Advertising delivery device

Abstract

Disclosed is an advertising delivery device which is adapted to be releasably adhered to a newspaper or other similarly distributed print medium. Advertising materials, which may or may not be personalized depending on the recipient, are inserted into the device, which is envelope-like. A pressure-sensitive adhesive, which is applied to at least part of the device, is used for attaching the device to the newspaper.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of direct marketing, and provides an advertising device for placement on the exterior of a newspaper or newspaper section, a magazine, catalogue, or other similar distributed print medium for commercial purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that inserts in printed mediums may be used to conduct direct mail advertising campaigns, wherein promotional materials are distributed to a large number of individuals and potential customers. Some of the drawbacks of this type of advertisement are that often the materials will be lost in transit or discarded before being read. Moreover, such inserts are often big and cumbersome, expensive to produce, and of a non-personal nature.

Canadian Patent Application No. 2,297,545 (now abandoned) discloses an advertising device which attempts to overcome the above shortcomings. The disclosed advertising device is an envelope, with adhesive applied to one side, that is filled with advertising materials and then attached, via the adhesive, to a printed medium. When the printed medium is distributed, the attached device and the advertising materials secured within the device are distributed along with the printed medium.

Application No. 2,297,545 does not provide an advertising device that can be easily closed after the device has been attached to a printed medium. After a device disclosed by Application No. 2,297,545 is adhesively attached to a printed medium by the adhesive on one side of the device, the device is fixedly flush with the printed medium. If an open device were attached to a printed medium, it would be an awkward task to fold the envelope flap of the device over and to tuck the flap in between the device and the printed medium.

Nor does Application No. 2,297,545 provide an advertising device that can be attached to a printed medium without being sealed. If a disclosed advertising device were not sealed prior to attachment to a printed medium, the contents of the device would be in considerable danger of sliding out of the device in the event the printed medium was inverted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide to a marketer at a reasonable cost a product adaptable to a variety of print mediums which will not get lost or fly away.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle for the delivery of advertising material which overcomes the shortcomings discussed above, particularly the structural shortcomings of Canadian Patent Application No. 2,297,545.

In a broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to an advertising delivery device including at least one piece of advertising material, said device having a first layer; a second layer adjacent to and contiguously connected to said first layer; an opening for inserting said advertising material; a flap positioned for closing said device, said flap comprising a first surface and a second surface; and a first adhesive applied to at least part of said first surface of said flap of said device, said first adhesive for adhesively affixing said device to a printed medium.

The application of a first adhesive to the flap of an advertising device, as opposed to the side of the advertising device, allows the device to be easily closed either before or after being attached to a printed medium. Also, a device with adhesive applied to the surface of the flap of the device does not need to be sealed prior to attachment to a printed medium because, after attachment, gravity will work to keep the contents of the device within the device in the event the printed medium is inverted.

In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an advertising delivery device including at least one advertising material including a first layer; a second layer adjacent to and contiguously connected to said first layer; an opening for inserting said advertising material; a flap positioned for closing said device, said flap comprising a first surface and a second surface; and a first adhesive applied to at least part of the surface of said first layer of said device and at least part of said first surface of said flap of said device, said first adhesive for adhesively affixing said device to a printed medium.

In yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of advertising utilizing a printed medium comprising the steps of preparing an advertising material and an envelope, inserting said advertising material into said envelope, and adhesively positioning said envelope onto said printed medium, whereby said advertising material being inserted into said envelope is securely affixed to said printed medium for distribution as a direct mail package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be further understood from the following drawings that illustrate the present invention by way of example:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of an advertising delivery device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially transparent rear view of the device of FIG. 1. The flap of the device is closed and the front of the flap is showing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a publication bearing the device of FIG. 1 on its cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the device 10 of the present invention is an envelope for delivering advertising material. The device 10 is provided with a first layer 12 and a second layer 14 adjacent the first layer 12 and contiguously connected to first layer 12. An opening 16 is provided between top portions of the first and second layers 12, 14. Opening 16 is provided for inserting advertising materials to be distributed between the first and second layers 12, 14. Opening 16 is sealable by a flap 20 extending from either the first layer 12 or second layer 14. In the embodiment of the device 10 shown in FIG. 1, flap 20 extends from the second layer 14. Flap 20 may have an envelope adhesive 22 applied to at least part of the rear or inner surface of the flap. Envelope adhesive 22 may be the type of adhesive commonly used to seal envelopes. Flap 20 has an adhesive 13 for the attachment to a printed medium applied to at least part of the front or outer surface of the flap. The adhesive 13 is preferably some type of pressure-sensitive repositionable glue. In another embodiment of the device (not shown), the adhesive for attachment to a printed medium is applied to at least part of the surface of the first layer 12 of the device and is applied to at least part of the front or outer surface of flap 20. Adhesive 13 is preferably applied to flap 20 in an inline process. A peelable release layer 24, at least large enough to cover adhesive 13, may be placed on and adhesively attached to adhesive 13.

