Goods' interactive advertising management method and system based on unified messaging and unified communications

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is a goods' interactive advertising management method, and particularly a goods' management method based on a unified messaging and unified communications management platform.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Unified messaging is known to be the integration of different technologies of messaging and communications means (for example, email, SMS, FAX, Video messages, and so on) in an individual interface, which is accessible from different devices, in which the messages are stored in an single system.

Unified communications is the integration of real-time communication services (for example, chat, presence information, IP telephony, video conference, and so on) with non-real-time communication services, such as those relative to the unified messaging. Unified communications comprises a set of products that provide a unified interface and that make use of different means that are reachable by a user through the individual common interface.

To the purposes of the present invention, by "good" is meant both a consumer product (for example, an article of clothing, a food product, an electronic and/o computer product, a household appliance, a car, and so on) and a service (for example, an offer of a real estate agency, an offer of a financial agency, a sale/communication information service, and so on), which can be the object of an advertising and/or promotional campaign.

The current methods of interactive advertising management for a good comprise the use of advertising/promotion channels that illustrate an advertising or promotional message to a large basis of potential users or consumers of the product or service which the advertising message refers to.

Examples of classic advertising/promotion channels for goods are press media, television, fixed telephony, while examples of modern advertising/promotion channels are represented by the navigation on the Internet web and the mobile telephony services.

Goods interactive advertising management methods that are currently implemented on any of the above-mentioned advertising/promotion channels include management steps of the advertising or promotion space of a good, in turn allocated to respective intermediary structures which interpose in fact between the potential user who intends to make use of the advertising message and the provider of the good that is being offered in the advertising message.

Such intermediary structures are typically supported by IT experts and by so-called back-office processes, such as call centres, dedicated internet sites the WEB pages of which re-direct the potential users to other WEB pages, with more details of the offered good, the commercial organizations, and more generally, sale networks.

The use of such intermediary structures often represents a drawback for the user who, for example, after his/her interest in the purchase of a good, has to face long calls to a call centre, or articulated procedures during the consultation of an Internet site, which, in fact, make the request of a "demand" or "need" by the potential user quite expensive and not very timely in relation to a good and the corresponding achievement of an exhaustive answer from the structures which are involved in the implementation of the interactive advertising management method for the good.

Furthermore, the current interactive advertising management methods for goods result to be, for those who want to use them for the implementation of an advertising or communication campaign, quite expensive, being complex to organize, and requiring an early planning of the advertising campaign itself.

In addition, the current communication/promotion channels do not allow the interactive advertising management methods for goods so far employed to return information on the advertising or communication campaign user. In fact, generally, such communication channels are of a mono-directional and static type, they provide an advertising or promotional message to a large base of potential users, on which an advertising or promotion efficacy rate is typically registered in retrospect only in the case of an actual contact, of offer/sale of the required good.

Furthermore, in the current interactive advertising management methods, the traceability of a potential user results to be very problematic. For example, in the case in which the advertising or promotion communication channel is the Internet web, tracking the user navigation path is not easy readable, since the user profile is usually extrapolated from his/her purchase or navigation behaviour on a WEB site, and the user is hardly inclined to register his/her profile, if it is not necessary to the purposes of the fruition of the information or purchase of the required good.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose an interactive advertising management method for a good which allows at least partially overcome the drawbacks cited above with reference to the prior art, and which, in particular, results to be reliable as the type and the timeliness of the information provided to the user.

Such object is achieved by an interactive advertising management method for a good according to claim 1.

Embodiments of said management method are defined in accordance with the depending claims 2-18.

It is the object of the present invention also an interactive advertising management system for a good as defined in claim 19.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the management method according to the invention will result from the description reported herein below of preferred embodiments, given by way of indicative, non-limiting example, with reference to the annexed Figures, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an interactive advertising management system for a good according to an implementation example of the invention;

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates at a logical level an architecture of the management system of Fig. 1 ;

- Fig. 3 illustrates by a flow chart a fruition step of the service of the interactive advertising management method for a good according to an implementation example of the invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates by a flow chart a further fruition step of the service of said management method alternative to that of Fig. 3;

- Fig. 5 illustrates by a flow chart a creation step of a sale/communication advertising campaign of said method; and

Fig. 6 illustrates by a flow chart a monitoring step of the sale/communication campaign of said method.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to Fig. 1 , an architecture or management system 100 of an interactive advertising for goods, hereinafter also simply referred to as management system is now described, which is implemented according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

It shall be stated again that, to the purposes of the present invention, by "good" is meant both a consumer product (for example, an article of clothing, a food product, an electronic and/or computer product, a car, and so on) or a service (for example, an offer of a real estate or financial agency, a sale/communication information service, and so on) that can in fact be the object of an advertising and/or promotional campaign.

