Abstract: A system for implementing a loyalty program includes a personal terminal, an interaction terminal, and a loyalty module. The personal terminal may be associated with a user. The interaction terminal may be associated with a product or service. The interaction terminal and the personal terminal may be operable to establish a communication when in proximity of each other. The loyalty module may be operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the communication. The benefit may be provided without regard to whether the user obtained or purchased the product or service.

Abstract: An endorsed advertising engine, system and method, which includes at least one vault having media assets, a recommendation engine that matches the media assets from the vault with at least one requested creative, and a delivery engine that integrates the requested creative with the matched media assets from the vault.

Abstract: A computerized method and system for providing real-time response to consumer activity is disclosed. The method and system includes receiving a consumer activity, the consumer activity being associated with marketing engagement by a consumer, analyzing the consumer activity to determine one or more changes to previously known attributes of the consumer stored in a database, pushing the one or more changes into a data queue, processing the one or more changes from the data queue based on a business logic process, the business logic process comprising one or more marketing activities and a timing for each marketing activity of the one or more marketing activities, and performing the one or more marketing activities based at least in part on the business process.

Abstract: Example systems and methods related to providing rewards for an online game in response to web-based purchases are presented. In an example, an online catalog webpage including information describing a product available for purchase is generated. The online catalog webpage includes code instructing a device receiving the online catalog webpage to issue a request to an online gaming system to determine an in-game reward for a user based on the product. The online catalog webpage is transmitted to a client device of the user. An order for the product is received from the client device. The order indicates the in-game reward determined in the online gaming system. An order confirmation webpage is transmitted to the client device in response to the order, and the order confirmation webpage indicates the in-game reward.

Abstract: The usefulness, and consequently the performance, of advertisements are improved by allowing businesses to better target their ads to a responsive audience. For example, location information may be used in ad relevancy determination, and in attribute (e.g., position) arbitration. Such location information may be associated with price information, such as a maximum price bid, and/or with ad performance information. Ad performance information may be tracked on the basis of location information. The content of an ad creative, and/or of a landing page may be selected and/or modified using location information. Tools may be provided to enter and/or modify location information, such as location-dependent targeting information and price information. The location information used to target and/or score ads may be, include, or define an area. The area may be defined by at least one geographic reference point (e.g., defined by latitude and longitude coordinates) and perhaps additional information.

Abstract: Systems and computer-implemented methods provide for assessing effectiveness of communication content. Methods involve receiving a playlist and schedule implemented to eliminate at least some confounds from experimental data, distributing communication content, displaying the communication content according to the playlist and schedule, and collecting data relating to effectiveness of the communication content. Methods also involve providing rules for displaying the communication content implemented to eliminate at least some carryover effects, displaying the communication content according to the rules, and collecting data relating to effectiveness of the communication content.

Abstract: A bivariate metric is disclosed, in which one variable measures the variability of the estimate, and the other measures the accuracy of classifying the positive and negative users. A bagged logistic regression model is used, which achieves a comparable classification accuracy as a usual logistic regression, but a much more stable estimate of individual advertising channel contributions. Embodiments of the invention also provide an intuitive and simple probabilistic model to quantify the attribution of different advertising channels directly. Both the bagged logistic model and the probabilistic model are then applied to a real world data set from a multichannel advertising campaign.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a predictive advertising engine may determine a user's likelihood to purchase an advertised item. Methods and apparatus for a predictive advertising engine may retrieve data associated with an advertisement, a content, and a user. The retrieved data may be enhanced, segmented, and sent to predictive modeling software. The predictive modeling software may calculate a score indicating the user's likelihood to purchase the advertised item. The scores may be stored in a first database. The first database may be referenced by the predictive advertising engine to determine which advertisement to deliver to the user. The predictive advertising engine may present a commercial to the user upon user selection of the advertisement, may present a questionnaire to the user upon the user viewing the commercial or selecting the advertisement, and may record the user's answers and interactions to further refine the predictive model.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method defines a test group from a population of consumers that have been exposed to a communication associated with a promoted entity. The test group includes a (1) retailer profile, and (2) a first purchase amount associated with the promoted entity. The method also includes receiving purchase information associated with a third party. The purchase information includes (1) a second purchase amount associated with the promoted entity, and (2) a third purchase amount associated with the promoted entity. The method further includes defining a first multiplier based on a relationship between the first purchase amount and the second purchase amount, and defining a second multiplier based on a relationship between the first purchase amount and the third purchase amount. The method additionally includes sending a signal indicative of a combined multiplier based on (1) the first multiplier, and (2) the second multiplier.