Advertising materials may be inserted into device 10 before or after device 10 is adhesively attached to printed medium N (shown in FIG. 3). After advertising materials have been inserted into the device 10, the flap 20 is folded over opening 16 until flap 20 is flush with first layer 12. If flap 20 has envelope adhesive 22 applied to at least part of the rear surface of the flap, envelope adhesive 22 adhesively attaches flap 20 to first layer 12. The advertising material is effectively sandwiched between the first layer 12 and second layer 14.

Referring to FIG. 3, the device 10 is positioned and adhesively attached to printed medium N, for instance, for distribution to potential customers of the product being advertised. If device 10 has a peelable release layer 24, release layer 24 is peeled-off of first layer 12, exposing the adhesive 13, prior to device being adhesively attached to printed medium N.

Printed medium N may be any distributed medium, for example, a newspaper, magazine, publication or the like. Printed medium N may be subscribed to by a person or purchased at a news stand, for instance. It will also be understood that device 10 of the present invention may be specifically affixed to a page containing an advertisement placed by the advertiser sponsoring the device. The second layer 14 of device 10 may also have a window 18 formed therein, so that any personalized message on the advertising material will be visible.

It should be noted that the use of adhesive to secure the device 10 onto a printed medium N is not to be seen as restrictive and that other means, for example staples or tape, may be used instead where and when appropriate.

A description of the production and use of advertising delivery device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention follows.

Advertising materials and devices are first produced according to a marketer's requirements. In the present embodiment of the invention, advertising materials consist of printed materials, for example, letters and brochures. The advertising materials and devices may or may not be personalized in view of the recipients' needs or preferences. The advertising materials and devices are printed together on a continuous roll of paper. After printing is complete, the roll of paper is cut into separate advertising material and device sections. Individual, unassembled devices are cut from the device section and individual advertising materials are cut from the advertising material section or sections. Each individual unassembled device is assembled into a device 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The advertising materials are inserted into the devices. Other folders, order forms, reply envelopes, product samples, CDs, and the like, which may or may not be personalized, may be inserted into the devices as well. The devices are then adhesively closed. The second layer 14 of the devices acts as a protective barrier against transport and handling hazards thereby keeping the advertising materials fresh and professional looking. The adhesive 13 is then applied to the back of the devices and a peelable release layer 24 is placed on and adhesively attached to the adhesive 13. The devices are then sent to the marketer. The marketer removes the release layer 24 from a device 10, positions the device on a printed medium, and adhesively secures the device to the printed medium.

Use of the device 10 may also be seen as an alternative to regular mail service for some marketers.

It will be understood that the present invention as described may be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. An advertising delivery device including at least one advertising material, said device having:

a first layer;

a second layer adjacent to and contiguously connected to said first layer;

an opening for inserting said advertising material;

a flap positioned for closing said device, said flap comprising a first surface and a second surface; and

a first adhesive applied to at least part of said first surface of said flap of said device, said first adhesive for adhesively affixing said device to a printed medium.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said flap has a second adhesive applied to at least part of said second surface of said flap, said second adhesive for adhesively closing said device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said device has a window.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said first adhesive is a repositionable glue.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said first adhesive is applied in an inline process.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said printed medium is a newspaper.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein a peelable release paper is adhesively attached to said first adhesive.

8. An advertising delivery device including at least one advertising material, said device having:

a first layer;

a second layer adjacent to and contiguously connected to said first layer;

an opening for inserting said advertising material;

a flap positioned for closing said device, said flap comprising a first surface and a second surface; and

an adhesive applied to at least part of the surface of said first layer of said device and at least part of said first surface of said flap of said device, said adhesive for adhesively affixing said device to a printed medium.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said flap has a second adhesive applied to at least part of said second surface of said flap, said second adhesive for adhesively closing said device.

10. A method of advertising utilizing a printed medium comprising the steps of:

preparing an advertising material and an envelope;

inserting said advertising material into said envelope; and

adhesively positioning said envelope onto said printed medium;

whereby said advertising material being inserted into said envelope is securely affixed to said printed medium for distribution as a direct mail package.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said preparation of an advertising material and an envelope comprises the steps of:

printing said advertising material and said envelope together on a continuous roll of paper;

cutting said roll of paper into at least one advertising material section and an envelope section;

cutting an unassembled envelope out of said envelope section and cutting said advertising material out of said advertising material section or sections; and

assembling said unassembled envelope into said envelope.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said advertising material is personalized.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said printed medium is a newspaper.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said envelope is sealed after inserting said advertising material.