Furthermore, to the purposes of the present description, by the term

"user" is meant the consumer (the physical person or company) of the interactive advertising service that is provided in the interactive advertising management system (and relative management method, described herein below) by the owner of the service itself. In some passages of the text, the user will be also indicated with the term consumer of the service. In other words, the user or consumer is who uses the interactive advertising service to receive information or to purchase a good of his/her own interest.

Again, to the purposes of the present invention, by the term "manager" is meant the client (physical person or company) of the interactive advertising service that is provided in the interactive advertising management system (and relative management method) by the owner of the service itself. In other parts of the text, the term manager will be indicated also by the term client. In fact, the manager or client is the entity (physical person or company) which addresses to the interactive advertising management service to create a sale and/or communication advertising campaign of a good which can reach the user (consumer) through the interactive advertising management method and system of the invention.

Referring back to Fig. 1 of the described example, the management system 100 comprises an advertising or promotional message MSG of a good, hereinafter also advertising message, directed to a potential user, indicated in the Figure with the reference UT.

In an implementation example, such advertising message MSG is placed on an advertising space, such as an advertising sign secured to a wall of a building or placed in certain areas, such as parking lots, airports, railway and underground stations, and so on.

The advertising space can be, in alternative to the advertising sign, an advertisement on a magazine or a newspaper, a banner of a WEB page, an audio and/or video spot that is broadcast on different communication channels, such as television, radio, Internet, fixed and/or mobile telephony (SMS, MMS), and so on. The management system 100 further comprises communication means CM which the user UT is provided with.

Such communication means CM comprise, for example, a portable device such as a mobile phone, perse conventional, operating within a mobile telephony network (GSM or UMTS), but in alternative embodiments, they can comprise any other means which allows the user to communicate, such as an electronic processor (personal computer or notebook) arranged for the Internet navigation or the communication via electronic mail or any other type of multimedia messaging, a fixed telephone, a FAX device, a multimedia device (for example, personal digital assistant or blackberry) arranged for the communication via electronic mail or messaging service, an electronic processor or another multimedia device provided with a dedicated communication application (plug-in).

In the following description, reference will be made, for clarity's sake, to an individual user and an individual communication means (a portable device such as, for example, a mobile phone), but the invention can be applied to a plurality of users who have the use of one or more communication means.

The management system 100 further comprises an interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, hereinafter also referred to as management platform, comprising an electronic processor (personal computer), per se known, which is configured to run program codes to implement the interactive advertising management method for a good according to an example of the invention, as will be described herein below.

Such electronic processor comprises at least one microprocessor, a RAM type memory to load program codes to be run and data to be processed, a ROM type memory or database DB to store the data that are processed and acquired by the management system 100.

The management platform ADV-ADV preferably comprises a multimedia interface to allow a manager GP of an advertising campaign to create a sale and/or communication advertising campaign, while monitoring the trend in time of the same sale and/or communication campaign.

Such procedures of creation of the advertising campaign and monitoring of the advertising campaign itself, respectively, will be described herein below.

In an alternative embodiment, the management platform ADV-ADV can comprise a plurality of electronic processors, completely similar to that described before, that are mutually operatively connected, and each being configured to run program codes in order to implement the interactive advertising management method according to an example of the invention.

The management system 100 further comprises a communication network NTW arranged to allow the communication between the user UT and the management platform ADV-ADV.

Such communication network 100 comprises a plurality of communication channels PCN that can be employed by the user UT to communicate with the management platform ADV-ADV, and vice versa.

Such plurality of communication channels PCN comprises the Internet Network INT that can be used for the communication via electronic mail or messaging services, or through the Internet navigation of WEB pages, the mobile telephony network GSM or UMTS for the communication by means of a phone call from a mobile phone, the SMS messaging service or the MMS messaging service, the fixed telephony and fax network for the communication by means of a phone call from a fixed telephone or by means of the FAX service. The plurality of communication channels PCN further comprises the traditional mail service that can be preferably used in the communication from a management platform ADV-ADV to a user for the transmission of information on a paper support.

It is pointed out that the plurality of communication channels PCN represents the different communication modes that the user can select to communicate with the management platform ADV-ADV both in output or input, or the different communication modes that are available for a good on the basis of the selection operated by the manager of a sale and/or communication advertising campaign relative to that good at the moment of the creation of the campaign itself. The creation of an advertising campaign according to an example of the management method of the invention will be described herein below.

It is pointed out that the management platform ADV-ADV is configured to receive in input an request information IR of a good associated to the advertising message MSG that is read by the user UT, and to provide in output an offer information 10 representative of the fruition of the good by the user UT. Such offer information IO is composed of the management platform ADV-ADV based on the request information IR, querying the database DB which the management platform itself is provided with.

It shall be noticed that the communication of such request information IR and offer IO between the user UT and the management platform ADV-ADV occurs through the communication channel that is available (selected by the user UT and/or the manager GP of the campaign).

