs or DVDs also can be exposed to condensation, carbonated liquid, syrup or other liquids when in service, or depending on the storage method, when stored at the vending station. Such exposure can damage packaging and lead to contaminated discs, and ultimately, home entertainment devices.

Finally, because the lid is in contact with the contents of the cup, the lid must comply with all applicable FDA food contact regulations. This added element of regulatory complexity aggravates the value proposition for media-containing cup lids.

Retail environments, such as fast food restaurants, present a similar opportunity to promote sales of dispensable products. While the containers and lids used in these locations are often under the direct control of store operators, the display of a container with an attached digital media often drives sales volumes and affects consumer decisions to opt for potentially higher margin products.

What is required is a quick and easy method for influencing consumer purchase of convenience or retail store dispensed products. Preferably, the method will accommodate digital media such as CDs and DVDs, not require the use of special containers or lids and not require FDA food contact approval. Furthermore, the method preferably provides for a plurality of media choices so that a broader demographic range of consumers may opt for the higher margin, premium containing products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cup and attached promotional device in accordance with our invention;

FIGS. 2a and 2b are exploded perspective views of another embodiment of cup and media systems in accordance with our invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a beverage dispensing station with cup display in accordance with our invention; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an additional embodiment of our invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We have found that many of the difficulties inherent in distributing digital storage media in a convenience or retail store environment can be avoided by utilizing existing container designs in conjunction with innovative display techniques.

Specifically, we have found that the recess located on many conventional container designs can be exploited advantageously to store and display promotional digital media such as mini-discs.

Affixing the digital media to the container provides a one to one relationship of media to dispensed product. Unlike lid-borne media, the size and shape of the container make it more difficult to remove the media from the store without purchasing a dispensed product. Furthermore, utilizing design elements of the external surface of an existing container, such as a recess in the bottom of a cup, avoids mechanical redesign of the container or the use of special containers, and also avoids the difficulty of obtaining FDA food contact approval for the containers beyond that which has already been obtained by the container manufacturer.

Proper display of containers in accordance with the invention draws substantial consumer attention to media affixed to the product, and can favorably influence consumers to purchase products in those containers.

In a first embodiment of the invention, a digital storage media is affixed to a fillable container, and the fillable container is displayed in a consumer-oriented manner in a retail or convenience store environment so that the media or an indicia of the media is visible to the consumer for the purpose of influencing the consumer's decision to purchase a filled container.

As used in this application, a “digital storage media” means a storage device intended to be accessed by a computer, electronic game or other electronic entertainment device, such as a video game system or a digital camera. Typically, digital storage media useful in the invention will be standard or mini-sized compact discs (“CD”s) or digital video discs (“DVD”s), but other digital storage media such as floppy discs or memory cards, chips or sticks can also be used.

The term “retail environment” means any environment where a premium containing container or indicia thereof is evident to a consumer and the consumer can select the fillable container and its contents, such as in a quick service restaurant. Where the term “convenience store environment” is used in this application, it means an environment where a consumer selects her or his container, fills the container, and pays for the purchase of the filled container. Payment can be either by paying a cashier directly or by using a form of electronic fund transfer such as a credit or debit card, or other form of electronic device such as an electronic “transponder” or card that provides information to, or communicates with, a “reader” or “receiver” by being in proximity to the reader or receiver.

As used in this application, a “fillable container” refers to any container that can be filled by or for a consumer. Typical containers include cups and other containers for liquids such as coffee or soft drinks and soft serve ice cream or soups, but a fillable container is meant to include any container filled by or for a consumer with a bulk product that can be dispensed into the container for the consumer's benefit at a retail, convenience store or similar location. Such other containers can be containers for items like popcorn, pretzels and the like, or refillable containers such as sport bottles or mugs. The term “cup,” as used in this invention, means any open ended container that may be filled by or for a consumer. The term “drinking cup” refers to a generally radially symmetric open-ended container into which beverages can be dispensed and from which the beverage can be consumed by a person.

In some embodiments, the digital storage media is placed in a recess on the container that provides for protection, storage or easy display of the media. An example of such a recess is the open bottom portion of a paper or plastic cup as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of in this application. Typically, an open cup bottom can provide a recess of a suitable size and shape for a digital storage media such as a mini-DVD, but recesses can be of any shape as long as they can accommodate the media intended to be received within them. As used in this application, a “recess” means any depression in an outer surface of a container that can at least partially receive a digital storage media. A “sheltered recess” means a recess in which the storage media can be stored without protruding above the periphery of the recess. An open cup bottom extending above and circumferentially around the outer surface of a mini-disc stored within the cup bottom is an example of a digital storage media in a sheltered recess.