Abstract: A rapidly configurable data visualisation tool for enabling a user to carry out a desired analysis function to identify trends within stored data sets is described. The tool comprises: a very large database having a plurality of base model database tables, each base model table being configured to store predetermined data variables relating to a previously implemented complex function and having one or more predetermined base analysis fields associated with each table; a configuration module arranged to present to the user a plurality of the predetermined base analysis fields for user selection to configure the desired analysis function on the data sets; and an analysis module for reading out the data stored in the base model tables in the selected base analysis fields in accordance with the desired analysis function and conducting further processing on the data to create a base analysis result comprising other composite selected base analysis fields in accordance with the desired analysis function.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture and computer program product provide the ability to determine the opportunity to see an online advertisement. Determinations are made regarding whether the advertisement is in a visible portion of a webpage, whether the advertisement is in an active tab of a web browser, and whether a browser window is visible. A confirmation is conducted that the visibility of the advertisement is not hindered by an element or a parent element property. A percentage of the advertisement that has an opportunity to be seen is calculated by dynamically inserting visibility trackers into the advertisement and detecting which of the trackers are concurrently visible at a same time. Times each of the trackers are visible are calculated to determine a time in view measurement by ad percentage. A determination is made whether the advertisement is shown to a real, human, non-automated website visitor.

Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein provide for the directed insertion of assets in Content On Demand content across a plurality of computing devices. One system includes a database operable to maintain campaign data of the assets and an asset insertion decision system operable to instantiate on a plurality of computing devices and to periodically access the database to provide the campaign data to the instantiations of the asset insertion decision system on the computing devices. For example, the asset insertion decision system may establish a recording period in which each instantiation of the asset insertion decision system is operable to direct insertion of a portion of the assets in Content On Demand content selections upon request and to record the asset insertions between accesses to the database. The asset insertion decision system is also operable to process the asset insertions recorded by the instantiations to synchronize the campaign database.

Abstract: Dynamic website Campaign builder software for enabling merchandising via the Internet. The Campaign builder software has an application programming interface for display on programming computing devices with display screens to permit building a Campaign. Plural Campaign templates are retained in electronic memory, and an insertion mechanism, such as a Destination Script or an iFrame, permits insertion of assets into the Campaign template to create Campaigns. A saving mechanism permits selective saving of Campaigns, and a publishing mechanism permits selective publication of Campaigns, including with fixed width and responsive design templates. A recipient user interface is operative on recipient computing devices with display screens to permit viewing and usage of published Campaigns. Campaigns are saved to content delivery network (CDN) Media Cloud Server storage for rapid CDN publishing.

Abstract: The serving of advertisements with (e.g., on) video documents may be improved in a number of ways. For example, a system may (a) accept information defining at least one ad spot associated with at least one instance of an video document, (b) accept offers to have advertisements served in the ad spot(s), and (c) arbitrate among competing advertisements, using at least the offers, to determine at least one advertisement to be served in that ad spot(s). As another example, a system may (a) accept relevance information for an advertisement, (b) determine at least one video document using the accepted relevance information, (c) present information about the video document(s) to an advertiser associated with the advertisement, and (d) accept, from the advertiser, an offer to have its advertisement served with at least one of the video document(s) accepted.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a social networking system models a number of exposures to an advertisement for a concept for a set of users, sample from the set of users attitudinal data toward the concept, and determine effectiveness of the advertisement by evaluating the attitudinal data against the number of exposures to the advertisement.

