EP2347353A1 - System and method for distributing text content for use in one or more creatives - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention includes at least a creative composition engine, system and method. The creative composition engine includes at least one vault having media assets, wherein the media assets include at least one avatar and at least one environment for placement of the at least one avatar, and a receiver for receiving at least one request for a creative. The request for creative may include a composition request for the at least one avatar, and a request for at least one other of the media assets. The at least one avatar may be a composed creative responsive to the at least one request for a creative, and wherein the composed creative further includes the at least one other of the media assets.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING TEXT CONTENT FOR USE IN ONE OR MORE CREATIVES

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[1] This application is a continuation-in-part of: U.S. Patent Application

Serial No. 12/220,917, entitled "System and Method for Distributing Content for Use with Entertainment Creatives, filed July 29, 2008; and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/103,720, entitled, "System and Method for Distributing Text Content For Use In One Or More Creatives," filed October 8, 2008, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in their entirety.

[2] U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/220,917 is: a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/144,194, entitled "System and Method for Brand Affinity Content Distribution and Optimization", filed June 23, 2008 is: a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/981 ,646, entitled "Engine, System and Method for Generation of Brand Affinity Content", filed October 31 , 2007; a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/981 ,837, entitled "An Advertising Request And Rules-Based Content Provision Engine, System and Method", filed October 31 , 2007; a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/072,692, entitled "Engine, System and Method For Generation of Brand Affinity Content, filed February 27, 2008; and a continuation in part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/079,769, entitled "Engine, System and Method for Generation of Brand Affinity Content," filed March 27, 2008, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in their entirety.

[3] U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/981 ,837 claims priority to U.S.

Provisional Application Serial No. 60/993,096, entitled "System and Method for Rule-Based Generation of Brand Affinity Content," filed September 7, 2007, and is related to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/981 ,646, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in their entirety.

[4] U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/079,769 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/042,913, entitled "Engine, System and Method for Generation of Brand Affinity Content," filed March 5, 2008, which is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/072,692, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in their entirety.

[5] U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/072,692 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/981 ,646, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in the entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[6] The present invention is directed to a creative generation engine and, more particularly, to an engine for generation of asset-related content, and a method of making and using same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[7] It is well understood that high impact advertising is that advertising that best grabs the attention of a target consumer. A target consumer is the ideal customer for the particular goods being advertised, from a socio- economic perspective, from a morals and values perspective, from an age or interest level perspective, or based on other similar factors.

[8] The impact on an ideal customer of any particular advertisement may be improved if an advertisement includes endorsements, sponsorships, or affiliations from those persons, entities, or the like from whom the ideal target consumer is most likely, or highly likely, to seek guidance, to identify with, and/or to generally empathize with. More specifically, a customer experiences the greatest impact from advertising, and all aspects of entertainment in general, that the customer can best relate to. Consequently, factors that will typically increase the impact of an asset for inclusion in any type of creative, be it an advertisement or entertainment, include the asset's perceived knowledge of particular goods or in a particular industry of interest to that customer, the fame or popularity of the asset as perceived by that customer, the respect typically accorded a particular asset by those similarly situated to that customer, the identification with the asset by the target customer, and other similar factors.

[9] Consequently, the highest impact advertising time or block available for sale will generally be time that is associated, such as both within the advertisement and within the program with which the advertisement is associated, with an endorser or entertainment most likely to have high impact on the ideal target customer. Similarly, the most expensive entertainment is that which is most likely to have the greatest number of customers interested in, or identifying with, that entertainment. However, the existing art makes little use of this reality.

[10] Thus, there exists a need for an engine, system and method that allows for the obtaining of an asset or assets, such as the provision of advertisements or entertainment having associated therewith the one or more assets, in order to generate the aforementioned high-impact circumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[11] The present invention includes at least a creative composition engine, system and method. The creative composition engine includes at least one vault having media assets, wherein the media assets include at least one avatar and at least one environment for placement of the at least one avatar, and a receiver for receiving at least one request for a creative. The request for creative may include a composition request for the at least one avatar, and a request for at least one other of the media assets. The at least one avatar may be a composed creative responsive to the at least one request for a creative, and wherein the composed creative further includes the at least one other of the media assets.