In other embodiments of the invention, the digital storage media is maintained within a container recess by affixing a cover over or within the recess, such as a cover over the open bottom end of a cup recess, or an insert fitted to slide into the open bottom end of a cup recess. Preferably transparent, such covers or inserts allow the media to be viewed directly, but the advantages of the invention can be realized by non-transparent covers or inserts when indicia on the cover, insert or container itself provides information about the content of the storage media to the consumer when displayed in the unfilled state in the retail, convenience store or similar environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of our invention illustrates the invention as used to promote the sale of soft drinks, where the promotional material is affixed within a recess of the type typically found in a convenience store cup, and where the cups are oriented in a manner so as to draw consumer attention to the promotional material affixed to the cup.

Although the description focuses on the use of the method and apparatus for promoting the sale of soft drinks dispensed by a convenience store customer, other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the following description. The scope of our invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims following this description.

FIG. 1 shows a cup and attached promotional device system 10 in accordance with our invention. Cup 12 is a drinking cup and has a liquid capacity of forty-four ounces. Cup 12 has a generally frusto-conical shape defined by frusto-conical cup sidewall 14. The frusto-conical shape of cup 12 is preferred to promote stacking of a plurality of cups 12 for shipping and display. A cup bottom 16 is circumferentially attached to sidewall 14 as is well known in the art, with a lower portion 18 of sidewall 14 extended beyond cup bottom 16 to form a recess 20 located at the closed bottom of cup 12. Recess 20 has an opening as measured at the lower edge 22 of sidewall portion 18 of approximately eight centimeters (3.125 inches). An open end 24 of cup 12 allows liquid to be dispensed into cup 12 from a dispensing apparatus (see FIG. 3).

Cup 12 carries an attached eight centimeter diameter mini-DVD disc 26. Disc 26 includes stored electronic data that provide a promotional preview of a game for an electronic game system. Preferably, disc 26 is wrapped in a cellophane material or other protective wrapper (see FIG. 2) and is affixed to cup bottom 16 with a layer of adhesive glue or tape 28, although other means for removably affixing DVD 26 to cup 12 will be well known to those skilled in the cup art.

Use of recess 20 for carrying DVD 26 represents an opportunistic use of the generally disc-shaped recess provided by traditional cup design. While it is within the scope of the invention to purposefully design a cup or other container having a recess expressly designed for the media to be carried by the container, we have found this often unnecessary, and that the use of conventional cups with standard size media represents an inexpensive and effective means for storing and displaying media of the type typically read by electronic games and entertainment apparatus. Additionally, we have found that storing discs within the recess of the bottom of a cup allows disc bearing cups to be stacked stored and shipped in much the same manner as standard cups, because discs stored within existing cup recesses do not interfere with the stacking geometry of the cups.

FIG. 2a is an exploded perspective view of another cup and media system 30 in accordance with the invention. In FIG. 2a, cup bottom portion 32 includes a recess 34, which is used to retain and display media such as a CD or DVD. An adhesive 36 can be affixed to a cup bottom outer surface 38 located within recess 34 for retaining media within recess 34. Adhesive 36 can take the form of any type of adhesive or glue in an amount sufficient to removably affix the media to cup bottom surface 38, or can, for example, take the form of a double sided foam adhesive pad. Such a pad can provide the additional function of spacing the affixed media away from cup bottom outer surface 38 within recess 34 to provide insulation of the affixed media from the cup bottom. This could be desirable to eliminate thermal stress or damage to the media when particularly hot or cold materials are contained within cup bottom portion 32.

Cellophane sheets 40 optionally can be used to seal DVD 42 to provide additional protection for DVD 42 during handling and storage of DVD 42 as well as during removal of DVD 42 from cup bottom recess 34. Sheets 40 can be heat sealed, glued or otherwise joined around DVD 36 as is well known in the art. Sheets 40 preferably should be transparent, if used, to provide for visibility of the DVD to the consumer. The use of shrink wrapped CDs or DVDs in the invention makes it possible to seal the disc at or near the point of manufacture. This in turn makes it possible to maintain the integrity of the disc surface throughout any subsequent affixing, packaging and other disc handling operations, contrasted with attempting to store the disc within a cup lid, which requires maintaining cleanliness throughout the subsequent handling and packaging operations until such time as the disc is sealed within the lid.