Abstract: A system for providing and measuring consumers' product referrals and recommendations about any given product or business, while allowing the consumers to acknowledge who or what influenced their purchase decision (i.e., an inverse referral). As a result the system verifies the purchases in a trending match and builds trend networks of consumers that bought products or services as a result of the referral. The system generates a trending score of the referral source as an indicator of the level of influence each user has in commerce, wherein the trending score measures personal influence in commerce in terms of resulting influenced purchases. The trending score may be used to distribute referral rewards throughout the system.

Abstract: A system for generating a schedule for use in triggering transmission of message content in a telecommunications network is provided. The system comprises a store for storing profiles of a plurality of recipients, and a plurality of message delivery campaigns with one or more criteria. The campaigns to be executed in relation to a given inventory, which may relate to a predetermined time period, may be arranged into one or more campaign clusters. A suitable allocation method may be used individually for each of said plurality of campaign clusters to allocate, among the plurality of recipients, target recipients for each of the campaign clusters based on campaign criteria and the profiles. The allocation process may be repeated to obtain, for example as high a number of messages as possible with the network resources available without exceeding a predetermined maximum number of messages per any given recipient.

Abstract: A method is described that includes accessing bids for ranked goods and minimum rank indicators that each specifies a lowest rank for a good that is acceptable to a bidder, assigning a ranked good to a first bidder based on a first bid and a first minimum rank indicator each associated with the first bidder, and outputting a signal indicative of a cost of the assigned rank good based on a second bid associated with a next highest bidder having a second minimum rank indicator that specifies a rank that is inclusive of a rank of the ranked good assigned to the first bidder.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining proper presentation of a multimedia content may include a remote management module configured to enable managing a remote computer system. This may include having a local view of a multimedia content being displayed on a display of the remote computer system. The multimedia content may have been previously encoded. The system may also include a capturing module coupled to the remote management module and configured to capture the local view of the multimedia content, and a decoding module coupled to the capturing module and configured to decode the captured local view of the multimedia content to retrieve encoding information from the captured local view of the multimedia content.

Abstract: An online system determines the order in which advertisements or advertisements components are reviewed for compliance with policies of the online system based on a calculated score indicating the expected revenue for presenting the advertisement or advertisement(s) including the component to online system users. The score may also reflect additional metrics, such as the time to review, the quality, and the resources for review, calculated for the advertisement or for the component. Based on the score, the advertisements or components are ranked in an order to be reviewed for compliance with policies of the online system.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing a near-real-time measurement of sentiment and advocacy associated with user interactions within a social media environment. A first and second set of social media data, respectively associated with a first and second set of social media interactions, are processed to generate a first and second set of social network advocacy (SNA) data in near-real-time. The resulting first and second sets of SNA data are then processed to generate a first and second set of SNA Pulse (SNAP) metric data, which respectively indicate a near-real-time measurement of sentiment and advocacy for a given aspect of an organization. The first and second sets of SNAP metric data are then processed to generate a set of SNAP metrics differential data, which indicates a corresponding improvement or decline in sentiment or advocacy.

Abstract: A device for analyzing eye data captured via the device, the device configured to perform the steps of (a) displaying an advertisement and other content on the display; (b) capturing one or more images using the camera, wherein the one or more images depict at least one or more eyes of a user of the device; (c) detecting the one or more eyes in the one or more captured images; (d) determining based at least upon the one or more captured images that the one or more eyes are focused for a predetermined amount of time on the advertisement as opposed to the other content; and (e) based upon the determination in step (d), displaying on the display an item contextually related to the advertisement and different from the other content, wherein the item is (i) text; (ii) a picture; or (iii) a video.