For such reason, the management system 100 and the management method associated thereto are based on a unified messaging and unified communications service.

As it is known, the unified messaging is the integration of different technologies of messaging and communication means (for example, email, SMS, FAX, Video messages, and so on) in an individual interface, which is accessible from different devices, in which the messages are stored in an individual system.

The unified communications is the integration of real-time communication services (for example, chat, presence information, IP telephony, video conference, and so on) with non-real-time communication services, such as those relative to the unified messaging. The unified communications comprises a set of products which provide a unified interface and which make use of different means reachable by a user through the unique common interface.

Referring back to the management platform ADV-ADV, it shall be further noticed that the access by the manager GP of the campaign to the multimedia interface for the creation of the campaign and the monitoring thereof, that is provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, occurs through the communication network NTW, preferably, through the Internet network.

Referring back to the advertising message MSG, it is pointed out that it comprises an advertising slogan of the offered good, which is typically the result of a marketing study, aimed to attract the potential user's interest.

Furthermore, the advertising message MSG comprises an identification code IDC of the advertising message, for example, a bar code, comprising a first key C1 identifying the offered good, a second key C2 identifying the interactive communication channel that is available for the communication with the management platform ADV-ADV, and a third key C3 identifying additional parameters corresponding to the good that is the object of the advertising message. In this particular example, the identification code IDC can be acquired from a portable device provided with a bar code reader, for example, a mobile telephone or a personal digital assistant, and the transmission of the request information IR to the management platform ADV- ADV occurs by sending the acquired identification code IDC via SMS or MMS.

In a further embodiment, the identification code IDC of the advertising message MSG comprises a free phone number (for example, a toll-free number), and a reference code of the offered good. In this example, the request information IR is provided to the management platform ADV-ADV through the call to the toll-free number in which, following, for example, a guide voice within an interactive menu, the user UT will be able to provide both the reference code of the good or the further information, for example, relating to further identification keys of the good and to the communication channel type with which it is desired to receive the offer information 10 (SMS, MMS, electronic mail, traditional mail service, FAX, and so on). The offer information 10 of the management platform ADV-ADV will be transmitted through the interactive communication channel selected by the user or available, because imposed by the manager GP of the campaign, for the required good.

Again, in a further embodiment, the identification code IDC of the advertising message comprises a mobile telephone number to send request information IR to the management platform ADV-ADV via SMS or MMS, and a reference code of the required good. In this case, the user UT, by the use of his/her own mobile telephone, sends an SMS message to the number indicated in the advertising message by keying-in the reference code of the required good as the text of the message. The offer information 10 that is transmitted to the management platform ADV-ADV is received, in this example, on the mobile telephone of the user UT, i.e., to the sender number of the request message via SMS.

With particular reference now to Fig. 2, an architecture at a logical level of the management system 100, indicated with the numeral reference 200, according to an embodiment of the invention is now described.

The system architecture 200 is a software architecture comprising a plurality of service levels or servers PLS.

In more detail, such plurality of service levels or servers PLS comprises application modules, among which a presentation server 201 (or presentation layer), an application server 202 (or application layer), a database server 203 (or database layer), and a communication server 204 (or communication layer).

In more detail, the presentation server or layer 201 is arranged to allow the communication, therefore the interaction, between the user UT and the management platform ADV-ADV.

To this aim, the presentation server 201 comprises application modules that are configured to allow the interaction of the user UT with the management platform ADV-ADV by means of different interfaces, portable devices (Mobile, Smartphone), portable (notebook) or fixed (PC desktop) electronic processors that are configured with integrated interfaces for mail service (Mail, for example, Outlook), for mobile applications (for example, Android, Java Mobile), for WEB applications (WEB application mobile or full functional desktop) or for PC desktop applications.

Furthermore, the presentation server 201 is configured to integrate the WEB service component for the internal and external interaction of the management platform ADV-ADV with heterogeneous systems according to well-established technologies of a known type, such as SOAP/XML, while meeting interoperability standards, among which the standards for safety in transmission and receipt of data, for example the WS-security standard, per se known.

The presentation server 201 further comprises final presentation interfaces and outer integration modules with back-end applications (Enterprise Resource Planning, ERP; Supply Chain Mechanism, SCM; Customer Relationship Management CRM, and generally the customized vertical applications, or Legacy), perse known.

Finally, the presentation server 201 is configured to provide the user

UT with cooperation tools in order to improve the communication between the user and the management platform ADV-ADV, such as Instant Messaging (chat) for the exchange of short real time messages, and WEB Conferencing for the videoconference thought the Internet public network.

The application server 202 (or application layer) comprises application modules that are used for the management of the unified messaging and unified communications and the information usable in the plurality of communication channels which the management system 100 is provided with.