The use of shrink wrap also makes it possible to use the invention with limited life media discs that rely on oxygen permeation to render media content unusable after a single use or a short period of time, as the shrink wrap will provide a sufficient oxygen impermeable barrier to maintain the shelf life of these types of discs. Maintaining air tight integrity of other disc packaging means, such as discs sealed within lids, can be more expensive and complicated, particularly where such lids must maintain their integrity when a straw is required to be passed through an aperture within the lid.

Cup and media system 30 also includes an optional transparent insert 44 having an outer bottom surface 46. Insert 44 can be used to retain DVD 42 within recess 34 by cooperating with cup inner recess sidewall 46. In this case, cup bottom insert outer sidewall 44 abuts cup inner recess sidewall 46 to form a friction fit. Alternatively, adhesive can be used between a portion of cup bottom insert outer sidewall 44 and cup inner recess sidewall 46 to help retain insert 44 within recess 34. Where insert 44 is used, it may not be necessary to use adhesive 36 to cause DVD 42 to remain removably affixed within the cup system. Where an adhesive is used, it should have sufficient tolerance to heat and cold to cause the DVD to be retained after a hot or cold beverage or other material is vended into the cup, while remaining able to be removed by the user without undue difficulty.

Finally, while materials used to protect and retain DVD 42 preferably are transparent, or a sufficient portion thereof transparent, to maintain visibility of DVD 42 for the consumer, the advantages of the invention can also be obtained by displaying information indicative of the stored media on an outer bottom surface of insert 44, regardless of the transparency or opacity of the material used to form the cup bottom insert.

FIG. 2b. illustrates yet another embodiment of a cup and media system 50. System 50 includes a cup bottom portion 52 having a recess 54. In this embodiment, DVD 56 is retained within recess 54 by cup bottom cap 58 having a cup bottom cap recess 60, and a cup bottom cap sidewall 62 capable of slipping over cup bottom outer sidewall 64. As in the embodiment described above in connection with FIG. 2a, cap 58 can form a friction fit with cup bottom portion 52 at the respective sidewalls, or can otherwise be mechanically, adhesively or otherwise fit to maintain sufficient integrity to retain DVD 56 within recess 54 between cup bottom portion 52 and cup bottom cap 58 during shipping, storage and use.

Features such as the adhesive or protective layers described in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 2a. can, of course, be used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2b. or with other embodiments of the invention. Non-transparent materials also may be used for retaining the media within the container recess in this and other embodiments as well. If non-transparent materials are used, a visible portion of the cup, and preferably the cup bottom, contains sufficient indicia of the media contained within the recess to communicate the nature of the media to the consumer. Use of indicia on the side of a cup may be particularly useful in a retail environment where a container sidewall may be more visible to a consumer than the container bottom.

FIG. 3 depicts a preferred method for promoting the sale of dispensable materials using media-bearing cups of the types described above. Dispensing station 70 includes a plurality of beverage dispensing stations 72 having spouts 74 for dispensing consumer selected drinks into drinking cups 76. An optional shelf 78 can be used to hold cups while liquids are dispensed.

A cup storage and display unit 80 is located adjacent to beverage dispensing station 70. In this instance station 70 is designed to dispense liquids such as a plurality of soft drinks. Storage and display unit 80 provides a plurality of cup receptacles for storing cups or stacks of cups in a manner such that cup and media systems of the types described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 3 are readily visible to the consumer, in this with the cup bottoms pointing outward toward the consumer near eye level. Furthermore, the bottoms of the cups are located above those areas where liquids may accumulate in the storage and display unit, providing additional protection from surface contamination that may ultimately compromise the integrity of any protective wrapping or coating applied to the discs affixed to the cup bottoms. It should also be noted that cups could be stored upside down in a vertical or inclined position with the cup bottoms pointing up at the consumer to gain the consumer's attention.