Abstract: A method of quantitatively assessing the effectiveness of an audiovisual, visual or audio advertisement including the steps of: presenting the advertisement to a plurality of subjects, the advertisement having a sequence of audiovisual, visual and/or audio features which occur as a function of time; obtaining, during presentation of the advertisement, EEG signals from the subjects from predetermined scalp sites thereof; calculating SSVEP amplitudes and/or phase differences from EEG signals obtained from the predetermined scalp sites in order to obtain output signals which represent predetermined psychological states of each subject to the features as a function of time; combining the output signals from the subjects to obtain pooled output signals; and displaying the pooled output signals to thereby enable quantitative assessment of the subjects' responses to the features of the advertisement in order to assess the effectiveness of the features of the advertisement.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing near-real-time competitive insights associated with user interactions within a social media environment. A first and second set of social media data, respectively associated with a first and second set of social media interactions, are processed to generate a first and second set of social network advocacy (SNA) data in near-real-time. The resulting first and second sets of SNA data are then processed to generate a first and second set of competitive insight data, which respectively indicate a near-real-time measurement of sentiment and advocacy related to various aspects of a first and second product. The first and second sets of social pricing index data are then processed to generate a set of competitive insight differential data, which indicates a corresponding improvement or decline in sentiment or advocacy related to various aspects of the first and second products.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing near-real-time actionable insights associated with user interactions within a social media environment. A first and second set of social media data, respectively associated with a first and second set of social media interactions, are processed to generate a first and second set of Social Network Advocacy Pulse (SNAP) data in near-real-time. The resulting first and second sets of SNAP data are then processed to generate a first and second set of actionable insight data, which respectively indicate a near-real-time measurement of sentiment and advocacy related to a predetermined business aspect. The first and second sets of social pricing index data are then processed to generate a set of actionable insight differential data, which indicates a corresponding improvement or decline in sentiment or advocacy related to the business aspect.

Abstract: A server system of an online information system displays advertising items and content items retrieved from storage devices as a stream viewable by a user on a user device. The advertisement items and the content items are ordered in the stream by a ranking score computed for each of the advertisement items and each of the content items. The server system transmits a web page including the stream to a user device over a network. In this manner, advertising items and content items compete in a unified marketplace for inclusion in the stream for viewing by the end user.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively supporting software distribution in an electronic network includes a software server and a network of client devices. The software server stores software items received from a software provider. The software items include various types of trial software that is provided to device users for temporary evaluation and potential purchase. A recommendation engine of the software server creates recommendation lists to identify optimal candidates from among the stored software items for performing an automatic and transparent software download procedures. The recommendation engine creates the recommendation lists by analyzing selectable software-ranking criteria related to device users of the client devices. The software server then downloads the optimal candidates from the stored software items to respective target devices during the software download procedures.

Abstract: An advertiser may be provided with fast and accurate estimates of the future cost and/or performance information for one or more actual or hypothetical ads (generally referred to as “proto-ads”). Past auction information may be used to simulate auctions that the proto-ad would have competed in. The proto-ad may then participate in a “replay” of such past auctions.

Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to profile the spending distribution of users who have made purchases from a merchant and who have paid for the purchases via a transaction handler (e.g., using credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards). The spending distribution is determined based on transaction data of the users, where the transaction data records the transactions of the users for purchases from various merchants. The spending distribution is profiled to indicate the preference of the customers of the merchant as a whole and thus can be used to customize the ratio of media content provided to the customers of the merchant, such as the presentation ratio of advertisements from different merchants, or from merchants of different categories.

Abstract: A computer based system (1,5) for measuring the effectiveness of a marketing element for a product is disclosed. It has an apparatus (1) comprising one or more computing processes (30, 32, 34, 36) for determining how well a product and/or marketing element measures against each one of one or more consumer perceived benefits (15) that consumers seek through purchase and/or consumption of the product.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for recommending a direct mail marketing campaign for an event are disclosed. For example, the method selects the direct mail marketing campaign for the event from a plurality of marketing campaigns based upon a ranked list of assets, receives one or more parameters associated with the event, selects a direct mail delivery method from a plurality of direct mail delivery methods based upon a comparison of the one or more parameters associated with the event and one or more parameters associated with each one of the plurality of direct mail delivery methods, and recommends the direct mail marketing campaign using the direct mail delivery method that is selected.

