Advertising system

#The present invention relates to at least one visual advertisement using at least one stepped surface. The present invention also includes at least one removable decal displaying advertising indicia and an incremental surface wherein the decal is removably adhered to the incremental surface. The present invention further includes a method for making an advertisement.

#Over the years, advertisers have exploited much of the space that is available in entertainment venues such as sports stadiums. For instance, score keeping devices have been a favorite medium for advertisers. Initially, when score keeping devices were largely mechanical, advertisers employed signage, positioned on the score keeping devices, to disseminate messages. The signage included lights having different colors for relaying score information and an arrangement that conveyed a message such as an advertisement. The signage also included billboards attached to the time keeping device. When the score keeping devices became electronic, the advertiser's messages also became electronic.

#Advertisers expanded the scope of media employed for disseminating messages to walls, fences, players' uniforms, and the floors of stadiums. In one prior art embodiment in Calgary Canada's McMahon Stadium, steps inside of the stadium, adjacent to seats, were used to position signage. The signage devices in McMahon Stadium included a metallic material, such as stainless steel, and indicia made by paint, which bonded to the steel. The signage was substantially permanently attached to the steps by bolt type fasteners. The fasteners required users to drill holes into the steps for receiving the bolts. A company called Stair Media, Inc. has manufactured this prior art product. The signage devices were attached in a vertical position.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the array of signage of the present invention, applied to steps in a stairway.

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of one signage member of the array of the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the array of signage of FIG. 1 on a support sheet.

#One embodiment of the present invention, illustrated generally at 10 in FIG. 1, includes an array of signage 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D that is adhered to a stairway 14. Each member of the array of signage, illustrated in cross-section at 16 in FIG. 2, includes a facestock 18 and an adhesive 20, which is adhered to the facestock 18 and a liner 23 that overlays the adhesive 20. The members 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D shown in FIG. 1 have a generally rectangular shape. Members in other embodiments have symmetries that range from square to circular to asymmetrical. The array of signage 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D are shown in FIG. 1 as having substantially the same symmetry. For other embodiments, each member of the array has a different symmetry or groups of members of the array have different symmetries.

#While the facestock is applied to stairs in FIG. 1, it is understood that the facestock is attachable to other articles such as chair backs, chair fronts, chair seat tops and chair seat bottoms, escalators, baggage claim carousels, airplane tray tables and so forth. The facestock for these embodiments also have symmetries that range from square to circular to asymmetrical.

#Each facestock member of the array is a calendered, extruded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film. In one embodiment, the film has a thickness of about 3.2 mils and is white or yellow. A thickness greater than 3.2 mils or less than 3.2 mils is suitable for some embodiments of the present invention. The adhesive 20 that is positioned on the facestock 18 is a pressure sensitive acrylic. The acrylic is water-based and is removable. A release liner 23 is positioned over the adhesive 20. The adhesive has a low peel and does not build significantly after the first 24 hours. The adhesive has a clean removability within one year on most surfaces. The average removability is at least about 3 years.