Messaging system for combining and sending promotional data with conventional messages via a communications network

A messaging system for combining a set of promotional data with an instant message, the system comprising:

• a network;
• a sending communications terminal connected to the network and having a sending processor programmed for sending an instant message via the network;
• a recipient communications terminal connected to the network configured to receive an instant message from the sending communications terminal n comprising a user profile Application Program Interface (API), the user profile API providing an interface between the recipient communications terminal and the message server configured to automatically update user profile information of the recipient communications terminal in the message server;
• wherein the user profile API is configured to receive user profile information from a plurality of contacts listed in the recipient communications terminal, each contact having a communications terminal using the messaging system;
• a messaging server providing instant messaging service to the sending communications terminal and the recipient communications terminal to enable transmittal of an instant message from the sending communications terminal to the recipient communications terminal;
• a combiner residing in a processor configured to combine a singular instant message sent from the sending communications terminal to the recipient communications terminal and the set of promotional data into a single cohesive message, wherein the set of promotional data is integrated and remain fully within a body of the instant message to form the single cohesive message;
• the sending communications terminal comprising a promotional data API, the promotional data API providing an interface between the sending communications terminal and the message server configured to automatically update the set of promotional data;
• wherein the set of promotional data is fully displayed within the instant message in the body of the instant message;
• wherein the combiner sizes the body of the instant message to accommodate both the set of promotional data and the instant message within the body of the instant message, thereby forming the single cohesive message;
• wherein the recipient communications terminal has a recipient processor for processing the instant message and presenting the set of promotional data with the instant message as a cohesive message on a messaging display of the recipient communications terminal.