In this embodiment, the four receptacles 82 each contain cups (generically) 84 with a different media associated with each receptacle, in this case a rap mini-CD 86, a classic mini-CD 88, a jazz mini-CD 90 and a rock and roll CD 92. Display of the media at or near the dispensing station both influences consumers to purchase drinks and encourages them to return for additional selections. If desired, additional advertising media can be placed at or near the dispensing station, such as a sign advertising one or more selections available at a later date, or an item co-promoted with material promoted on a cup or media disc, such as, for example, a movie, game, song or entertainment device. Such advertising media can be particularly helpful in causing customers to return at a later date for future offering. This is particularly effective where the future offering is an extension of the current digital media offering, such as consecutive volumes of a series of books or chapters in books, advancing levels of play for a game, or “plug-ins” or other supplementary material for games or computer programs that add additional features to a game or program already available to the consumer.

While it is preferred that cup storage and display unit 80 be located as near to and preferably closely adjacent to or an integral part of dispensing station 70, the display unit need only be located near enough to, or with the flow of traffic for, the dispensing unit, as such an arrangement can still entice consumers to purchase dispensed material in the cup. For example, it would be within the intended scope of the invention for cup storage and display unit 80, or simply stacks of cups displaying the stored media or indicia thereof, at or near the store entrance so as to focus the consumer's attention on the availability of a dispensed beverage and media-bearing cup offer. For the purpose of this application, a container storage and display unit is “integral” to the dispensing station if it is mechanically joined to the dispensing unit or contained within the unit, is “closely adjacent” to the dispensing unit if it is within six feet of any part of the dispensing unit, and is “adjacent” to the dispensing unit if the containers located within the storage unit and the digital storage media or indicia thereof located on the container are visible from the dispensing unit.

Cups useful in the invention can be any having a sufficient bottom diameter to permit a media to be affixed to the cup. While it is preferred that the bottom of the cup have a sheltered recess for accepting the media, the media also can be affixed to the bottom of a generally flat-bottomed cup. For example, multiple media discs can be affixed to a cup, either within a recess or directly to the bottom of a cup. Such multiple disc offerings can be wrapped separately or as a single package before being affixed to the cup, as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, a plastic cup 100 which has a generally flat bottom 102 (i.e. no recess) carries a package 104 of 6 media discs 106a-f which have been shrink wrapped within a single plastic envelope 108 and affixed to bottom 102 with a glue (not shown). The outer surface 110 of disc 106f includes information 112 concerning the content of the package of media discs 104, this information being visible through the transparent shrink wrap envelope 108.

Multiple disc packages, such as package 104 can also be used within the recess of a cup as described for single disc applications herein, although it is preferred that the height of the package not exceed the depth of the available recess if conventional stacking and shipping procedures are to be used.

Alternatively, a media having a diameter greater than the bottom of a cup might also be affixed to the cup at the point of sale by a person dispensing a beverage, thereby giving the appearance of a coaster affixed beneath the cup. These embodiments are considered within the scope of the invention as long as the media or indicia of the media is apparent to the consumer so that it is possible that the consumer's buying decision can be influenced by knowledge of the media premium he will receive with the cup.

Common, commercially available cups useful in the invention include sizes having a nominal beverage capacity of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 22, 24, 32, 44 and 64 ounces. Such cups are available in a variety of height to width ratios, the taller styles sometimes referred to as “tall models,” and the shorter, wider styles sometimes referred to as “squat” models. A variety of cup lips are available for fitting optional lids to the cups, and the bottom ends of the cups can be generally flat or have a recess, which as already mentioned is preferred for reinforcement and as a sheltered site for storing a disc-shaped digital storage media as contemplated by our invention.

Media can be affixed to the cup by adhesive means as described above, by being retained in a recess by an outer cover or inner insert, as described above, or pressure fit within a recess, or by other means known to those skilled in the cup arts. The affixing process may be automated or manual, and can take place at any point in cup manufacture and distribution between and including the point of cup manufacture and at the point of sale of the fillable container. While the described embodiments have focused on dispensing of beverages in cups containing digital media such as CDs or DVDs in the cup's bottom recess, other embodiments of will be apparent to those having skill in the art after reviewing the disclosure.

For example, any container having a generally round recess is well suited for bearing digital media in any disc-shaped format. Such containers can include, for example, the bottoms or tops of delicatessen containers for salads or fruit where the customer selects an item and that item is dispensed into the container by a delicatessen employee.