In particular, the application server 201 comprises a main application module MP ("Core Dispatcher") configured to act as a motor of the management platform ADV-ADV. In fact, such main application module is configured to ensure the interoperability between the individual modules for the management of the specific communication protocols of the communication channels that are used, such as, for example, SMS, MMS, FAX, Hybrid mail, Voice, Telex, Telegram, Video Streaming. Furthermore, such main application module is configured to query the data stored in the database server 203 and, according to the collected data, to analyze, file, and output the suitable set of reports representative of the offer information 10 to be provided to the user for the different types of messages and request information IR that have been received and released.

Such configuration of the main application module MP concurs to the obtainment of the unified messaging and unified communications service on which both the management system 100, and the corresponding management method, described herein below, are based.

Furthermore, the main application module of the application server

202 is further configured to select optional alternative informative flows and to apply flow and management rules of the expected processes by tracking the communications that have been exchanged, and by collecting the corresponding data for the billing management.

The database server 203 (or Data Model layer) is configured to store the data implemented by the components which the presentation server is provided with, as described before as well. The database server 203 is in fact configured to be the database for all the processes related to the main application module of the application server 202. In particular, the server database 203 is configured to implement and contain both the data relative to the communications flows between the user UT and the management platform ADV-ADV, and the data representative of the information regarding the business processes that are managed by the management system 100. Furthermore, the server database 203, by means of suitable billing tools, is arranged to allow the quantitative analysis of the communication flows and the detailed analysis of their costs.

It shall be further noticed that the server database 203 is arranged to be queried by the manager GP of the sale/communication campaign through the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV in the context of a monitoring step of the sale/communication campaign provided for by the management method of the invention and which will be described below.

The communication server 204 (or Business Logic Layer) comprises communication application modules arranged for the management of the plurality of communication channels PCN of the communication network and the communication devices that can be used therein.

Such communication application modules allow the communication server 204 to take an advantageous modularity in order to be able to virtually allow the management of any communication device and any communication channel of the communication network NTW. In this regard, the plurality of communication channels PCN managed by the communication server both in transmission (from the management platform ADV-ADV to the user UT) and in receipt (from the user to the management platform ADV-ADV) comprise: voice, FAX, SMS, MMS, hybrid mail (Epistolary Electronic Hybrid Mail, PEIE), Telex, Telegrams, Video Streaming, and so on, perse known.

The communication application modules arranged for the management of the plurality of communication channels PCN and the corresponding communication devices further allow the communication server 204 to communicate with the main application module of the application server 202 thought service applications of the WEB type (WEB service, for example SOAP/XML) providing in fact the management system 100 with the maximum flexibility, scalability, delocalization (routing of the call by using the least cost telephone operator based on the dialling code of the calls, Least Cost Routing, LCR), and optional expansion from a functional point of view in the case in which new communication channels are implemented, minimizing in fact the impact that the introduction of such new communication channels may have on the other servers/layers or components of the management platform ADV- ADV.

Referring now to Fig. 3, an interactive advertising management method for a good, hereinafter simple management method 300, according to an embodiment of the invention is now described.

The management method, generally indicated with the numeral reference 300, comprises a start step STR.

The management method 300 further comprises the step of acquiring 301 , by the user UT, an identification code IDC of an advertising message MSG for a good comprising at least one first key C1 identifying the offered good and a second key C2 identifying the communication channel between the user UT and the management platform ADV-ADV.

Subsequently to the step of acquiring 301 , the management method

300 further comprises a step of providing 302, by the user UT, the identification code IDC to the management platform ADV-ADV.

Such step of providing 302 comprises a step of associating 303, by the user UT, to the first key C1 and a third key C3 identifying additional parameters representative of the good, the second key C2 identifying the interactive communication channel that is available for the communication with the management platform ADV-ADV according to the preferences of the user him/herself.

The selection of such communication channel between the plurality of communication channels is provided by the fact that the management platform ADV-ADV is based on a unified messaging and unified communications service.

It shall be noticed that the selection of the interaction mode (communication channel) with the management platform ADV-ADV is decided by the user (consumer of the management platform ADV-ADV) or, as it will be described below, decided a priori by the manager of the advertising campaign (in fact, the client of the management platform ADV-ADV). Such selection can concretize in the simple receipt of a SMS or MMS message, the listening to a text that is read by a voice answering machine, the updating of a geographic map of positions of sale points (shops) corresponding to the offer, the simple receipt of paper documents, the receipt of images via multimedia channels, required short films, streaming video of the promotion, and so on.

In particular, in a further embodiment, based on the functionalities of the electronic device (for example, the mobile telephone) which the user is provided with, and the availability of an analogue electronic device which the sale point is provided with, the information on a request for a good and the offer information will be able to be exchanged between the user (consumer) and the management platform ADV-ADV (and therefore, with the client of the management platform ADV-ADV), through a per se known Bluetooth communication interface.