112] Thus, the present invention provides an engine, system and method that allows for the obtaining of an asset or assets, such as the provision of advertisements or entertainment having associated therewith the one or more assets, in order to generate the aforementioned high-impact circumstances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

113] The present invention will be described hereinbelow in conjunction with the following figures, in which like numerals represent like items, and wherein: 114] Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of aspects of the present invention; and, [15] Figure 2 illustrates a consumer messaging system according to an aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[16] It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for the purposes of clarity, many other elements found in typical computing engines, systems and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable and/or required in order to implement the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. [17] As used herein, a "creative" is and includes, for example, an advertisement, a form of entertainment, or the like, and a creative may preferably be composed, for example, from one or more media assets of interest to the composer of the creative. The media assets typically include media assets that are, or are related to, other assets, such as: snippets of movies or television, or of celebrities in movies or television; audio, video or stills showing celebrities or sports figures; photos or video of well known locales, animals, etc.. In the instant invention, the media assets may be used exclusively to generate the composed creative, or the media assets may be added to other assets, or placed with other items in a per-existing template, to generate the composed creative.

[18] It is generally accepted that a creative having the highest impact on the desired consumer base includes relationships, endorsements, sponsorships, or affiliations from or to those persons, entities, things, or the like to whom the targeted consumers most relate, such as based on the endorser's knowledge of particular goods or in a particular industry of interest to the subject consumer, the fame of an entertainment media asset as understood by the subject consumer, the respect or desirability typically accorded a particular asset, and other similar factors. For example, the easiest manner in which to sell advertising time or blocks of advertising time is to relay to a particular advertiser that the advertising time purchased by that advertiser will be used in connection with an audio visual work that has an endorsement therein for that particular advertiser's brand of goods or services, thus implying that the advertiser's goods or services are already endorsed by the composer of the subject audio visual work. As used herein, such a relationship, endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation with another asset within a creative may include an assertion of use of a particular good or service by an actor, actress, or subject in the audio visual work, reference to a need for a particular types of goods or services in the audio visual work, or an actual endorsement of the use of a product within the audio visual work, for example.

[19] An allowable relationship, endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation may be limited in certain ways, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such limitations may include: geographic limitations on the use of particular assets (for example, endorsers are more likely to endorse locally in various locales rather than nationally endorse, in part because national endorsements bring a single endorsement fee and generally preclude the repetitious collection of many smaller fees for many local endorsements), or limits on the use of certain assets with certain other assets ; or limitations on use in particular creatives or industries, such as wherein a different product, different service, different industry, or competitive entertainment is or may be endorsed, related, sponsored or affiliated (such as in a different geographical area) by the same asset relationship, endorser, sponsor, or affiliate; or limitations on relationships, endorsements, sponsorships, or affiliations solely to a particular field(s) or type(s) of product, service or entertainment. For example, certain media assets may be employed only with regard to certain offerings, such as wherein certain movie snippets are made available only to those composers who wish to generate creative showing their respective avatars in that/those movie snippets.

[20] Further, asset relationships, endorsements, sponsorships, or affiliations by particular endorsers may be limited to products, brands or products or services, types of products or services, or the like which are approved by one or more entities external from, but affiliated with, the specific endorser. For example, the National Football League may allow for its players only to endorse certain products, brands of products, types of products, or the like, that are also endorsed by the NFL, or may only allow use of video or audio related to NFL games or players only in certain circumstances, with certain brands, in certain advertisements, or in certain product offerings.

[21] More specifically, as used herein, relationships, endorsements, sponsorships, or affiliations may include: endorsements or sponsorships, in which an individual or a brand may be used to market another product or service to improve the marketability of that other product or service; marketing partnerships, in which short term relationships between different products or services are employed to improve the marketing of each respective product or service; brand affinity, which is built around a long term relationship between different products or services such that, over time, consumers come to accept an affinity of one brand based on its typical placement with another brand in another industry; creative asset relationships, in which two or more creative assets are, at some point between inception and delivery, combined to generate a creative that is saleable, marketable, or an advertisement; and the like.

