BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION School products, such as binders, backpacks, tote bags and the like are commonly used by students to carry loose items such as papers, folders, school supplies, clothing, books, etc. These school products are typically purchased at a retail establishment where they are displayed for purchase on one or more shelves, hang tags, or other display devices.

Students are also increasingly purchasing various electronic products such as calculators, electronic spell checkers, electronic organizers, radios, and digital voice recorders for personal and school use. These electronic products are also often sold in retail stores.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method for marketing a school product that is sold in conjunction with a plurality of electronic products such that the purchaser of the school product is offered the option of purchasing electronic products with the school product. An association between the school product and the electronic products is conveyed by various methods, including color schemes, common or complementary design components, the proximity of the products, trade dress, or indicia such as text, descriptions or trademarks.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is a method for marketing a school product comprising the steps of providing a plurality of electronic products and providing a school product having at least one compartment of a size which can receive one of the electronic products. The method further includes marketing the school product and the electronic products such that an association between the electronic products and the school product is conveyed to a potential purchaser of the electronic products and the school product, such as by labeling the school product with advertising or other information regarding the associated electronic product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front view of a binder having a card attached thereto, the card having an electronic product attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a front inside view of the cover of the binder of Fig. 1 with an electronic product received in one of the pockets; and Fig. 3 is a front schematic view showing a portion of a retail establishment marketing the school product system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Fig. 1 illustrates a binder 10 of the type commonly used by students or professionals to store papers and other loose items. The binder 10 includes an outer cover 12, and has a binding mechanism, such as a three-ring binding mechanism (not shown) to receive loose leaf papers. A card or label 14 is fit over, or attached to, the front of the binder 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the card 14 has an electronic product 16, such as a portable radio (with headphones), affixed thereto. The card 14 includes indicia 13, and in the illustrated embodiment the indicia includes text, descriptions and drawings. The indicia 13 preferably includes printed pictures or drawings of other electronic products 18,20,22 that can be used in conjunction with or, as an alternative to, the product 16 affixed to the card 14. In Fig. 1, the illustrated electronic products are a digital voice recorder 18, a calculator 20 and an electronic spell checker 22.

The indicia 13 may also provide information as to the source of the binder 10, describe various features of the binder, or provide other information about the binder. The indicia 13 may also provide information as to the source, features, or other information related to the electronic product 16 coupled to the card 14, or information related to the electronic products 18,20,22 pictured on the card. The indicia 13 may also include trade dress, trademarks and other identifying features printed thereon, such as the MEADS trademark 28, although the indicia may include other features without departing from the scope of the invention. The indicia 13 associated with the binder 10 may be directly printed onto the binder, in which case the card 14 may not be needed.

As shown in Fig. 2, the binder 10 includes a plurality of mesh pockets 30 located on the inner surface of the outer cover 10. Each of the pockets 30 on the inner surface of the cover 10 includes a closure flap 32, and each pocket 30 preferably has a cooperating set of hook and loop fastener attachment tabs 34 on the closure flap 32 and on the body of the pocket to secure the closure flaps in the closed position. The pockets can also be located on other devices associated with the binder 10. For example, the pockets 30 could be located on a board which fits on the binding mechanism. Furthermore, while the invention is illustrated using pockets 30, various other compartments can be used to retain the electronic products as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of binders 10 may be located on a number of shelves 38, and a plurality of electronic products 16,18,20,22 are located in proximity to the binders (to the right of the binders in Fig. 3). The binders 10 and electronic products 16,18, 20,22 shown in Fig. 3 are typically marketed as shown in a retail establishment. Each electronic product 16,18,20,22 that is not marketed with a binder may be enclosed in a hangtag 40, and a hook 43 may be passed through the hangtag to support the hangtag and electronic product for display. Any of the electronic products 18,20,22 may also or alternatively be affixed to the binder 10 in place of the electronic product 16 shown in Fig. 1.

Each hangtag 40 includes indicia 42 that may identify the electronic product, its features, its source, or provide other information. The indicia 42 may include a trademark 28. The indicia 42 associated with each electronic product 16,18,20,22 corresponds to the indicia 13 of the binders 10 such that an association between the electronic products and the binders is conveyed to a potential purchaser of the electronic products and the binders. The association between the electronic products 16,18,20,22 and the binder 10 can be conveyed by various methods besides printed indicia, including color schemes, common or complementary design components, the proximity of the products or common or complementary trademarks or trade dress.

The indicia 42 on the packaging 40 may include a label (not shown), such as an adhesive label that has the indicia printed thereon and is attached to the hangtag 40.

Alternately, the indicia 42 associated with the electronic products 16,18,20,22 may be printed directly onto the hangtag 40 or onto the electronic products. The electronic products 16,18,20,22 are preferably displayed adjacent the binder 10, as shown in Fig. 3, such that a potential purchaser of the binder 10 sees the electronic products that are associated with the binder.

As shown in Fig. 2, the pockets on the inside of the front cover are sized to closely receive the electronic products. In this manner, the pictured electronic product (product 22 in the illustrated embodiment), as well as any of the displayed electronic products 16,18,20,22 that are purchased by a customer, may be received in the pockets 30 and received in the binder 10.

In an alternate embodiment, the binder 10 (and the card 14 attached to the binder) does not have an electronic product attached to the binder (or to the card). In this case, the electronic products are preferably pictured or described on the binder. In another alternate embodiment, a hangtag 40 containing an electronic product may be coupled directly to the binder 10, thereby replacing the card 14. In yet another alternate embodiment, a display stand (not shown) having indicia that corresponds to the indicia 13 associated with the binder 10 and/or the indicia 42 associated with the packaging 40 is located inside a retail establishment. The binder 10 and electronic products 16,18,20,22 are then located on the display stand and marketed to potential customers in association with one another.

The system and method of the present invention may be practiced with any of a number of school products beyond the binder 10 illustrated herein, including but not limited to binders, backpacks, duffle or sports bags, lunch sacks, pouches, and the like. All that is required is that the school product have a storage compartment for receiving the associated electronic products. Of course, the system and method of the present invention may also be practiced with a variety of electronic products, including but not limited to, digital voice recorders, radios, electronic organizers, calculators, electronic spell checkers, electronic music systems, electronic organizers, computers, telephones, cassette players, cameras, CD players, and the like.

While the apparatuses described herein constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, the present invention is not limited to the precise forms disclosed herein and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: