as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication 0) Pub. No.: US 2002/0123957 Al
`(43) Pub. Date: Sep. 5, 2002
`
`Notariuset al.
`
`US 20020123957A1
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`MARKETING AND COMMUNICATING IN
`THE WINE/SPIRITS INDUSTRY
`
`(76)
`
`Inventors: Burt Notarius, E. Amherst, NY (US);
`Devendra Nayak, Burlington, MA
`(US); Arun Jani, Westford, MA (US);
`Kelly Ka Yiu Chan, Cambridge, MA
`(US); Paul J. Benati, Penfield, NY
`(US); A. Drew MeNichol, Hamburg,
`NY (US)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`SIMPSON & SIMPSON, PLLC
`5555 MAIN STREET
`WILLIAMSVILLE, NY 14221-5406 (US)
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.:
`
`09/929,214
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Aug. 14, 2001
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 09/751,874,filed on
`Dec. 29, 2000.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`SD A ©)AAnn GO6F 17/60
`(52) US. Ch.
`cecesscssssssssstsnssssiesstnseesn 705/37; 705/26
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method and apparatus for marketing and communicating
`in the wine/spirits industry. The method of the invention
`includes the steps of receiving an offer from at least one
`wine/spirit suppliers to pay for a solicitation to at least one
`identified consumer of a participating retail wine/spirit
`establishmentfor a selected set of products; communicating
`a set of possible product offerings from the at least one
`wine/spirit suppliers to at
`least one of the participating
`retailers of wine/spirits, where each such set includes a
`number of products; receiving a communication from at
`least one such participating retailer agreeing to offer a subset
`of said set of product offerings at a sale price; analyzing
`information related to such subset of such set of product
`offerings with a computer; and, communicating such infor-
`mation related to such sales of such subset of such set of
`product offerings to an interested party.
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Sep. 5, 2002 Sheet 2 of 14
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`US 2002/0123957 A1
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`US 2002/0123957 A1
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`Sep. 5, 2002 Sheet 4 of 14
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`US 2002/0123957 A1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`US 2002/0123957 A1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Sep. 5, 2002 Sheet 9 of 14
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`US 2002/0123957 A1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`US 2002/0123957 Al
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`Patent Application Publication
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`US 2002/0123957 Al
`
`Sep. 5, 2002
`
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MARKETING
`AND COMMUNICATINGIN THE WINE/SPIRITS
`INDUSTRY
`
`RELATED APPLICATION
`
`[0001] This continuation patent application claims the
`benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/751,874, filed Dec.
`29, 2000.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The present invention relates generally to the wine
`and/or spirits industry, and, more particularly, to a method
`and apparatus for marketing and communicating in the
`wine/spirits industry.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`In 1919, two entire industries in the United States,
`[0003]
`the distilled spirits industry and the wine industry, were
`declared illegal. The Eighteenth Amendmentto the Consti-
`tution, the Volstead Act, prohibited the manufacture, sale
`and transportation of intoxicating liquors. For the next
`fourteen years, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers and custom-
`ers of distilled spirits and wines attempted to market, sell
`and purchase products behind closed doors,
`in darkened
`alleyways and in speakeasies. In 1933, Prohibition ended on
`a federal level in the United States with the enactmentof the
`
`Twenty-First Amendment to the Constitution. The end of
`Prohibition did not, however, end governmentregulation of
`the industry. Rather, the regulatory structure of the industry
`becameincreasingly complex and multi-layered with fed-
`eral, state and local governmental bodies passing laws and
`enacting regulations to control the activities of participants
`in both the distilled spirits and wine industries. The end
`result
`is that
`today, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers and
`customers of distilled spirits and wines are as much in the
`“dark” when attempting to communicate with each about
`marketing, selling and purchasing those products as their
`predecessors were during Prohibition.
`
`[0004] The Role of Industry Participants
`
`[0005] The roles and interactions between and among the
`participants in both the wine industry andthe distilled spirits
`industry are controlled, in part, by governmental regulations
`on the federal, state and local levels. In the wine industry, the
`Federal Alcohol Agency requires that all winemakers, the
`suppliers, sell
`their products almost exclusively through
`various wholesalers and retailers. Certain qualifying wine-
`makers may also sell wines. This alternative distribution
`channel allows vineyards to sell wine at
`the winery to
`visitors; most of whom purchase wine in connection with
`tours of the winery. Winemakers or suppliers must also
`comply with various state laws that govern the distribution
`of wine. Moststates allow private wholesalers and retailers
`to function, but eighteen states control the distribution and
`retail of wines directly; in other words, the state government
`acts as both distributor and retailer through designated state
`stores. Private wine wholesalers and retailers are also gov-
`erned by both state and local law. For example, private
`retailers of wine must be licensed by the state and, in many
`cases, by the local municipality, either county, city, town or
`village or a combination thereof. Finally, consumers are
`regulated by state and local governmental bodies which
`dictate age requirements for the purchase of wine, as well as,
`
`in some areas, quantity limits. The distilled spirits industry
`participants are controlled by similar governmental regula-
`tions throughout the distribution channel. One significant
`difference howeveris that distillers, the suppliers, can also
`be wholesalers.
`
`In both industries, because of government regula-
`[0006]
`tions, suppliers and wholesalers are not permitted direct
`communication at time of purchase with consumers. Retail-
`ers are the only part of the distribution channel that are
`permitted direct contact with consumersat time of purchase.
`Retailers however, generally havelittle, if any, direct contact
`with suppliers. Instead, retailers communicate almost exclu-
`sively with one or more wholesalers. In turn, wholesalers
`usually communicate with numerousretailers. Thus, suppli-
`ers, wholesalers and retailers all make various and indepen-
`dent efforts to successfully market products to consumers
`without an overall coordination or assessmentof their joint
`efforts.
`
`[0007] Current Industry Economic Structure
`
`[0008] The recent trend of consolidation in all aspects of
`both industries further complicates an assessment of effec-
`tive marketing communications among the participants in
`both industries’ distribution channels. In recent years, both
`industries have seen increasing supplier consolidation,
`becoming oligopolistic in market structure. In the distilled
`spirits industry, the top four suppliers account for over sixty
`percent of the industry’s market share. In addition, based on
`market share statistics, two of the top four suppliers in the
`domestic distilled spirits industry have become two of the
`top three suppliers in the domestic wine industry. Thus, one
`supplier most often produces several competing brands of
`distilled spirits and wines. In addition, suppliers, in a con-
`tinuing effort to push for greater economies of scale, have
`downsized in-house brand managers and are relying more on
`the efforts of wholesalers and retailers to increase product
`sales. Thus, one supplier brand manager maybe responsible
`for several competing products. Consolidation has also
`occurred on the wholesaler level to the extent possible under
`law. One wholesaler often represents more than one supplier,
`although exclusive arrangements do exist. Only on theretail
`level has consolidation not occurred because of government
`regulation.
`
`[0009] Consolidation has also occurred within product
`lines. Industry participants are concentrating their marketing
`and advertising dollars on the high market share brands of
`distilled spirits and wines. For example,
`in the distilled
`spirits industry high market share brands include Dewars,
`Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Absolut, Baccardi and Tanqueray.
`Thus, a larger percentage of marketing and advertising
`resources are expended for these brands than on less well-
`known brands.
`
`[0010] Current Industry Marketing and Advertising
`
`[0011] Both industries know marketing and advertising is
`effective in increasing market share. Ultimately, marketing
`and advertising resources are targeted to the consumer. Each
`industry participant
`in the distribution channel allocates
`marketing and advertising resources; these resources include
`discount pricing, point-of-purchase advertising, as well as
`general market advertising. In addition, the actions of each
`industry participant influences the ultimate effect the mar-
`keting and advertising resources have on sales. For example,
`
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`US 2002/0123957 Al
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`Sep. 5, 2002
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`a supplier could pay for a point-of-purchase display for a
`product and give those displays to the wholesaler to distrib-
`ute, but if the wholesaler does not distribute them or the
`retailer does not use the displays, the effectiveness of the
`displays on consumers will be non-existent.
`
`[0012] Both industries have recognized that consumer
`satisfaction and manipulation of sales trends form the basis
`of successful marketing and advertising strategies, the ques-
`tion has been how to quantitatively and accurately measure
`each industry participants’ marketing and advertising efforts
`and the success thereof. As one representative of the distilled
`spirits industry indicated in a magazine article in 1996
`(Richard McGown, Government Regulation of the Alcohol
`Industry: The Search for Revenue and the Common Good,
`Quorum Books, Westpoint, Conn., 1997, pp. 87, Quoting
`from Beverage Industry Manual, 1996, pg. 32), sophisti-
`cated retailers, wholesalers and suppliers must be able to
`capitalize on consumer knowledge and develop local sales
`programsthat cater to particularized market segments.
`
`[0013] The issue was further complicated by the lack of
`adequate technology. In order to develop a sales program
`that catered to particularized market segments, hardware and
`software was needed that would allow the transfer of
`
`detailed information provided by each of the participants in
`the distribution channel. The transfer of this information, of
`course, was also constrained by regulatory issues and com-
`petitor confidentiality. Capacity was an issue because of the
`tremendously high volumeof information from each of the
`parties in the distribution channel that needed to be col-
`lected, collated and analyzed. Timing was also an issue
`because the most crucial information, the customer infor-
`mation from theretailer, is updated on a daily basis. Thus,
`in order to effectively utilize the customer information, the
`transfer of information needed to occur in a high speed,
`quickly updateable format.
`
`[0014] Heretofore, there has been a longfelt need in both
`the distilled spirits and the wine industry for a method and
`apparatus to provide high speed, high capacity information
`transfer amongst all
`the participants in the distribution
`channels of each industry that complied with the regulatory
`structure and respected competitor confidentiality. In addi-
`tion, after the information was collected and collated, a
`quantitative analysis of all the information relevant to the
`marketing andselling of the industries products, particularly
`the detailed customer information, needed to be done in a
`manner that enabled the participants to develop local sales
`programsthat catered to particularized market segments.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`invention comprises a method and
`[0015] The present
`apparatus for marketing and communicating in the wine/
`spirits industry. The method of the invention includes the
`steps of receiving an offer from at least one wine/spirit
`suppliers to pay for a solicitation to at least one identified
`consumerof a participating retail wine/spirit establishment
`for a selected set of products; communicating a set of
`possible product offerings from the at least one wine/spirit
`suppliers to at least one of the participating retailers of
`wine/spirits, where each such set
`includes a number of
`products; receiving a communication from at least one such
`participating retailer agreeing to offer a subset of said set of
`product offerings at a sale price; analyzing information
`
`related to such subset of such set of product offerings with
`a computer; and, communicating such information related to
`such sales of such subset of such set of product offerings to
`an interested party.