A container useful in our invention need not be limited to disc-shaped media or to dispensed food. For example, cans or boxes that carry small parts such as screws, or nails, or containers to be filled with seeds or paint are well suited for exploiting our invention, the only requirement being that the customer has the ability to select or specify the fillable container. Additionally, rectilinear packages having a recess may be as well or better suited to distributing media such as media sticks or memory cards which may also contain games, movies, pictures or other digitally stored information having promotional or other value to a consumer. These embodiments also are considered to be within the scope of our invention.

Other venues well suited for use of our method and apparatus include retail stores generally, theme parks, sporting events, movie theaters, concerts and fast food restaurants. For example, at a concert, a cup bearing a track from an upcoming album could be used to promote sales of the album of the appearing artist or a different artist. Similarly, movie theaters can provide clips from a movie that is playing at the time the media is distributed, or of a movie or movies that are yet to be released.

In any application, our invention also is useful for promoting a second good, service or brand. For example, cups used by a purveyor of expensive coffee drinks could bear digital media promoting the latest cars or appliances that status conscious coffee drinkers may want to learn more about and ultimately purchase. Without regard for whether that second good, service or brand is purchased, both the seller and the co-promoted brand can benefit by being associated with each other in this manner.

It should also be noted the vast amount of information available by employing a digital media enables distribution of orders of magnitudes of information that were unheard of years ago. In the foregoing coffee purveyor's example, electronic catalogues could be easily and selectively distributed to customers who, by their selection of the purveyor, may be of the ideal demographic for the catalogue publisher. The use of multiple types of digital media that can be selected by the customer can also ensure that information most desired by customers of diverse demographics is available at any given time. For example, the coffee purveyor might have an adult's holiday season catalogue or promotion available which would be desired by adult coffee drinkers, and at the same time have a children's holiday catalogue available if hot chocolate or another drink suitable for children (the second demographic group) is available at the dispensing location.

The use of digital media, such as a full or mini-disc, also enables connections to be made to the internet. In this case, additional material can be downloaded or viewed by the customer after placing the media in his or her computer, or the media can provide a link to a website containing additional content. If desired, the media link to the internet can provide collectable information as to the source of the digital media provided the customer, thereby providing a means for collecting additional demographics or other information useful in merchandising either the dispensable material or good, or service co-promoted with the good or service.

The large amount of information that can be provided on digital media also enables a wide variety of different materials to be provided to a single customer. For example, games, music and video clips can all be accommodated on a single mini-disc, which typically has a data content of up to about two gigabytes. Similarly, the vast amount of data that can be provided enables a single disc to include large, substantive amounts of information desired by multiple demographic groups. In some cases, this mitigates the need for different media to be available to service the multiple preferences of customers from differing demographic groups. An easily accomplished media contact is at least 250 megabytes, although content of 1 gigabyte is preferred, and 2 gigabytes or more better preferred in many instances.

Vending machines also provide an ideal venue for merchandising in accordance with the present invention, as the sheltered recess located at the bottom of vending machine cups is ideal for accommodating disc-shaped digital media. By alternating the content of media provided, or providing different media associated with different drinks, our invention can provide for increased return customers to a vending machine when compared to non-media bearing vending systems.

In short, the invention is useful in any application where the observable presence of the digital media on the container (the media or an indicia of the content of the media) is apparent to the consumer so that it is possible that the consumer's buying decision can be influenced by knowledge of the media premium she or he will receive with the cup or other container. As such, the scope of our invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for promoting the sale of merchandise in a retail or consumer store environment comprising the steps of:

