Abstract:
At least first and second potential viewers deliver their personal demographic informations to a processing system (Internet processing server). Viewing information concerning their television or computer multimedia viewing habits are entered automatically from their respective viewing stations into the processing system. From this demographic and viewing information, the processing system determines pursuant to pre-determined criteria incorporated into processing system software the desired sponsored video message (advertisement), which is played when that viewer views multimedia at his/her viewing station. In other words, the video advertisements shown are selected for the individual viewer, and this determination is a dynamic determination based at least in part on the most recent viewing behavior of that viewer. The message can be pre-cached at the viewing station and shown when the multimedia content is not “available” for viewing at the station, and particularly when an initial portion of the multimedia content is being downloaded for later presentation at the station. Additionally, from all of the information delivered to the processing system, valuable viewer/viewing information can be processed and made available to a recipient.