[22] At present, there is a need for a platform or engine to allow for the composition of a creative employing one or more assets in any of the above circumstances, wherein the asset(s) relate to, for example, a specific individual, a specific entity, an affinity brand, a marketing partner, a sponsor, a well known media asset, such as a movie or television show, or the like. In the present invention, a creative engine 10, such as that illustrated in Figure 1 , may include a vault 12 that provides media assets 14 and integration of media assets, in one or more instances without need of involving the media assets for permission, a recommendation engine 20 that may, by creative, by market, by brand affinity, by user request, or otherwise match media assets from the vault with a request for a creative 22, and a delivery engine 26 capable of integrating the requested creative 22 and the one or more media asset 14 from the vault 12. The delivery engine may, for example, be apart from the vault and recommendation engine, either in control, in software, in location, and the like, and may allow for pre- binding, binding at request, or late stage binding of the creative 22 and media asset 16, and delivery of the creative 22 bound with the dynamic media asset 16 from the vault to an advertiser, an advertising server, an entertainment customer/purchaser, or the like. As such, the delivery engine may generate the mash up of the creative and the media asset(s), or may receive the mash up for delivery. Creative requests 22 may be made via an "wizard" using templates, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[23] The vault captures certain media assets, and/or information related thereto, in a common location, such as a common database, such as, for example, all major league baseball past and present players, including statistics, video, and pictures of those players affiliated with the names of those players, in addition to any endorsement limitations on those players. The vault may likewise include media assets that may be associated with audio-visual works. The vault may include video, audio, photographs, text and text/SMS messages, symbols, emblems, taglines, pictures, video, press releases, publications, web links, web links to external content, and media capable of re-purposing (such as an athlete running in front of a blue screen, wherein the athlete may be re-purposed by the placement of a background over the blue screen), and voice.

[24] At least one of the vault and the recommendation engine may also include one or more rules associated with each of the media assets, such as exclusions, inclusions, or preferences 50 for the use of the media asset or particular items of information associated with the media asset in the vault. Such inclusions, exclusions, or preferences may include geographic limitations on certain information items or endorsements, product limitations, preferred partners or products or product types for endorsement, preferred or allowed uses, etc. Exclusions may, of course, be necessary if the requested creative conflicts with other legalities, such as a pre-existing endorsement agreement for the requested brand with a competitor, or the like. [25] Further, media assets in the vault may be marked with different payment schema 52 based on the requester of the media asset, the request itself, the creative into which the requested asset will be incorporated, the requested overall creative including the asset, or the ultimate use or market for the creative created, for example. For example, in the event the creative requester is a school, or a student at a school, and the requested creative is not an advertisement or like endeavor to sell anything, media assets may be made available for use for free. Such exceptions may be made, with regard to payment, with regard to any level of payment variation as between any number of different user and/or use types, such as non-profit, for-profit, individual, corporate, in-home, in-business, advertisement, entertainment, and the like. Additionally, for example, icons of a favorite football player may be requested by a non-profit individual for at-home use, to be overlayed over a live football program then on that individual's television, at no charge, or minimal charge to that individual. Likewise, assets may be provided to allow a user to create a widget, or like entertainment item, wherein the user, or a user avatar, is placed into a well-known audio or video environment, or wherein the user, or the user avatar, is placed into a video game, or classic video game, for example, and such situations may allow for a variable charge to be levied on the user based on the media asset requested by the user, the use of the ultimate creative including the requested media asset, the identity of the requesting party, or the like.

[26] The recommendation engine 20 may assess, based on numerous factors including external factors, the media assets that are most sensible, or that are available, for a particular requested creative. For example, such a recommendation engine may gauge proper matches by assessing inclusion and exclusion rules based on the aforementioned factors in the vault, such as geography, but additionally can use stored or external information and/or variable factoring to do associations for any two media assets, such as association between two different brands (such as wherein brand associations already exhibiting brand affinity would have the highest percentage association, and brands which would make the most sensible association would also exhibit higher percentage matching for brand association), or to do matching of a media asset based on the target consumers or creative requester of the requested creative.

