Method and apparatus for creating a value-bearing instrument where the design attributes compliment/match a product or service

A method of generating a gift card comprising:

• receiving indicia corresponding to at least one of a particular product and a particular service;
• providing a plurality of graphic menus viewable using a visual screen to eventually create a virtual gift card;
• searching for a gift card graphic that matches at least one of the particular product and the particular service;
• prompting a user via at least one of the plurality of graphic menus to input an intended value for the virtual gift card;
• merging the intended value with the gift card graphic that matches at least one of the particular product and the particular service prior to finalizing the virtual gift card;
• and,
• generating at least one of a receipt uniquely corresponding to the virtual gift card and a tangible gift card corresponding to the virtual gift card.

A device for generating gift cards, the device comprising:

• a kiosk housing;
• a display device;
• a gift card printer;
• a user input device configured to detect indicia specifically identifying a least one of a particular product and a particular service;
• a processor communicatively coupled to the display device and a database, the processor running software operative to retrieve matching graphic data from the database corresponding to at least one of the particular product and the particular service, the software also operative to generate a series of menus displayed on the display device and to cause display of an image representative of the matching graphic data accessed from the database.

A method of generating a gift card comprising:

• fielding an inquiry from a user attempting to locate at least one of a product and a service the user contemplates purchasing;
• making available to the user at least one graphic corresponding to at least one of the product and the service the user contemplates purchasing;
• making information available to the user concerning a retailer offering for sale at least one of the product and the service the user contemplates purchasing;
• and,
• generating at least one of a tangible gift card and a virtual gift card including the at least one graphic representative of at least one of the product and the service the user contemplates purchasing, where at least one of the virtual gift card and the tangible gift card is redeemable only at the retailer.