Referring back to the management method 300, the step of providing 302 further comprises a step of associating 304, by the user UT, to the first key C1 , the third key C3 identifying additional parameters representative of the offered good.

It shall be noticed that the first C1 , second C2, and third C3 keys represent in fact the request information IR that the user UT provides via the selected communication channel to the management platform ADV-ADV.

The management method 300 further comprises the step of defining 305, by the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, starting from the acquired identification code IDC, the first key C1 identifying the good.

Following the step of defining the first key C1 , the management method 300 further comprises a step of defining 306, by the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, starting from the acquired identification code IDC, the second key C2 identifying the communication channel of an offer information 10 representative of the required good.

Following the step of defining 306 the second key C2, the management method 300 further comprises a step of defining 307, by the interactive advertising management platform, starting from the acquired identification code IDC, a third key C3 identifying additional parameters representative of the required good.

The management method 300, following the step of defining 305 the first key C1 , the step of defining 306 the second step C2, and the step of defining 307 the third key C3, comprises a step of defining 308, by the management platform ADV-ADV, an offer information IO representative of the good required by the user UT.

In particular, such step of defining 308 the offer information IO comprises a step of querying 309, by the management platform ADV-ADV, of the server database 203 (database DB) in order to collect information representative of the required good based on the first key C1 , the second key C2, and the third key C3.

Following the step of defining 308 the offer information IO, the management method 300 comprises a step of providing 310 the user UT, by the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, through the defined communication channel, of the offer information IO of the required good.

Such management method 300 further comprises a step of controlling 311 , by the user UT, the offer information IO received from the management platform ADV-ADV in order to establish whether such offer information IO is complete or not. Such step of controlling is preferably carried out by selecting an element of the offer 10 and by looking the detailed information obtained from the management platform ADV-ADV up. For example, in the case in which the offer information 10 is received as a set of more SMSs, the user selects one of the SMSs and checks the information contained therein. Again, by way of example, in the case in which the offer information 10 concretizes in the receipt of a geographic map updated from time to time to the user displacement, the user selects the geographic map corresponding to the offer information that is more suitable/convenient to his/her own needs.

In the case in which the user UT decides that such offer information

10 is complete, the management method 300 ends with an end step END.

In the case in which the user UT decides that such offer information 10 is not complete, the management method 300 resumes from the step of acquiring 301 the identification code IDC of the advertising message of the good.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a management method 400 according to a further implementation example of the invention is now described.

The management method 400 comprises a start step STR.

The management method 400 further comprises a step of recording 401 , by the user UT, in the database (server database 203) the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV of a plurality of attributes PA representative of the user UT.

Such plurality of attributes PA comprises, for example, information representative of the credentials of the user UT and information representative of the consent for release of personal information of the user UT.

The management method 400 comprises, following the step of recording 401 , a step of downloading 402, by the user UT, by means of and on an electronic device which the user him/herself is provided with, a plug-in application module for the fruition of an interactive advertising service provided by the management platform ADV-ADV.

Such electronic device is preferably a portable device such as, for example, a mobile telephone or a personal computer of the notebook type, but, alternatively, it can be a non-portable electronic device, such as, for example a fixed personal computer (desktop).

The management method 400 further comprises the step of acquiring 403 by the user UT, an identification code IDC of an advertising message MSG for a good comprising at least one first key C1 identifying the offered good and a second key C2 identifying the communication channel between the user UT and the management platform ADV-ADV.

Subsequently to the step of acquiring 403, the management method 400 further comprises a step of providing 404, by the user UT, through the application module of the electronic device which he/she is provided with, the identification code IDC to the management platform ADV-ADV.

Such step of providing 404 comprises a step of associating 405, by the user UT, to the first key C1 and a third key C3 identifying additional parameters representative of the good, the second key C2 identifying the interactive communication channel that is available for the communication with the management platform ADV-ADV.

Such step of providing 404 further comprises a step of associating 406, by the user UT, to the first key C1 , the third key C3 identifying additional parameters corresponding to the offered good.

Also in this embodiment, the first C1 , second C2, and third C3 keys represent, in fact, the request information IR of the user UT to the management platform ADV-ADV.

Such steps of associating 405 and 406 are carried out by the user UT through the application module with which the electronic device which the user itself is provided with has been configured.

The management method 400 further comprises a step of defining 407, by the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, starting from the identification code IDC acquired, the identification first key C1 of the good.

Following the step of defining 407 the first key C1 , the management method 400 further comprises a step of defining 408, by the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, starting from the acquired identification code IDC, the second key C2 identifying the communication channel of offer information 10 representative of the required good.

Following the step of defining 408 the second key C2, the management method 400 further comprises a step of defining 409, by the interactive advertising management platform, starting from the acquired identification code, a third key C3 identifying additional parameters representative of the required good.

