System and method for advertising using pushed video

Abstract

Computer-based systems and methods for advertising by pushing video to recipients. The subject matter of the videos may be targeted to the affinities of the recipients. The videos embedded in the emails may comprise a short commercial that the recipients view when viewing the video. A computerized host data center may track the recipients' interaction with the video. Advertisers may be charged advertising rates based on the recipients' interactions with the video email. The video may be continually pushed to various recipients. The recipients may watch the videos when it is convenient for them simply by opening, for example, an email that included the video in various embodiments. Further, the recipients may be presented with an opportunity to subscribe to ongoing video emails. Also, personalized web sites may be hosted for the recipients when the recipients can view videos pertaining to their areas of interest. The videos at the web site may similarly have commercials therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-based push video system comprising:
 at least one database; and   at least one server connected to the at least one database, wherein the at least one server comprises at least one processor, and wherein the at least one server is programmed to:
 send data electronically to a recipient at a recipient client device via a data network, wherein the data comprises a video playable by the recipient client device, wherein the video comprises a content portion and an advertisement portion, wherein the content portion of the video pertains to an affinity of the recipient, wherein data regarding the recipient's affinities are stored in the at least one database; and 
 track interaction by the recipient with the video, wherein recipient interaction data is stored in the at least one database. 
   
     
     
         2 . The push video system of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an email. 
     
     
         3 . The push video system of  claim 2 , wherein the video comprises a start and an end, and wherein the advertisement portion of the video starts after the start of the video and wherein the advertisement portion of the videos ends prior to the end of the video. 
     
     
         4 . The push video system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one server is further programmed to compute an advertisement charge for an advisor associated with the advertisement portion of the video based on the recipient interaction data. 
     
     
         5 . The push video system of  claim 4 , wherein the recipient interaction data comprises data indicative of:
 whether a portion of the video was played by the recipient client device;   how much of the video was played by the recipient client device.   
     
     
         6 . The push video system of  claim 2 , wherein the recipient interaction data comprises data indicative of:
 whether a portion of the video was played by the recipient client device; and   how much of the video was played by the recipient client device.   
     
     
         7 . The push video system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one server is programmed to:
 send emails to a plurality of recipients at respective recipient client devices, each email comprising a video playable by the recipient client devices, the videos comprising a content portion and an advertisement portion; and   track interactions by the plurality of recipients with the videos, wherein recipient interaction data for the plurality of recipients is stored in the at least one database.   
     
     
         8 . The push video system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one database comprises contact information for the respective recipient client devices. 
     
     
         9 . The push video system of  claim 2 , wherein the video comprises an upcoming episode preview portion. 
     
     
         10 . The push video system of  claim 9 , wherein the advertisement portion of the video ends before the upcoming episode preview portion starts. 
     
     
         11 . The push video system of  claim 10 , wherein the advertisement portion of the video ends before the content portion of the video ends, and wherein the content portion of the video ends before the upcoming episode preview portion starts. 
     
     
         12 . The push video system of  claim 11 , wherein a countdown clock is shown during the advertisement portion of the video, the countdown clock showing an amount of remaining time for the advertisement portion. 
     
     
         13 . The push video system of  claim 1 , wherein the video comprises a streaming video playable in a media viewer program of the recipient client device, wherein the video is streamed from the at least one server. 
     
     
         14 . The push video system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the video comprises an embedded hyperlink; and   the recipient interaction data comprises data indicative of:
 whether a portion of the video was played by the recipient client device; 
 how much of the video was played by the recipient client device; and 
 whether the recipient activated the embedded hyperlink. 
   
     
     
         15 . A computer-based push video system comprising:
 at least one database; and   at least one server connected to the at least one database, wherein the at least one server comprises at least one processor, and wherein the at least one server is programmed to:
 send data electronically to a recipient at a recipient client device via a data network, wherein the data comprises a link for a video streamed from the at least one server to the recipient client device and that is playable by the recipient client device, wherein the video comprises a content portion and an advertisement portion, wherein the content portion of the video pertains to an affinity of the recipient, wherein data regarding the recipient's affinities are stored in the at least one database; and 
 track interaction by the recipient with the video, wherein recipient interaction data is stored in the at least one database. 
   
     
     
         16 . The push video system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one server is further programmed to compute an advertisement charge for an advisor associated with the advertisement portion of the video based on the recipient interaction data. 
     
     
         17 . The push video system of  claim 16 , wherein the recipient interaction data comprises data indicative of:
 whether a portion of the video was played by the recipient client device; and   how much of the video was played by the recipient client device.   
     
     
         18 . The push video system of  claim 15 , wherein the data comprises an email, and wherein the at least one server is programmed to:
 send emails to a plurality of recipients at respective recipient client devices, each email comprising a link to a video playable by the recipient client devices, the videos comprising a content portion and an advertisement portion; and   track interactions by the plurality of recipients with the videos, wherein recipient interaction data for the plurality of recipients is stored in the at least one database.   
     
     
         19 . The video email system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the video comprises an embedded hyperlink; and   the recipient interaction data comprises data indicative of:
 whether a portion of the video was played by the recipient client device; 
 how much of the video was played by the recipient client device; and 
 whether the recipient activated the embedded hyperlink. 
   
     
     
         20 . A computer-based push video method comprising:
 sending data electronically from at least one server to a recipient at a recipient client device via a data network, wherein the data comprises a video playable by the recipient client device, wherein the video comprises a content portion and an advertisement portion, wherein the content portion of the video pertains to an affinity of the recipient, wherein data regarding the recipient's affinities are stored in at least one database that is in communication with the at least one server, and wherein the at least one server comprises a processor; and   tracking by the at least one server interaction by the recipient with the video, wherein recipient interaction data is stored in the at least one database.