Advertising request and rules-based content provision engine, system and method

Abstract

A clearinghouse apparatus, system and method for content, including an ad generator, an ad generator interface by which a user can interact with the ad generator, wherein, in an interaction with the ad generator using the ad generator interface, at least one content item other than content owned by the user is requested for inclusion in a creative, a content provision rules engine having a plurality of rules asserted by the owner of the content to govern the inclusion of the content in the creative, including at least one upsell rule, and a content provision interface by which the owner of the content can interact with the content rules engine to assert the plurality of rules. The invention may additionally include an approval engine, wherein ones of the plurality of rules necessitate that the creative be reviewed and approved by the owner prior to the inclusion of the content, and an approval engine interface by which the owner can interact with the approval engine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clearinghouse software engine for generating creatives comprising advertising content, comprising:
 computing code which, when executed from a computing memory by one or more computing processors, causes to be provided:   an ad generator software engine comprising a plurality of selectable ad template types, and adapted for generating a creative based on at least one of said plurality of templates;   an ad generator interface adapted to enable a user to interact with said ad generator software engine, wherein, in an interaction with said ad generator software engine using said ad generator interface, at least one endorsement is requested by the user for inclusion in the creative;   a content provision rules engine adapted to execute at least one of a plurality of computer programmable rules that comprise at least obtained data regarding prospective strength of a plurality of optional ones of the endorsement, the executed at least one of the rules being asserted to govern the inclusion of the endorsement in the creative;   a content provision interface adapted to enable at least one of the endorser and the user to interact with said content rules engine to assert the plurality of rules;   an approval software engine provided by the at least one processor and adapted to facilitate reviewing and approving inclusion of the endorsement in the creative, in accordance with ones of the plurality of rules; and   an approval engine interface adapted to enable interaction with said approval engine.   
     
     
         2 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement comprises at least one of copyrighted, trademarked, and public persona content. 
     
     
         3 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement comprises at least one of photographs, audio, video files, data files, printed text, logos and trademarks, publicity announcements, metatags and metatag streams. 
     
     
         4 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the creative comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         5 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement is recommended to the user based on the rules. 
     
     
         6 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the rules comprise a normalization engine. 
     
     
         7 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the rules govern pricing of the endorsement based on at least one of particular products, particular product categories, causes, announcements, and geographies. 
     
     
         8 . The clearinghouse of  claim 1 , wherein the rules govern pricing of the endorsement based on at least one of a cost per use, a cost per bundle of uses, and a cost for permanent usability.