[27] For example, a "profile" 60 may be developed in the vault for a particular asset. Such a profile may include any of a myriad of information, both stored in the vault and/or having external references outside the vault from within the vault. For example, in the event the requested creative is an advertisement, the profile may include but not limited to psychological profiles of typical users of a brand that is the profiled asset (which may include values, motivations, wants, and needs of brand users, and which may be assessed based on inferences from on-line, credit card, or television use by those users, for example), brand profiles of that asset including target customers, target affiliate profiles (which may include reasons for desired affiliation, such as sharing marketing costs, increasing brand recognition in certain geographies or fields of use, distribution channel access, expedited market entry, or improved brand perception, for example), and the like, and such profiles may be used as media assets by the recommendation engine in order to develop a best match.

[28] As an additional example with regard to advertising, polling may provide for local or national focus and be maintained in the vault as an associated media asset with a particular brand, and best matches for certain brands may be selected according to such polling results. For example, a "flashy" sports personality may be a best match for a brand offering in Los Angeles, but a different athlete's endorsement might be preferably to sell that brand in the mid-west. Such information, including "who's hot", or where a brand is "hot", may be associated with the media assets regarding that brand in the vault, and may be thus used by the recommendation engine to do matching.

[29] Similarly with regard to non-advertising embodiments, the vault of the present invention may include assets uniquely associated with particular users/consumers. For example, a user may enter an avatar to the vault as a media asset to be associated with, and/or form part of, the user's profile. Additionally, the user need not incorporate an externally created avatar in the instant invention, but rather may create an avatar using the present invention as a media asset for inclusion in the vault. Similarly, the user may use tools provided in the present invention to create or upload a variety of media assets, such as widgets, personal audio, photos, text messages, and/or videos, to the vault in the present invention for use as media assets in generating a creative in union with other vault assets. Needless to say, such "personal" vault assets may have access limited by the uploading or creating user, wherein such access may be limited to the creator, or to a circle or parties or entities authorized by the creator, or to all individual users of the vault, or to all corporate users of the vault, or to all non-profit users of the vault, etc.

[30] Thus, in the aforementioned exemplary embodiment, the present invention may allow for the creation of avatars. Such avatars may be used with other media assets within, or accessible to, the vault, as creatives, or may constitute purchasable creatives in their own right, for example. For example, a user of the system may create an avatar for him/herself, and/or may create an avatar incorporating or based on a brand or personality. In the latter exemplary embodiment, for example, the subject brand or personality may allow to be resident in the vault a series of authorized media assets that may be used by users to generate creatives constituting, at least in part, the aforementioned avatar(s) The avatars may thus be used, such as in conjunction with other assets or associative asset information in the vault, in the furtherance of brand recognition for the creation of brand affinity with the subject brand or personality. Needless to say, a user may request a creative that is a composition including multiple assets in the form of avatars, or like assets, such as wherein the user's avatar is shown in an entertaining video meeting up with, and marrying, an avatar of Brad Pitt, for example.

[31] Although an avatar may be generated using software in various ways, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, in one such methodology the user may upload one or more images into the vault as an asset(s) for use/manipulation, such as use/manipulation in generating a creative for purchase in the form of an avatar. The images may be uploaded from an existing photograph, for example, or may be imported from a camera or a video camera attached to, or accessible via, a user interface, or through other electronic media. Once such images are uploaded, the user may for example, crop portions of the photographs to be used as to create the avatar. The avatar portion may include, for example, a particular portion of a face within the uploaded images and/or the body and face from the uploaded images. The images may also be cropped to capture only those portions relevant to the avatar of interest in the requested creative. Once the cropped portions of the uploaded images are selected, an avatar creation engine may process the images and create an avatar based on the selected portion of the uploaded image.

[32] For example, the present invention may, via software, use the multiple available cropped images to generate a three dimensional estimate of certain points of interest on the cropped images to allow for preparation of the avatar. Such points of interest may include, for example, certain facial contours, wherein such points of interest may be calculated relative to other points of interests, such as other facial feature. Needless to say, the availability of multiple images, likely at at least slightly different angles, improves the availability of relative calculations of facial or other relative points of interest, although the present invention may be similarly employed with the uploading of only a single image.

