Ad Targeting via Network-Level Identifier Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advertisers face challenges in targeting consumers effectively due to the non-persistence of user identifiers, particularly in browsers like Apple's Safari that restrict third-party cookie access, leading to irrelevant ads and inefficient advertising budgets.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that initiate a discovery process during ad serving to determine a stable network-level identifier, mapping application-level identifiers to network-level identifiers, allowing for targeted ad delivery without relying on cookies, by using a generic ad response with a discovery pixel and ad transaction pixel to re-trigger the ad request and serve relevant ads based on user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If third-party cookies are used for user identification in advertising, then ad targeting capability is improved, but privacy protection and browser security restrictions (like Safari's) worsen the situation by blocking cookie access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that acts as a bridge between the web application and the user's device identifier. This intermediary translates application-level identifiers into network-level identifiers through a mapping mechanism, allowing ad targeting to function without relying on third-party cookies that are blocked by browser security restrictions.
2Measurement precision
If application-level identifiers (cookies) are used for user tracking, then user-specific targeting is improved, but identifier persistence and reliability worsen due to non-persistence of cookies across devices and sessions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a mapping relationship that copies the identification function from transient application-level identifiers to persistent network-level identifiers. Instead of relying on the original cookie that may expire or be deleted, the system maintains a mapping table that links the application identifier to a more persistent network identifier, effectively copying the tracking capability to a more reliable identifier source.
3Reliability
If network-level identifiers are used directly for advertising, then identifier persistence is improved, but application-level identification capability worsens due to lack of visibility into application-specific identifiers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the strengths of both identifier types by combining application-level identifiers (which provide application-specific context) with network-level identifiers (which provide persistence). The mapping table combines these two identifier systems, allowing the system to leverage the persistence of network identifiers while maintaining the application-level identification capability through the mapped relationship.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for selecting and serving a targeted digital advertisement to a user are provided. In one implementation, an advertisement platform server receives an ad transaction pixel from a user device. Based on the ad transaction pixel, the server initiates a discovery process in order to discover the identity of the user device. The server then receives a device targeted ad request from the user device, and sends a device targeted ad response to the user device based on results from the discovery process.