affixing a digital storage media to a fillable product container; and

displaying the container in a manner that presents the digital storage media or indicia thereof to a consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the product container includes a recess, and wherein the affixing step includes affixing the digital storage media within the recess.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the digital storage media is selected from the group consisting of compact discs and digital video discs.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the product container is a cup having an open recess located at a cup bottom.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the affixing step includes affixing the digital storage media within the cup bottom open recess, and wherein the displaying step includes presenting the cup to a consumer such that the digital storage media, or an indicia of the content of the digital storage media, is visible to the consumer prior to filling the cup.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the affixing step includes affixing the digital storage media within the cup bottom open recess, and wherein the displaying step includes presenting the cup to a consumer such that the digital storage media is visible to the consumer.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the digital storage media is selected from the group consisting of compact discs and digital video discs.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the digital storage media is selected from the group consisting of compact discs and digital video discs.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying step is accomplished by displaying the container in a location adjacent to, closely adjacent to or integral to a food or beverage dispensing station.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the container includes an open recess, and wherein the affixing step includes affixing the digital storage media within the open recess.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the product container is a cup having an open recess located at a cup bottom.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the affixing step includes affixing the digital storage media within the cup bottom open recess, and wherein the displaying step includes presenting the cup to a consumer such that the media or indicia of the content of the digital storage media is visible to the consumer.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the affixing step includes affixing the digital storage media within the cup bottom open recess, and wherein the displaying step includes presenting the cup to a consumer such that the digital storage media is visible to the consumer.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein a transparent cup bottom cap is placed over the cup bottom open recess and wherein the digital storage media is located between a bottom cup surface and the transparent cup bottom cap.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein a transparent cup bottom cap is placed over the cup bottom open recess and wherein the digital storage media is located between a bottom cup surface and the transparent cup bottom cap.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein a transparent insert is placed within the open cup bottom and wherein the digital storage media is located between a bottom cup surface and the transparent insert.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein a transparent insert is placed within the open cup bottom and wherein the digital storage media is located between a bottom cup surface and the transparent insert.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the displaying step is performed by storing cups in a cup display and storage unit located closely adjacent to a liquid dispensing station.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the displaying step is performed by storing cups in a cup display and storage unit located closely adjacent to a liquid dispensing station.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the displaying step is performed by storing cups in a cup display and storage unit located integrally to a liquid dispensing station.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the displaying step is performed by storing cups in a cup display and storage unit located integrally to a liquid dispensing station.

22. The method of claim 9 wherein the displaying step comprises storing and displaying one or more cups in a cup storage and display unit.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the cup storage and display unit holds and displays a plurality of cups, wherein a plurality of cups contain digital storage media, and wherein at least two of said plurality of cups contain digital storage media with different content.

24. The method of claim 12 wherein one or more cups contain a first digital storage media which is offered at a first point in time, and further including the step of promoting second digital storage media to be made available at a second, later point in time by employing indicia of the second media closely adjacent to the food or beverage dispensing station at the first point in time.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein one or more cups contain a first digital storage media which is offered at a first point in time, and further including the step of promoting second digital storage media to be made available at a second, later point in time by employing indicia of the second media closely adjacent to the food or beverage dispensing station at the first point in time.

26. A container and digital storage media system for promoting sales of a dispensable food or beverage item comprising:

a container having an open end for receiving a dispensed food item;

a recess located on an exterior container surface for holding a digital storage media; and

a digital storage media containing information of interest to a consumer, said media affixed to the container at a point within the recess.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the container is a cup.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the cup has a cup bottom recess for holding the digital storage media.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the recess is a sheltered recess, and the media resides completely within the recess.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising a transparent material cooperatively fitted over the recess or within the recess to allow the digital storage media located in the recess to be viewed by a consumer.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the cup bottom recess is a sheltered recess.

32. The system of claim 28 further comprising a cup bottom insert fitted cooperatively within the recess over the digital storage media to protect or retain the digital storage media between a cup bottom and the bottom insert.

33. The system of claim 28 further comprising a cup bottom cap fitted over a cup bottom sidewall to protect or retain the digital storage media between a cup bottom and the cup bottom cap.

34. The system of claim 32 in which the cup bottom insert is sufficiently transparent to allow a consumer to view the digital storage media contained in the recess.

35. The system of claim 32 in which the cup bottom insert includes indicia to allow a consumer to determine the identity of digital storage media contained in the recess.

36. The system of claim 33 in which the cup bottom cap is sufficiently transparent to allow a consumer to view the digital storage media contained in the recess.

37. The system of claim 33 in which the cup bottom cap includes indicia to allow a consumer to determine the identity of digital storage media contained in the recess.

38. The system of claim 27 in which the cup recess has a diameter, and the digital storage media is round and has a diameter of at least 90 percent of the cup recess diameter.

39. The system of claim 32 in which the cup recess is generally round and has a diameter of from about 7.4 cm to 8.1 cm, and in which the digital storage media is generally round and has a diameter of from about 7.3 cm to 8.2 cm.

40. The system of claim 33 in which the cup recess is generally round and has a diameter of from about 7.4 cm to 8.1 cm, and in which the digital storage media is generally round and has a diameter of from about 7.3 cm to 8.2 cm.