[33] In an exemplary embodiment, the most prominent point, such as the tip of the nose, may be selected, and the position of the tip of the nose versus some predetermined number of other points of interest, such as five other points of interest, may then be assessed, such as by using a mathematical relation between the points of interest assessed as among the multiple uploaded, cropped images. Thereby, in this exemplary embodiment, the mathematical relation between multiple points of interest allows for the generation of a three dimensional avatar model in accordance with the proportions of the user's real physical facial features. Needless to say, certain facial features may be added or modified, either upon generation of such an avatar or thereafter. For example, upon review of a generated avatar, a user may decide that she wishes her eyes to be wider, or may select a blue color for her eyes. The avatar so generated may then be animated in any way desired by the composer, including for use in requested creatives with other available or allowable media assets in the vault, such as well known movie scenes, television shows, video games, music videos, virtual worlds, or still photos, for example.

[34] By way of further example, if the uploaded portion includes only the face of the target avatar, the software of the present invention may further allow the user to add various aspects of the avatar body, face and/or accessories, including but not limited to hair, hats, tee shirts, pants, shoes, and the like. More specifically, the avatar produced may be created in at least two forms, such as the general facial area of the user, and/or the face and a body portion. As discussed hereinabove, an avatar may also be imported into the present invention from a third party source, wherein such avatar may already be developed. By way of example, the person who has created an avatar in an existing social network to represent herself may import that avatar into the vault of the present invention.

[35] An avatar imported or otherwise created in the vault may be further manipulated and/or otherwise be incorporated with other media assets from the vault, as discussed hereinthroughout. Such manipulations may include, for example, changing the color, size and shape of aspects of the avatar or, for example, creating a sketch look, hazed look, a blocked face look, or the like for the avatar. Of course, some variations, modifications, or incorporations may be precluded or not compatible in accordance with the aforementioned rule set governing the use of media assets. [36] As discussed hereinabove, the present invention may include one or more vaults which may contain various creatives and/or media assets, whether or not generated by the present invention or downloaded or otherwise obtained from external locations or from third parties. Such media may include for example, movies, television shows or famous sporting events, by way of non-limiting example. As mentioned hereinabove, the present invention may allow for the interaction between such vaulted media assets and at least one avatar in a requested creative. More specifically, such interaction, for example, may include the super-imposing of the avatar into a particular piece of vaulted media asset. By way of example, an avatar created in accordance with the present invention may be uploaded into an episode of "Friends." In this case, for example, the avatar may be superimposed within the television show as an inert object, have interaction with the scene, or interact directly with the characters of the show.

[37] By way of further non-limiting example, an avatar consisting of just facial features may be super-imposed on a media asset available within the vault. More specifically, for example, the vault media may contain a still photo or video of Tug McGraw during the 1980 baseball World Series throwing the last pitch to win the only World Series in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies. The user may then insert his or her facial avatar onto the body of Tug McGraw in the photo or video, thereby creating a new video showing the avatar winning the 1980 World Series. Of course, such a requested creative might make for a good gift, such as after incorporation of such an avatar into the 1980 World Series, wherein the avatar corresponds to a son or daughter, for delivery as an online "birthday card" or birthday email to that son or daughter. [38] The vault may also contain media specifically designed for use with avatars, whether created or imported by the user. Such media may include, for example, generic video of reality upon which an avatar may be inserted or, by way of further example, a cartoon depiction of life events. Although innumerable examples exist, the present invention allows for the interaction of avatars with such media assets, whether or not the media assets and/or the avatars originate at the vault of the present invention.

[39] In yet further exemplary embodiments, avatars and avatar interactive media may be saved by the user to the vault, uploaded or downloaded locally, or accessed through or as part of a widget, among myriad other examples. Such a widget may take the form of an access key which, for a fee, would allow for the display or downloading of the avatar or avatar interactive media as a creative to a desktop, for example. For example, an episode of "Friends" that includes an avatar as one of the characters in a coffee shop may be shown on the webpage of the user who is the subject of the avatar on the social network page of that user through the use of a widget. Access in this fashion may be charged as a one time fee, or may be time based, or per diem or periodically based, for example. Such a creative may also be accessed, for example, by mail order DVD or on-demand cable services, among many other access methodologies, for example.

