Abstract: An electronic device implemented method includes facilitating an auction for an ad space of an advertisement network. A bid and a creative are received from an advertiser for the ad space. An attribute of the creative is determined that is obtrusive to a viewer experience. An extent that the attribute is obtrusive is determined. An extent that the attribute is effective in obtaining a goal of the advertiser is determined. A correlation between the extent that the attribute is obtrusive and the extent that the attribute is effective in obtaining a goal of the advertiser is determined.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing bid adjustments in an online advertisement exchange are disclosed. A plurality of bids from a plurality of advertisers may be received for an online advertisement opportunity. A first advertiser may be associated with a first bid bias value. In some embodiments, if the first advertiser is associated with a first bid bias value, then the bid received from the first advertiser may be adjusted based on the first bid bias value. For example, an adjusted bid may be calculated based on the bid received from the first advertiser and the first bid bias value. The online advertisement exchange may conduct an online auction with the adjusted bid from the first advertiser. If the first advertiser wins the auction based on the adjusted bid, then the first advertiser may be charged the value of the bid received from the first advertiser instead of the adjusted bid value.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which allow users to receive additional information relating to advertisements. Login information is received from a user. An advertisement is displayed in a browser application. A user interface action indicating interaction with the user interface element may be received. The user's contact information may be retrieved based on the login information. In response to the user interface action, additional information relating to the advertisement may be transmitted to the user in accordance with the contact information.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that can be used in experimentation in online advertising. In an experiment, a short, recurring time interval during a period may be divided into a set of segments. Serving opportunities to users occurring during each of the segments may be associated with a particular specified experimental treatment. The short duration of the interval and segments may aid in reducing experimental bias by reducing variation in non-experimental variables between different treatment groups. User behavior following experimental treatment may be tracked and utilized in measurement of user response associated with the treatment. Results of the experiment may be utilized in optimizing aspects of an online advertising campaign.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which improve performance of bid agents on online advertising exchanges. Methods and systems elicit an advertiser's goals for an online advertising campaign. One or more bid agents are selected to be included in a bid program based at least in part on the goals. Each of the bid agents is matched to one or more goals, and each of the bid agents is configured to calculate a bid for an ad call based at least in part on predetermined rules. One or more parameters of the selected bid agents are set based at least in part on marketplace conditions in an online advertising exchange.

Abstract: An audience browser GUI that displays characteristics of an advertising audience selected by specifying targeting constraints is disclosed. The audience browser GUI allows a user to express constraints to define audiences. The audience browser displays characteristics of audiences defined by the constraints. A user can adjust constraints, observe characteristics of the resulting audience, and repeat to develop a desirable audience. In addition, the audience browser may recommend initial constraints and adjustments to constraints, based on advertiser goals and data.

Abstract: Techniques are provided, for use in electronic or online advertising, that can be viewed as going beyond geographic proximity, including determination and use of convenience-based metrics in advertisement targeting, pricing, selection and packaging. For example, based on information including an actual or anticipated consumer location and a store location, one or more possible or likely consumer travel routes may be determined. Based at least in part on this, metrics, such as convenience-based metrics, can be determined and used in aspects of electronic or online advertising, such as consumer travel distance, travel time, or number or travel proximity of alternative stores.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques in which an advertisement basket application is provided to a user. Through the application, the user can store advertisements, including promotions or coupons, as the user enters or encounters them online, as well as tag data about stored advertisements. The user can later search for and retrieve a stored advertisement for use at an appropriate time. Stored advertisements may include advertisements that are or are incorporated into applications with which the user may interact over time. User interactions with stored advertisements can be used in measuring advertisement and campaign performance, which may include brand engagement value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pricing portfolio allocations of ad deliveries to a plurality of online ads are disclosed. A first set of values is determined, each value of the first set of values representing for an online ad of the plurality of online ads, a bid an advertiser has associated with the online ad. A second set of values is determined, the second set of values representing statistics on variability of payoffs from showing ads. A risk value associated with the publisher is determined. Using a portfolio allocation algorithm, a set of ad delivery allocations associated with the plurality of online ads is determined, and, using a Vickrey-Clarke-Groves mechanism, a set of prices associated with the plurality of online ads is determined, both of which are determined based on the first set of values, the second set of values, and the risk value.

Abstract: A distributed data store labels operations with globally unique identifiers that contain approximate timestamps. The labels are used to address causes of inconsistency in the distributed data store while ensuring progress. A first mode is provided that stores the latest label for each entry is useful if re-inserts and deletes are rare. Another mode is provided that stores a history of labels for each entry can be used if there are many re-inserts and deletes. A further mode is provided that stores a history of labels for queries can report updates to query answers as inserts and deletes settle across the distributed data store.

Abstract: Given a set of training examples—with known inputs and outputs—and a set of working examples—with known inputs but unknown outputs—train a classifier on the training examples. For each possible assignment of outputs to the working examples, determine whether assigning the outputs to the working examples results in a training and working set that are likely to have resulted from the same distribution. If so, then add the assignment to a likely set of assignments. For each assignment in the likely set, compute the error of the trained classifier on the assignment. Use the maximum of these errors as a probably approximately correct error bound for the classifier.

Abstract: A distributed data store labels operations with globally unique identifiers that contain approximate timestamps. The labels are used to address causes of inconsistency in the distributed data store while ensuring progress. A first mode is provided that stores the latest label for each entry is useful if re-inserts and deletes are rare. Another mode is provided that stores a history of labels for each entry can be used if there are many re-inserts and deletes. A further mode is provided that stores a history of labels for queries can report updates to query answers as inserts and deletes settle across the distributed data store.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for limiting the number of results returned by a data store in response to a query. Upon receiving an initial query, the data store returns a page of results that includes a subset of the data items within the data store satisfying the conditions of the query. The data store also provides a marker indicating the extent of the set of data items. If a subsequent query that requests additional results which satisfy the same query conditions and that includes the marker is received, the data store returns a page of results that includes a subset of data items that are disjoint from the initial subset, and provides an updated marker which indicates the extent of the union of the initial and subsequent subsets. If still further results are desired from the data store, an additional query containing the updated marker may be submitted.