Abstract: A system and method for normalizing campaign data gathered from a plurality of advertising platforms. The method comprises receiving campaign data related to at least one campaign gathered from a plurality of advertising platforms; mapping data dimensions in the received campaign data to a marketing data model to produce a dataset that is organized and functions as the marketing data model; normalizing data values in the dataset according to a unified notation defined for each of the data dimensions in the marketing data model; and optimizing the normalized dataset to allow faster manipulation of data.

Abstract: Events generated by customer interaction during an internet-based session are made available for use by a system for tracking the effectiveness of web advertising campaigns. Event occurrences are collected for evaluation to determine whether campaign goals are being met. Campaigns are defined by rules indicating which ad content is to be displayed to which customers. Event types to be reported are selected depending on the needs of the particular campaign.

Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to profile the spending distribution of users who have made purchases from a merchant and who have paid for the purchases via a transaction handler (e.g., using credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards). The spending distribution is determined based on transaction data of the users, where the transaction data records the transactions of the users for purchases from various merchants. The spending distribution is profiled to indicate the preference of the customers of the merchant as a whole and thus can be used to customize the ratio of media content provided to the customers of the merchant, such as the presentation ratio of advertisements from different merchants, or from merchants of different categories.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a system and methods for providing advertising. In some implementations, a method includes associating a plurality of ad spaces of at least two different types as a unit. The unit is offered to one or more advertisers for purchase.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a collection agent, an aggregation module, an analysis module, and a presentation module. The collection agent is operatively coupled to a data storage and is configured to (1) incrementally collect data associated with a presentation of media on a display of an electronic device, and (2) send a set of signals to store the incrementally collected data in the data storage. The aggregation module is configured to receive at least a portion of the incrementally collected data to define an aggregated data set. The analysis module is configured to analyze the aggregated data set to determine an effectiveness score associated with the presentation of the media. The presentation module is configured to (1) receive a signal associated with the effectiveness score, and (2) send a signal to an electronic device such that information associated with the effectiveness score is displayed on a display of the electronic device.

Abstract: A search device (200) correlates and records keywords representing products or the like, the degrees of importance of the keywords, and the locations of Web pages in which the products or the like are described. Upon receiving information indicating that a user intends to purchase: a first product or the like described on a Web page present at the searched location on the basis of a search query, which is a keyword designated by the user, and the degree of importance of the keyword; and a second product or the like described on a another Web page, the search device (200) correlates the location of the Web page in which the second item or similar item is described, the designated search query, and the degree of importance calculated by a prescribed statistical process.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for presenting an advertisement are provided. In some embodiments, systems for presenting an advertisement are provided, the systems comprising: at least one hardware processor that: receives information relating to an advertisement space; determines at least one score for each of a plurality of segments for a potential advertisement for the advertisement space; selects a segment from the plurality of segments for the advertisement space based on the at least one score for the plurality of segments; selects an advertisement for the segment selected; and causes the advertisement to be presented in the advertisement space.

Abstract: Technologies for adaptively embedding an advertisement into media content via contextual analysis and perceptual computing include a computing device for detecting a location to embed advertising content within media content and retrieving user profile data corresponding to a user of a computing device. Such technologies may also include determining advertising content personalized for the user based on the retrieved user profile and embedding the advertising content personalized for the user into the media content at the detected location within the media content to generate augmented media content for subsequent display to the user.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a media file for distribution and identifying a plurality of commercial messages as possible content that can be associated with the media file when it is distributed. Votes from a plurality of customers can be received, with each vote reflecting a customer's preference for at least one of the plurality of commercial messages. The votes can be calculated and at least one preferred commercial message can be designated based on the calculation. At least one preferred commercial message can be associated with the media file to create a combined media file and the combined media file can be distributed and/or made available for distribution.

Abstract: Campaign messages may be prioritized for a given potential recipient by generating one or more learning structures associated with the campaign message. The learning structure(s) is then evaluated relative to the potential recipient to determine potential effectiveness of the campaign messages for the potential recipient. One such learning structure is a decision tree comprising a hierarchy of attributes associated with past recipients of the campaign message. Attributes associated with the potential recipient are then applied to the decision tree to obtain a metric of potential value of the campaign message to the potential recipient.