[40] Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a standard for telephone messaging systems that allows sending messages that include multimedia objects (images, audio, video, rich text), as well as text, such as in Short Message Service (SMS). MMS and SMS are used herein to refer to all similar text, data and multimedia systems known to those skilled in the art. MMS is typically deployed in cellular networks, along with other messaging systems like SMS, Mobile Instant Messaging and Mobile E-mail. The principal standardization effort for MMS is done by 3GPP, 3GPP2 and Open Mobile Alliance (OMA).

[41] Text messaging, such as MMS/SMS, is used by people to send short messages usually from person-to-person. Picture messaging has become more and more popular now that cell phones often have built in or attachable cameras to enable people to send picture messaging back and forth. Picture messaging is made possible through the MMS system via its support of all kinds of photos, graphics, animation, as well as video and audio clips. Thus, in the exemplary embodiments herein, MMS and like systems allow the sending and receiving of any type of multimedia messages. Further, such systems have been designed to work with mobile packet data services such as GPRS and 1x/EVDO.

[42] MMS-enabled mobile phones may thus enable subscribers to compose and send messages with one or more multimedia parts. Multimedia parts may include text, images, audio and video. These content types should conform to the MMS or similar Standards. For example a phone can send an MPEG-4 video in AVI format. Mobile phones with multimedia capabilities, such as with built-in MP3 players, are very likely to include an MMS messaging client — a software program that interacts with the mobile subscriber to compose, address, send, receive, and view MMS messages. MMS and/or an MMS client may thus be used by various companies to suit different solutions. For example, using a Mobile Photo Sharing Platform called Mobshare, sports photos are broadcasted to thousands of fans directly on their mobile phones.

[43] MMS and like or associated types of consumer messaging may be provided through the system of the present invention. For example, voice profiles may be included with the vaulted assets of the present invention, such as to provide a celebrity wishing a happy birthday to a friend. The celebrities' voices may be modified to pronounce almost anything based on the base voice profile, such as the name of the person to whom the aforementioned birthday wish is sent, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Such a modification may also be performed using names selectable from a list, such as numerous available names previously pronounced by the celebrity and made available via a drop down menu or search, for example. As would be understood to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, other greetings may also be sent, such as teasing or bad wishes, for example. Limitations may be included within the system to prevent the use of explicit wishes, either favorable or unfavorable, and may also be used to limit the use of certain celebrities with certain wishes via the aforementioned vault rules, for example. Such disassociation of celebrities with wishes/causes/holidays may be provided to prevent abuse of an consumer messaging, to prevent the injury to the celebrity persona and name, and/or to prevent support of causes or brands contrary to those generally supported by that celebrity. Needless to say, this exemplary embodiment is readily modifiable to likewise employ celebrity or famous video, avatars or pictures, for example.

[44] Similarly, for example, any type of text advertisements may be placed through the use of the present invention. Such text advertisements may include the use or purchase of certain keywords, including proper keywords, for associative advertisement placement of such text advertisements. More specifically, the prior art typically blocks the use or purchase of certain keywords, such as proper names, for association with the placement of advertising. For example, modern "bots" are enabled to seek out trademarked terms. However, the present invention, at least in that the present invention allows for the use of brands indicated by formal nouns via the brand affinity of the present invention, allows for the use or purchase of formal brand names for brand affinity, including the use or purchase of such formal brands as keywords for associative advertisement placement. Additionally, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may, in accordance with the discussion herein, additionally upsell an endorsement, such as a text endorsement, to the party placing an advertisement or text advertisement as discussed hereinabove. Thereby, the present invention provides an at least partially automated methodology whereby a marketer or advertiser may research, price, purchase and deliver an upsold, endorsed advertisement, such as a text advertisement. Such a text endorsement may additionally be associated with an avatar of a famous person making the endorsement, or any other asset in the vault associated with the endorser, in light of the discussion hereinabove.