`
`[0016] A general object of the invention is to provide a
`method and apparatus for communicating and marketing in
`the wine/spirit industry. This and other objects, features and
`advantages of the invention will become apparent upon
`reading the following detailed description, appended claims
`and drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`{0017] FIG. 1 is a functional context diagram which
`provides a summary of the feeds and interfaces between
`various application and business model elements of the
`present invention;
`
`[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates the application integration model
`of the present invention;
`
`[0019]
`tion;
`
`FIG.3 illustrates portal views of the present inven-
`
`FIG.4 illustrates the web traffic analysis cycle of
`[0020]
`the present invention;
`
`FIG.5 illustrates data flow between applications of
`[0021]
`the invention;
`
`[0022]
`tion;
`
`FIG.6 illustrates product mapping of the inven-
`
`[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates the development and QA LAN
`setup of the invention;
`
`[0024] FIG. 8 is a hardware configuration of the present
`invention in a preferred embodiment;
`
`[0025] FIG. 9 illustrates an architecture of a preferred
`embodiment of the present invention;
`
`[0026]
`
`FIG. 10 illustrates outsourced clients Mail Store;
`
`[0027] FIG. 11 illustrates components for outbound mail
`campaigns;
`
`[0028] FIG. 12 illustrates Oracle iStore architecture, used
`in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
`
`FIG.13 illustrates Oracle Portal architecture, used
`[0029]
`in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and,
`
`[0030] FIG. 14 illustrates Oracle Warehouse Builder
`architecture, used in a preferred embodimentof the present
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`[0031]
`
`Introduction
`
`invention comprises a method and
`[0032] The present
`apparatus for marketing and communication in the wine/
`spirits industry. It should be appreciated that, in a preferred
`embodimentthe invention pertains to the wine/spirits indus-
`try, but the invention described and claimed herein could be
`applied to other industries and products as well (e.g., con-
`fectionery, cigars, beer, food, flowers, coffee, cheese, jew-
`elry, automobiles, and other industries and products not
`listed here.) The following detailed description includes
`architectural approaches, components (hardware, software
`
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`
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`
`and network) and operations to support the business model
`of the invention. In the description that follows, the appa-
`ratus of the invention is referred to as a Channel Hub
`Network, and the Channel Hub is envisioned to be both a
`business entity in a business model, as well as a hub in a
`computer network.
`
`In the detailed description which follows, the fol-
`[0033]
`lowing definitions apply:
`
`[0034] Definitions
`
`[0035] Disclaimer: The following definitions have been
`constructed for purposes of the patent application. Many of
`the definitions parallel the various federal, state, and local
`statutes and regulations governing the Distilled Spirits and
`WineIndustries. If any of the definitions do not conform
`with the various federal, state, and local statutes and regu-
`lations governing the Distilled Spirits and Wine Industries,
`these definitions should not be used as evidence of non-
`
`compliance with the various federal, state, and local statutes
`and regulations governing. Applicant plans to comply with
`all appropriate federal, state and local statutes and regula-
`tions pertaining to its business and the businessofpartici-
`pants in the distribution channels.
`
`[0036] All terms which are combinations of defined terms
`shall be defined as the natural combination of the two
`
`already defined terms. For example, Retailer’s Address
`Information shall mean Address Information for a Retailer.
`
`information
`[0037] ADDRESS INFORMATION: All
`related to any method of contacting or communicating with
`a person or an entity. This information shall include, but not
`be limited to, a street address, city, town or village, county,
`state, country, zip code or postal code, telephone number,
`telefax number, and electronic mail or e-mail address.
`
`PROFILE INFORMATION: All
`[0038] ADDRESS
`Address Information related to the distribution of any Prod-
`uct in the Distilled Spirits Industry or the Wine Industry and
`analysis thereof. Such information shall include, but not be
`limited to, Supplier Address
`Information, Wholesaler
`Address Information, Retailer Address Information, and
`Customer Address Information.
`
`be limited to, Supplier Advertising Information, Wholesaler
`Advertising Information, Retailer Advertising Information
`and Address Profile Information.
`
`[0041] CHANNEL HUB: The channel hubis a node in the
`Channel Hub Network comprised of a computer or a series
`of computers, run on the Channel Hub Network software,
`which serves as a clearinghouse for all Information, a
`processing center for analysis of all the Information and a
`communication center for disseminating all the Information
`to other participants in the Channel Hub Network. It may
`also be used to describe an entity charged with the operation
`and maintenance of the Channel Hub.
`
`[0042] CHANNEL HUB NETWORK:A Channel Hub
`Network is a computer based information/marketing net-
`work comprised of the Channel Hub and any and all
`Participating Parties of the Distribution Channel and such
`computers as the Participating Parties use to access Infor-
`mation,
`transmit Information, send Communications, or
`receive Communications from other Participating Parties.
`[0043] COMMUNICATION:Any transmission of Infor-
`mation,
`including but not
`limited to a transmission by
`regular mail, electronic mail, courier, telefax or telephone, in
`any form, including but not limited to digital, electronic or
`written form.