The management method 400, following the step of defining 407 the first key C1 , the step of defining 408 the second key C2, and the step of defining 409 the third key, comprises a step of defining 410, by the management platform ADV-ADV, an offer information 10 representative of the good required by the user UT.

In particular, such step of defining 410 the offer information IO comprises a step of querying 4 1 , by the management platform ADV-ADV, the server database 203 (database DB) in order to collect information representative of the required good based on the first key C1 , the second key C2, and the third key C3.

Following the step of defining 410 the offer information, the management method 400 comprises a step of providing 412 the user UT, by the interactive advertising management platform ADV-ADV, through the defined communication channel, the offer information IO of the required good.

In particular, the step of providing 412 the user comprises a step of displaying 413 the offer information IO on the electronic device of the user UT using the functionalities of the plug-in application module.

In particular, such step of displaying 413 concretizes, for example, in showing on a display of the electronic device of the user UT a geographic map of sale and/or contact points for the required good, an indication of the good availability, other specific communications, for example, of the sale and/or contact point, and so on.

In order to better elucidate this aspect, reference will be now made to a particular good, such as a service of a real estate agency as regards the sale and/or rent accommodation market.

An advertising message MSG carries the communication of accommodations for rent/sale in a district in which the user UT is located, who is equipped with a portable electronic device (mobile telephone) on which the PLUG-IN application module has been installed after the subscription of the user UT to the management platform ADV-ADV.

The user UT acquires the identification code IDC comprising, in this example, the first key C1 , the second key C2, and the third key C3 representative of the information described before (good, preferential communication channel, additional parameters of the offer).

Following the sending of a request information IR, for example, by sending of an SMS message, the management platform ADV-ADV defines the first C1 , the second C2, and the third C3 keys, queries the database 203, and defines the offer information IO to be provided to the user UT, which concretizes in a geographic map displayed on the display of the mobile telephone of the user UT, in which are highlighted the points of the district in which the accommodations for sale/rent are located, if available, and/or the offices of the real estate agency offering the required good.

Referring back to the management method 400 of Fig. 4, it further comprises a step of controlling 414, by the user UT, the offer information IO received by the management platform ADV-ADV in order to establish whether such offer information IO is complete or not.

Such step of controlling is preferably carried out by selecting an element of the offer IO and looking the detailed information obtained from the management platform ADV-ADV up. For example, in the case in which the offer information IO is received as a set of more SMSs, the user selects one of the SMSs and checks the information contained therein. Again, by way of example, in the case in which the offer information IO concretizes in the receipt of a geographic map updated from time to time to the user displacement, the user selects the geographic map corresponding to the offer information more suitable/convenient to his/her needs.

In the case in which the user UT decides that such offer information 10 is complete, the management method 400 ends with an end step END.

In the case in which the user UT decides that such offer information IO is not complete, the management method 400 starts again from the step of acquiring 403 the identification code IDC of the advertising message of the good.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a step of creating 500 a sale and/or communication advertising campaign by a manager GP of the advertising campaign according to an implementation example of the invention is now described. Such step of creating 500 advantageously allows the manager GP of the campaign to subsequently provide the users with the interactive advertising management method for a good according to the examples of Fig. 3 and 4 described before.

Such step of creating 500 comprises a start step STR.

The step of creating 500 further comprises the step of defining 501 , by the manager GP, through the management platform multimedia interface ADV-ADV, the market parameters of the sale and/or communication advertising campaign being created.

Such market parameters comprise, for example, a geographic territory limit of the advertising campaign (for example, the territory of the Lombardy region), the type of users (for example, only enterprises), the volume of users (for example, up to a maximum of ten thousands). The step of creating 500 further comprises a step of determining 502, by the manager GP of the campaign, through the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, the communication channels of the advertising campaign being created. Such management platform ADV-ADV is in fact configured to ensure the user is able to exploit the potentiality of a service based on unified messaging and unified communications.

Such communication channels can be, for example, SMS service, MMS service, FAX service, electronic mail, hybrid mail, i.e., a message of electronic mail sent with the classic mail service, voice service (recorded message or service with guide voice).

The step 500 of creating further comprises a step 503 of providing, by the manager GP, through the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, information representative of the good catalogue that is the object of the advertising campaign being created. Such information representative of the good catalogue is stored in the database 203 (server database) of the management platform ADV-ADV. Contextually to the inputting of the information representative of the good catalogue, the manager GP of the campaign can purchase reference codes by the management platform ADV-ADV, each of which is to be associated to a good of the catalogue. Such purchase of each reference codes occurs directly with the management platform ADV-ADV, in real time and without the aid of intermediary structures.

By way of example, such information representative of the good catalogue comprise the content and format of each good, the terms of use, the access identification keys for the occurrences in the catalogue, the fruition communication channels of each good, and the service provided by the management platform ADV-ADV.