[45] Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a consumer messaging system according to an aspect of the present invention. As may be seen in Figure 2, there is a first device, a second device, and the recommendation engine, vault, content and delivery discussed hereinthroughout. While the discussion herein will focus on an example wherein the consumer messaging occurs from one-to-one, separate examples of one-to-many may also be included. As shown in Figure 2, the first device, such as a cellular phone, pager, personal computing device, or the like, is directed to send a consumer message to a second device, such as a cellular phone, pager, personal computing device, or the like. In this scenario, the user of the first device may want to deliver to the user of the second device a happy birthday message from Madonna, for example. According to an aspect of the present invention, the first device couples to the recommendation engine with a request for a happy birthday message from Madonna. The recommendation engine, as described herein throughout, interacts with the vault and content to recommend a happy birthday message that meets the desired criteria. This message may include Madonna's voice modified to say the second user's name to be included within the birthday wish. Once recommended and selected, the birthday wish may be delivered to the second device using the consumer messaging and/or network of or associated with the present invention. The system of the present invention may employ pre-binding, late binding and sponsoring page/content dynamically delivered in delivery/creating the happy birthday wish.

[46] Further, the present invention may also be used to deliver pictures and/or movies, for example, as referenced hereinabove. In such a configuration the present system may be able to send a message to a up and coming baseball player by integrating that up and coming baseball player into his favorite movie, Field of Dreams. Using this technique, a picture or multiple pictures of the up and coming baseball player may be added into the motion picture Field of Dreams and then delivered to the device of the up and coming baseball player.

[47] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the engines of the present invention may draw on any number of communication access points and media sources, including wired and wireless, radio and cable, telephone, television and internet, personal electronic devices, satellite, databases, data files, and the like, in order to increase media asset content in the vault, contribute media asset content to the vault, and to best allow for recommendations and delivery. [48] Although the invention has been described and pictured in an exemplary form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the exemplary form has been made by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts and steps may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims hereinafter.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim

1. An advertising server, comprising: at least one vault including at least one available endorsement relating to at least one of a trademarked item, a copyrighted item, and a public persona item, and including at least one rule governing the at least one available endorsement, wherein said vault is accessible via at least one network connection; a plurality of keywords accessible to, and relational with, the at least one of the trademarked item, the copyrighted item, and the public persona item in said vault, wherein ones of said keywords are available for purchase by at least one purveyor of a good or a service; a server, wherein said server receives one or more requests for an advertisement associated with ones of said keywords of interest by the at least one purveyor of a good or a service; wherein, upon receipt of the request for the advertisement, said server communicates with said vault to assess available ones of the endorsements for association with the requested keyword in accordance with the rules, and wherein the advertisement is delivered having included therein at least a textual one of the available endorsements comprising text associated with the at least one of the trademarked item, the copyrighted item, and the public persona item related to the keyword of interest.

2. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the public persona item includes one selected from an avatar, a caricature, a photograph, a silhouette, and a representative symbol.

3. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the trademarked item includes a registered mark.

4. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the copyrighted item includes content associated with one selected from the group consisting of drawings, paintings, movie scenes, television shows, video games, music videos, and written content.

5 The advertising server of claim 1 , further comprising a cost development engine wherein the price of each of the advertisements is based on content.

6. The advertising server of claim 1 , further comprising a cost development engine wherein the price of each of the advertisements is based on purpose.

7. The advertising server of claim 5, wherein the delivered advertisement is reviewed by a requester and accepted, rejected or modified by the requester.

8. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of keywords includes at least one proper noun.

9. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of keywords includes at least one adjective.

10. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of keywords includes at least one verb.

11. The advertising server of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of keywords includes at least one charitable organization.

12. The advertising vault of claim 1 , further comprising a recommendation engine wherein the at least one available endorsement is assessed based on attributes entered by the requester.

13. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the delivered advertisement is delivered to one selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, social networking site, web page, telephone, radio advertising slot, on-demand video service, on- demand audio service, personal music player and a miniaturized recording device.

14. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the textual one of the endorsements comprises an upsell of the request for the advertisement.

15. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the textual one of the endorsements is associated with a non-textual one of the endorsements.

16. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the text comprises MMS.

17. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the delivered advertisement is associated with results of a search engine.

18. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the textual one of the endorsements is associated with a second textual one of the endorsements.

19. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the textual one of the endorsements is available only to ones of the purveyors having a brand affinity with the endorsement.

20. The advertising vault of claim 1 , wherein the vault comprises a plurality of servers.