Abstract: An auction apparatus according to the application includes a plan receiving unit and a providing unit. The plan receiving unit gradually receives plan information indicating a plan of content from a content creator who creates the content a plurality of times. The providing unit additionally presents the plan information which is gradually received by the plan receiving unit and provides an auction service in which a bid target is a right to display an advertisement in an advertising space set to the content.

Abstract: Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for centralized deployment of advertising code. Advertising code is stored for use by a web page, the advertising code comprising at least one of vendor advertising code or vendor reporting code. An application programming interface is provided for the web page to access the advertising code, the application programming interface allowing the advertising code to be updated such that updated advertising code is automatically provided to the web page without changing source code that the web page uses to accesses the advertising code. A request for advertising code is received from the web page using the application programming interface. The advertising code is determined to be a most recently updated version of advertising code stored by the computing device. A response to the request can be generated using the advertising code. The response can be transmitted to the web page.

Abstract: Communication plans are created, modified, and executed by a campaign server. The campaign server creates a retail environment communication plan that specifies communications to be made to unidentified shoppers in a retail environment that includes at least one sensor. The campaign server identifies a shopper in the retail environment by the at least one sensor, and creates a shopper communication plan, based on the retail environment communication plan, that specifies communications to be made to the identified shopper in the retail environment. The campaign server executes the retail environment communication plan and the shopper communication plan. In response to processing an event sensed by the at least one sensor, the campaign server modifies one or both of the retail environment communication plan and the shopper communication plan.

Abstract: Different ad selection techniques may be evaluated and compared by (i) combining ads generated using at least two different techniques and (ii) determining performance statistics of these combined (e.g., interleaved) advertising serves over time. The relative performance of the different techniques can then be determined. These principles can also be used to gauge different ad scoring techniques. These principles can also be used to gauge different ad rendering techniques.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which engage users and increase social interaction in group buying. Methods and systems may target users with a first advertisement comprising one or more proposed deals based at least in part on the users' electronic calendar entry information. The advertisements may be served and displayed in the users' electronic calendars. Users' responses to the proposed deal may be tracked. Users may be targeted and served with additional advertisements based at least in part the users' responses to the proposed deal included in the first advertisement and the calendar entry information. Users may forward the advertisements to other individuals to encourage them to participate in the proposed deals in order to receive additional discounts.

Abstract: An advertisement delivery management apparatus according to an embodiment includes an allocation unit and an advertisement delivery unit. The allocation unit selects delivery target users who have the user attribute designated by each of order requests and whose number corresponds to the number of deliveries designated by each of order requests, from a plurality of delivery target users predicted as future advertisement delivery destinations, and allocates the selected delivery target users to the order requests. The advertisement delivery unit selects the advertising information of the order request corresponding to a user attribute of a user of a user terminal on the basis of the allocation result of the allocation unit and transmits the selected advertising information to the user terminal.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for creation and management of marketing applications, events, promotions and publications. The system includes a user input device configured to provide a user input for one or more applications. The system includes a display configured to display information from the one or more applications. The system includes a processing unit communicatively coupled to the user input device and the display. The processing unit is configured to execute one or more application to create the promotional activity, configure the promotional activity, and associate an offer with the configured promotional activity.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating opting back in to, or controlling, the sending of promotional communications by customers. A system is provided that includes at least one computing device upon which an application is executable. The application is configured to determine an option status of a customer with respect to whether the customer wishes to receive a plurality of promotional communications from a merchant. The application is further configured to determine whether an opted-out customer meets a criterion to be prompted to opt back into receiving the promotional communications. Also, the application is configured to associate a prompt with a network content item to send to a client. The prompt is configured to initiate a re-selection of the option status of the customer if manipulated by the customer at the client.

Abstract: A system and method searches, identifies, tests and/or evaluates websites and content related ads for suitability. The results can be used to target ads more effectively to users and identify and promote services to prospective advertising affiliates as part of an advertising campaign.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for determining a mixture ratio for allocating portions of an advertising budget among different advertising channels (e.g., print, online, radio, television) to optimize a performance measure, such as cost-per-action. A mixture space is used to define the available advertising channels and any constraints placed on those channels, such as no more than fifty percent of the advertising budget being allocated to a particular channel, and test mixture ratios are selected according to an optimality criterion. The selected test mixture ratios are used during a testing period on live traffic. The performance measures from the test mixture ratios are used to select a preferred mixture ratio from the mixture space.

Abstract: Example methods and systems for providing custom error pages for retail applications are disclosed. In general, the disclosed example systems provide error pages which are presented after a user attempts to access an inactive, unavailable, or nonexistent website address. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the system provides an error page which is customized, for example, based upon the website address that the user was attempting to access; based upon the user's history; based upon the system's most popular products and/or categories; and/or based upon some combination of those criteria.

Abstract: A system and method are described for presenting on-line survey invitations to users over a network. The system enables selectively presenting survey invitations to users in accordance with a survey recruitment definition associated with a tag embedded within an on-line advertisement downloaded and executed on a user computer. If a determination is made by a survey recruitment server that a requestor is to be a potential control (unexposed) survey participant, then instructions are issued to the requesting user computer to obstruct presentation of the on-line advertisement which caused the issuance of the request for a survey invitation from the user computer.

Abstract: A system and a method for measuring and monitoring effectiveness of on-line advertising are provided. The system and method provide a code attached to, for example, an advertising banner of a company that may advertise goods and/or services of the company. The code provides a signal to a server when the banner is viewed on a computer of a user. Cookie data is transferred by the server to the computer of the user providing information related to viewing of the advertising banner. Surveys are further presented to users to obtain information related to the effectiveness of the advertising for both exposed users and control users.

Abstract: An advertisement delivery management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a prediction information storage unit, an acquisition unit and an allocation unit. The prediction information storage unit stores information including user attributes of a plurality of delivery target users predicted as future advertisement delivery destinations. The acquisition unit acquires a plurality of order requests designating user attributes and the numbers of deliveries. The allocation unit allocates the delivery target users to the plurality of order requests, on the basis of the user attributes and the numbers of deliveries designated by the plurality of order requests, such that the number of predetermined user attributes of the delivery target users who have not been allocated to the order requests is the maximum.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering purchasing incentives and a variety of other retail shopping aids through a computer network, such as by E-mail over the Internet or the World Wide Web. Customers (10) of retail stores can establish a bi-directional communication link with the system, log in (16) to the system, and then elect to browse among available purchasing incentive offers (18, 22), or elect to explore other shopping aids, such as a shopping list generator (26), a recipe center (30), or simply elect to claim a product rebate or to receive product information. If the customer elects to have product information or rebate information delivered, only minimal customer identification is required. For purchase incentives redeemable at retail stores, the customer must provide identification information and must also designate a retailer (12) at which the purchasing incentive can be exercised.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for utilizing opportunities presented by events and social gatherings, such as online advertisement targeting and communications-related opportunities. Techniques are provided in which information is obtained that provides an indication that a set of users, including mobile electronic device users, are in a specified area, and indicating that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering. A virtual user grouping may be formed, and communications between users of the grouping is facilitated, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering.

Abstract: A system and method is presented for product substantiation and promotion redemption. A purchased product list is transmitted from a retail store system to a promotion analysis server along with a user identifier. The promotion analysis server identifies promotions available to the user, and then considers whether the benefits under the promotions are still available to the user. Discounts for available promotions related to the purchased product list are calculated and transmitted to the retail store system for deduction from the transactions. An approved product list can be provided that filters the purchased product list before transmittal. The approved product list can include promotions from a plurality of programs.