The step of creating 500 further comprises a step of assessing 504, by the manager GP of the campaign, through the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, a pilot advertising campaign.

Such step of assessing 504 comprises a step of selecting 505, by the manager GP of the campaign, through the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, a subset of test market parameters.

The step of creating 500 comprises subsequently a step of controlling 506 the test advertising campaign. Such step of controlling 506 concretizes in functionality tests carried out by the manager of the campaign thought the multimedia interface.

In the case in which the step of controlling 506 provides a positive result, the step of creating 500 comprises a step of operating 507, by the manager GP of the campaign, the tested advertising campaign by making it, in fact, active.

In the case in which the step of controlling 507 provides a negative result, the manager GP of the campaign resumes the step of creating 500 starting from the step of defining 501 the market parameters of a good in order to optimize the advertising campaign according to his/her own needs.

The step of creating 500 ends with an end step END.

Such step of creating 500 further allows the user to update, thought the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, the catalogue of the goods belonging to the created advertising campaign.

With particular reference to Fig. 6, an implementation example of a step 600 of monitoring a sale and/or communication advertising campaign managed with the interactive advertising management method of the examples of Fig. 3 and 4 is now described.

Such step 600 of monitoring comprises a start step STR.

The step of monitoring 600 comprises a step of monitoring 601 , by the manager GP of the campaign, thought the multimedia interface provided by the management platform ADV-ADV, the advertising campaign trend. Such step of monitoring 601 concretizes in the analysis of the traffic data by geographic area, communication channel, time period, or according to any combinations of the elements listed before.

Such step of monitoring 600 further comprises a step of comparing 602, by the manager GP of the campaign, the monitored traffic data to the expected traffic data according to the initial expectations. Such step of comparing 602 concretises in the production of management and economic reports, and the assessment of the management costs of the advertising campaign itself.

If the result of the step of comparing 602 is positive, then the step of monitoring 600 proceeds by going back to the step of monitoring 601 , until the termination of the same step is decided (an end step END).

In the case in which the result of the step of comparing 602 is negative, the step of monitoring 600 comprises a step of modifying 603 the initial parameters that have been set during the step of creating 500 the campaign. Such step of modifying 603 comprises the operative steps of the step of creating 500 already described before with reference to Fig. 5.

The step of monitoring 600 ends with a conventional end step END. The step of monitoring can be used in fact to assess in real time the demand on an individual platform that is defined by the management platform ADV-ADV, thereby allowing shortening the go-to-market times.

In particular, the information that can be obtained from the step of monitoring an advertising campaign comprise: the number of contacts for the initiative, the assessment of the interest by geographic area, the use of a support of an informative type about the service to the customers, information on the redemption advertising, management of the multichannel contacts, user profiling.

In fact, the management platform ADV-ADV is configured to track and file in a permanent and safe manner the interactions of the user UT through one of the interactive communication channels that are available, whether they are of an electronic type (SMS, MMS, email, PLUG-IN), or of a voice _, or document type (FAX). This advantageously allows ensuring the process consistency. In practice, the management platform ADV-ADV can be configured to operate as a document database for the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) processes.

Furthermore, the management platform ADV-ADV advantageously allows the management of the promotion and/or sale advertising campaigns by the manager GP of the campaign, who defines its contents and modes, constantly assesses the results thereof, obtains in real time the list of the users requiring the service, manages the demand trend by activating the market operators such as, for example, sale agents, on-line shops, logistic administrators, and so on.

Furthermore, the management platform ADV-ADV is advantageously configured for the integrated management of the multichannel messaging (on more communication channels), providing in fact to the manager GP of the campaign the detail of the interactions (transactions) between the user (consumer) and the management platform ADV-ADV (manager of the campaign or client) on any electronic mail system, independently of the communication channel that is used by the user and the management platform ADV-ADV, i.e., by directly exploiting the standard functionalities of the management platform ADV-ADV via WEB (multimedia interface).

In addition, the management platform ADV-ADV advantageously allows providing to the manager GP of the campaign the step of controlling (that is a measurement of the efficiency of use of the service and monitoring of the service costs) that is implemented by the interactive advertising management method according to the invention thought the billing functionality of the platform itself.

The interactive advertising management method for a good and the corresponding management system 100 allows a user UT, through the management platform ADV-ADV, to be able to send request information of a good through an interactive communication channel by sending a simple SMS, MMS message, a simple call to a toll-free number with which it is possible to interact with a recorded guide voice, sending a message via FAX, or the direct use of a dedicated PLUG-IN application module with which it is possible to set up one's own portable electronic device (for example, the mobile telephone).

Therefore, the management method of the invention has the advantage that the use of intermediaries who may in fact slow down or make more complex to the user to request the request information of the good is not necessary.