41. The system of claim 26 further comprising a food or beverage dispensing station.

42. The system of claim 41 further comprising a cup storage and display station located integrally to or closely adjacent to the food or beverage dispensing station.

43. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a plurality of cups having different media content on at least two different cups desired by customers of two differing demographic groups.

44. The method of claim 5 further including the step of providing a plurality of cups having different media content on at least two different cups desired by customers of two differing demographic groups.

45. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing information in the media directed to at least two different demographic groups.

46. The method of claim 5 further including the step of providing information in the media directed to at least two different demographic groups.

47. The method of claim 1 in which the digital storage media includes at least 250 megabytes of information.

48. The method of claim 5 in which the digital storage media includes at least 250 megabytes of information.

49. The system of claim 26 which includes at least two containers, each container including different media intended for customers of differing demographic groups.

50. The system of claim 27 which includes at least two containers, each container including different media intended for customers of differing demographic groups.

51. The system of claim 28 which includes at least two containers, each container including different media intended for customers of differing demographic groups.

52. The method of claim 26 in which identical digital storage media are affixed to a plurality of containers, and in which the information stored in the media includes information directed to at least two different demographic groups.

53. The method of claim 27 in which identical digital storage media are affixed to a plurality of containers, and in which the information stored in the media includes information directed to at least two different demographic groups.

54. The method of claim 28 in which identical digital storage media are affixed to a plurality of containers, and in which the information stored in the media includes information directed to at least two different demographic groups.

55. The method of claim 26 in which the digital storage media includes at least 250 megabytes of information.

56. The method of claim 27 in which the digital storage media includes at least 250 megabytes of information.

57. The method of claim 28 in which the digital storage media includes at least 250 megabytes of information.

58. The method of claim 1 wherein the method includes the step of using a vending machine to display information about the media content affixed to the container and to dispense a container filled by the vending machine.

59. The method of claim 5 wherein the method includes the step of using a vending machine to display information about the media content affixed to the container and to dispense a container filled by the vending machine.

60. A system for promoting and dispensing merchandise in a retail or consumer store environment comprising:

a fillable container having a digital storage media affixed thereto;

a holder for displaying the container in a manner that presents the digital storage media or indicia thereof to a consumer; and

a dispenser for dispensing a product for filling the container.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the container is a cup.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the cup has a cup bottom recess for holding the digital storage media.

63. The system of claim 62 further comprising a transparent material cooperatively fitted over the recess or within the recess to allow the digital storage media located in the recess to be viewed by a consumer.

64. The system of claim 61 wherein the cup bottom recess is a sheltered recess.

65. The system of claim 64 further comprising a cup bottom insert fitted cooperatively within the recess over the digital storage media to protect or retain the digital storage media between a cup bottom and the bottom insert.

66. The system of claim 64 further comprising a cup bottom cap fitted over a cup bottom sidewall to protect or retain the digital storage media between a cup bottom and the cup bottom cap.

67. The system of claim 65 in which the cup bottom insert is sufficiently transparent to allow a consumer to view the digital storage media contained in the recess.

68. The system of claim 65 in which the cup bottom insert includes indicia to allow a consumer to determine the identity of digital storage media contained in the recess.

69. The system of claim 61 in which the cup recess has an inner diameter of at least 4 centimeters, and in which the digital storage media is round and has an diameter of between about 80 and 98 percent of the cup recess diameter.

70. The system of claim 61 in which the cup recess inner diameter is has a about 7.4 cm to 8.4 cm, and in which the digital storage media is round and has a diameter of from about 7.8 cm to 8.2 cm.

71. A method for promoting the sale of merchandise in a retail or consumer store environment comprising the steps of:

affixing a package including at least two digital storage media to a fillable product container; and

displaying the container in a manner that presents a surface of one of the digital storage media or indicia of content of the package to a consumer.

72. The method of claim 71 wherein the product container is a cup that includes a bottom recess, and wherein the affixing step includes affixing the package of digital storage media within the recess.

73. The method of claim 71 wherein the product container is a cup that has a generally flat bottom surface, and wherein the affixing step includes affixing the package of digital media to the generally flat bottom surface.

74. The method of claim 71 wherein the digital storage media is selected from the group consisting of compact discs and digital video discs.