Abstract: Selecting an advertisement for a traffic source including: determining that a current search condition is received at a current traffic source; determining a set of advertising information relevant to the current search condition from an advertising database associated with the current traffic source; determining a predicted probability of a first piece of advertising information of the set of advertising information being selected by a user; determining a predicted probability that user selection of the first piece of advertising information gives rise to a conversion event; determining an attribute parameter for the first piece of advertising information; determining a ranked list of the set of advertising information based at least in part on each piece of advertising information's respective attribute parameter; and selecting a selected piece of advertising information from the set of advertising information.

Abstract: A system and method for providing rules-based or algorithm-based automated response optimization in the email-marketing environment is provided. The system and method increases email open, click through, and fulfillment rates for its newsletter advertisers, national retailers, manufacturers, non-profits and the like (“Customers”). Individuals who receive emails from any of the Customers will become a Member through a simple enrollment process. The system and method rewards Members for opening, clicking through and/or fulfilling emails with a proprietary currency and trading floor. The rewards may be exchanges on the trading floor for coupons, goods, services and actual cash.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are provided for targeting content information. A method includes defining an environment in a document, defining at least one targeting criterion for the environment, and storing in the document a request code that is configured to request content for placement in the environment based on the targeting criterion.

Abstract: A method, a system and a computer program product for providing an individual with management/distribution control of the individual's personal information and transaction information. A transaction data management (TDM) utility executes on a data processing system and receives transaction reports from internal/external applications based on member permissions. Based on user configuration/request, the TDM utility records/displays the transaction information as a public announcement and/or a private record within a dynamic transaction/activity information profile. The TDM utility enables the individual to provide supplemental information describing transactions for which reports are received. In addition, the TDM utility enables the individual to provide a schedule of previous/future transactions. The TDM utility rates the individual according to the quality of transactions and the reliability of the transaction schedule . . .

Abstract: In various embodiments, a computer-implemented method for providing an intent to spend analytics platform is disclosed. The computer-implemented method comprises receiving, by a processor configured to execute a pre-commerce screening engine, one or more parameters of a payment instrument. The computer-implemented method further comprises generating, by the processor, one or more targeted offers based on the one or more parameters of the payment instrument.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a system, method, and apparatus for analyzing advertisement-related data are presented, which may include receiving data related to an aspect of an advertisement and modeling the aspect of the advertisement with a mathematical model. The mathematical model may include a control-signal-related component, a control-signal-independent component, and an error component. Each component may be updated based on at least one of a control signal, the received data, and a previous state of at least one of the components. An updated model may be created base on the updated components. The system, method, and apparatus may also include predicting the aspect of the advertisement using the updated model. Exemplary aspects of and data related to the advertisement may include one or more of the following: a number of impressions, “clicks,” or “conversions” and/or the impression-to-conversion, impression-to-click, or click-to-conversion ratios.

Abstract: Disclosed is an approach for implementing a system, method, and computer program product for performing social marketing using a cloud-based system. The approach is capable of accessing data across multiple types of internet-based sources of social data and commentary and to perform analysis upon that data. A social marketing campaign can then be generated and implemented in an integrated manner using the system. This permits realtime reaction to trends, with rapid ability to react to opportunities in the marketplace.

Abstract: A system uses neuro-response information to evaluate content within a cluster, such as commercials in a pod, advertisements in a frame, or products on a shelf, to determine priming characteristics associated with each pieces of content within the cluster. The priming characteristics and other data are combined to obtain blended attributes. The blended attributes are correlated with each piece of intracluster content to allow intelligent management including selection, arrangement, ordering, presentation, and/or scheduling of intracluster content. Intracluster content may also use priming characteristics associated with extracluster content to further improve management.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are included for correlating information. In particular, first information associated with an advertisement presented utilizing a first medium is identified. In addition, second information associated with user activity involving a second medium is received. In use, the first information and the second information are correlated for gauging an effect of the advertisement on the user activity involving the second medium.