`
`[0044] CONSUMER: see Customer
`[0045] CUSTOMER: Any natural person, of legal age in
`the jurisdiction of purchase, who purchases Distilled Spirits
`or Wine for personal consumption or personal use. A con-
`sumer shall not include any entity that purchases Distilled
`Spirits or Wine for resale. May also be described as a
`Consumeror a Retail Customer.
`
`information
`[0046] CUSTOMER INFORMATION: All
`concerning orrelated to a particular, identifiable, Customer,
`a particular group of Customers or any compilation thereof.
`This information shall include, but not be limited to the
`Customer’s name, the Customer’s identification number, the
`Customer’s driver’s license (in scanable format), the Cus-
`tomer’s driver’s license number, other proof of age docu-
`mentation for the Customer, the Customer’s Address Infor-
`mation,
`the Customer’s education level,
`the Customer’s
`incomelevel, the Customer’s family structure, the Custom-
`er’s hobbies or interests and any other demographic infor-
`mation for the Customer.
`
`[0039] ADVERTISING INFORMATION:All informa-
`tion related to any advertisements, whether in/on print,
`television, other types of video, radio, other types of audio,
`[0047] CUSTOMER PROFILE INFORMATION: All
`digital, electronic or any other form, for any Product regard-
`information relating to Customer Information, Address Pro-
`less of the source of payment or sponsorship for the adver-
`file Information and any analysis thereof.
`tisement. Such information shall include, but not be limited
`
`[0048] CUSTOMER’S PURCHASING—HISTORY
`to, the date the advertisementran, the type of media in which
`INFORMATION:This information shall be all information
`the advertisement ran, the length of time the advertisement
`ran, the contents of the advertisement, the Products con-
`tained in the advertisement, whether or not the Products
`contained in the advertisement were Product in an Offer, the
`cost of the advertisement, the name of the party(ies) who
`paid for the advertisement, the role of the party(ies) who
`paid for the advertisement, if any, in the Distribution Chan-
`nel, the role of the Channel Hub, if any, in the advertisement
`and any related Display Location Information and Display
`Location Profile Information.
`
`[0040] ADVERTISING PROFILE INFORMATION:All
`Advertising Information related to the distribution of any
`Product in the Distilled Spirits Industry or the Wine Industry
`and analysis thereof. Such information shall include, but not
`
`concerning a Customer or any group of Customers or any
`compilation thereof and relating to all Sales Transactions by
`that Customer or group of Customers or any compilation
`thereof
`involving any Product. This information shall
`include but not be limited to all Customer Information and
`Sales Transaction Information.
`
`[0049] CUSTOMER’S PURCHASING HISTORY PRO-
`FILE INFORMATION:This information shall beall infor-
`
`mation relating to Customer Purchasing History Informa-
`tion, Address Profile Information and the analysis thereof.
`[0050] DISCOUNT PRICE: Any Product price which is
`lower than the previous quoted Product price. May also be
`referred to as the Sale Price.
`
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`Sep. 5, 2002
`
`[0051] DISPLAY LOCATION INFORMATION: All
`information related to any point of purchase advertising
`materials, in any media, including but not limited to print,
`television, other types of video, radio, other types of audio,
`digital, electronic or any other form, for any Product dis-
`played in a Retail Wine/Spirit Establishment. Such infor-
`mation shall include, but not be limited to, the date the point
`of purchase advertising materials were displayed,the type of
`the media which displayed the point of purchase advertising
`materials, the length of time the point of purchase advertis-
`ing materials were displayed, the contents of the point of
`purchase advertising materials, the Products contained in
`point of purchasing advertising materials, the cost of the
`point of purchase advertising materials,
`the name of the
`party(ies) who displayed the point of purchase advertising
`materials, the name of the party(ies) who paid for the point
`of purchase advertising materials, the role of the party(ies)
`PARTICIPATING PARTY: The Channel Hub and/
`[0061]
`who paid for the point of purchase advertising materials in
`or any party in the Distribution Channel who becomes a
`the Distribution Channel, the location of the display of the
`memberof the Channel Hub Networkor agrees to partici-
`point of purchase advertising materials with