Furthermore, the management method of the invention has the advantage of defining the set of reports (paper- or computer-based) to be provided to the user as offer information automatically, i.e. querying, by the management platform ADV-ADV, the database in which all the data relating the goods of the advertising campaign of interest of the user are stored. In this regard, the management platform ADV-ADV is capable of automatically defining such set of reports and providing it to the requiring user through a dedicated communication channel selected by the user him/herself (for example, SMS message on mobile telephone) or established in advance for that type of good and/or advertising campaign.

The fact that the definition of the characteristics of the good required by the user (identification key of the good, communication channel identification key, identification key of the additional information of the required good) are performed automatically and in a manner that is integrated in the platform allow the method and management system to optimize the times of providing to the user the offer information for the required good. Furthermore, the fact that it is the management platform itself to define and send the offer information to the user, without the aid of intermediary structures (call centre, auxiliary Internet sites, press services, enveloping and sending of classic mail service), allows being able to deliver the required information to the user in real time.

Furthermore, the fact that a PLUG-IN application module is available allows the user to have an easy, intuitive tool available, thereby being able to input the data of the goods and forwarding the request for information to the management platform ADV-ADV.

Again, the interactive advertising management method and the corresponding system advantageously avoid that the marketing organizations allocate investments for relevant infrastructures and equipment. In fact, the skills required for the management of the sale and promotion campaigns are limited to the use of a simple office automation tool. In fact, the management method and the corresponding system are to be considered for this reason so-called pay-per-use cost models, that is, of a cost based on the actual use, such as, for example, a rate cost per good occurrence (product/service) used in the sale campaign, a cost for each message and for each type of message managed by the ADV-ADV platform, and so on.

Again, the integration of communication channels in an individual management platform in fact amplifies the capability and efficiency of the platform itself, solving the current problems of coordination between the marketing processes and the sale intermediaries of the communication channels. In particular, the integration of the most modern communication and localization technologies of the demand on the territory allows the implementation of so-called vertical applications for specific market segments, which are easily configurable and expandable according to the volumes and the actual requirements of the demand. Furthermore, in the case of use of a PLUG-IN application module, it is possible to obtain, by a user, directly on the mobile phone detailed information of the good (product/service), promotion, images, videos, geographic maps of the sale or contact points of the good, while remaining constantly updated via SMS about the offer availability trend.

With reference to the rental market, the user is capable of obtaining, by geographic area, specific indications of the customized lease offers. Furthermore, a real estate agency adhering to the service distribution network is capable of monitoring in real time the trend of the market demand and winning the commission based on the actual contact with the user.

In the case in which the user accesses a specific toll-free number for a good of interest, the user get detailed information about the good directly from a voice answering machine, or through the fax channel, or detailed illustrative information illustrative is sent to the requiring user through classic mail service,. The voice answering machine, once the required document has been identified, is capable of reading it to the requiring user (for example, in the case of request and sale of catalogues and/or publications managed with automatic flows). The marketing operator and the client (manager of the campaign) are capable of tracking in real time the step of sending the document and interacting with the voice communication channel or voice mail.

Furthermore, in the case of a communication channel such as a message of the SMS or MMS type, the offer information with the details of the offer or promotion are obtained in real time by the user by sending an SMS, having advantageously the possibility to proceed in the booking and/or purchase process of the good. This occurs, for example, in the case of request of availability of goods in stock or to the ticketing process for the post-sale assistance, automatically met without the intervention of an intermediary, such as a back-office operator. The interaction occurs in fact through the preferential communication channel selected by the user based on the type of device that is used: SMS, MMS, email, classic mail service, and so on.

The interactive advertising management method and the corresponding management system allow the purchase of virtual advertising spaces and multiplatform communication channels for which it is possible to develop promotion and sale campaigns of goods (products or services), measure in real time the efficiency thereof, determine the preferential interaction channel between management platform (manager of the campaign) and user of the service (user), provide information required in the more suitable modes and format.

Furthermore, the method and corresponding management system, being based on unified messaging and communication, have the advantage to allow a user to use more communication channels for the request and the obtainment of information on a good offer.

Again, such method and corresponding management system have the advantage of allowing a manager of an advertising campaign to implement, through the management platform ADV-ADV, communication/sale advertising campaigns completely autonomously (i.e., without the aid of intermediary structures), with reduced costs, and with an easily usable tool. The interactive advertising management method and the corresponding system of the invention distinguish themselves from the methods and systems of the known type for the easiness with which interactive advertising and communication campaigns can be implemented at a low cost. Furthermore, the reduced implementation time, together with the low cost per contact, allow the application of the management method and the corresponding system to a wide range of commercial fields.

To the embodiments of the management method and corresponding system described above, those of ordinary skill in the art, in order to meet contingent needs, will be able to make modifications, adaptations, and replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of the following claims, provided he/she is authorized. Each of the characteristics described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be implemented independently of the other embodiments described.