Methods for managing, searching, and providing brand related content

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a brand search ecosystem accessed via a network including a database of brands and branded products, locations, features, and services with input on business rules, algorithms, and information from brandholders and/or providing economic incentive payments to participants in the brand search ecosystem. The brand search ecosystem includes a brand name database including a plurality of brands and brandholders and brandbidders associated with respective brands. A search engine communicates with brandholders and the brand name database via a network for accessing information of brandholders and the brand name database to identify brandholders and brandbidders associated with brands. The search engine receives search requests from users, accesses the brand name database, and provides search results to the users. A clearing house processes economic incentive payments to brandholders and/or brandbidders associated with brands in the database.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of separate internet websites having content related to a specific brand;   selecting a plurality of assets, each asset being a content component related to the specific brand and included in one of the separate internet websites;   generating a brand website that relates to the specific brand by including in the brand website the plurality of assets that were selected;   assigning each asset an identifier, the identifier defining a relation of each asset to the specific brand; and   defining a dashboard access to management tools for the plurality of assets of the specific brand, the dashboard access configured to identify a user privilege for management of specific ones of the plurality of assets, the user privilege enabling one or more of viewing details of an existing asset, adding a new asset to the brand website, and modifying an existing asset in the brand website;   wherein the user privilege enables management of the plurality of assets including how the assets are integrated with the brand website, the management of the plurality of assets overriding automated control of the plurality of assets.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 1 , wherein management of the plurality of assets includes,
 generating brand selection view to enable identification of specific brands that relate to the user privilege; and   granting access to enabling one or more of viewing details of the existing asset, adding the new asset, and modifying the existing asset.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 1 , wherein management of the plurality of assets includes,
 generating brand promotional spots for specific brands that relate to the user privilege; and   granting access to enable promoting an existing asset or adding a new asset for promotion.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 1 , wherein management of the plurality of assets includes,
 accessing reporting metrics for one or more assets that relate to the user privilege.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier provides tracking information for compiling use metrics. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 5 , wherein use metrics define performance of specific assets within the brand website and other websites on which the specific assets are integrated as instances. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of assets is media content capable of being represented, displayed, played, viewed, interacted-with, listed, or otherwise rendered. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 indexing each of the plurality of assets; and   searching for particular types of assets by searching the index of the plurality of assets.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 presenting a graphical view of each of the searched assets in relation to position and location on the corresponding separate internet website.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method for defining access to brand related assets as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the separate internet websites are vertical websites having emphasis on a type of media. 
     
     
         11 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of separate internet websites having content related to a brand;   selecting content components from the separate internet websites for inclusion in the brand website;   defining the brand website to include the selected content components,   wherein the selected content components are presented in the brand website, where some of the selected content components are generated by third-party content producers that are not authorized handlers of the brand;   assigning each of the content components an identifier, the identifier defining a relation of each the content components to the brand or other brands; and   defining a dashboard access to management tools for the content components of the brand, the dashboard access configured to identify a user privilege for management of specific ones of the content components of the brand, the user privilege enabling one or more of viewing details of an existing content component, adding a new content component, or modifying an existing content component in the brand website;   wherein the user privilege enables management of the content components, the management including integrating the content components with the brand website and overriding automated control of the content component provided by the third-party content producers.   
     
     
         12 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising,
 enabling user interactivity with the content components in the brand website, wherein the user interactivity feeds data regarding one or more of content component popularity, usage or revenue generating potential.   
     
     
         13 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the brand is for a product, service, personality, or a combination thereof, and the brand website is capable of being presented for display on a display of a device capable of having access to an internet connection. 
     
     
         14 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 11 , wherein each of the content components is capable of receiving user interactivity and communicating interactivity metrics to an analytics module,
 wherein the interactivity metrics define one or more of user activity, user satisfaction, user ratings, user contribution, user preferences, and monitored user behavior.   
     
     
         15 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 11 , wherein content components related to the brand are assets that include one or more of game content, movie content, television content, kid content, celebrity content, metadata content, news content, user generated content, brand owner content, advertising content, formatting content, integration content, or navigation and presentation content. 
     
     
         16 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 15  wherein the content components are configured to be interfaced with a services module that identifies content from the internet websites as related to the brand and defines the link between the content components and the brand website, the link being defined by a bi-directional relationship that establishes a degree of separation between the content components and the brand website, the bi-directional relationship is facilitated by a user identifier that is assigned to each content component. 
     
     
         17 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the bi-directional relationship is defined between the brand website and the content components in terms of web links, the web links establishing one or more of a brand-entity relation, an entity-entity relation, an entity-asset relation, and nested non-hierarchical relations between the content components and particular ones of the plurality of modules of the brand website. 
     
     
         18 . A computer implemented method for generating a brand website and managing content of the brand website as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the internet websites each target a homogeneous type of media that is consumable by visiting the internet websites, and the internet websites also include content components that are not related to the brand. 
     
     
         19 . Computer readable media containing program instructions for executing a brand website and enabling management of content of the brand website, the computer readable media comprising:
 program instructions for identifying a plurality of separate internet websites having content related to a brand;   program instructions for selecting content components from the separate internet websites for inclusion in the brand website;   program instructions for defining the brand website to include the selected content components, wherein the selected content components are presented in the brand website,   where some of the selected content components are generated by third-party content producers that are not authorized handlers of the brand;   program instructions for assigning each of the content components an identifier, the identifier defining a relation of each the content components to the brand or other brands; and   program instructions for defining a dashboard access to management tools for the content components of the brand, the dashboard access configured to identify a user privilege for management of specific ones of the content components of the brand, the user privilege enabling one or more of viewing details of an existing content component, adding a new content component, or modifying an existing content component in the brand website, and the user privilege enables management of the content components including how the assets are integrated with the internet website and overriding automated control of the content component provided by the third-party content producers.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable media as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the brand is for a product, service, personality, or a combination thereof, and the brand website is capable of being presented for display on a display of a device capable of having access to an internet connection. 
     
     
         21 . The computer readable media as recited in  claim 19 , wherein each of the content components is capable of receiving user interactivity and communicating interactivity metrics to an analytics module,
 wherein the interactivity metrics define one or more of user activity, user satisfaction, user ratings, user contribution, and user preferences, and monitored user behavior.   
     
     
         22 . The computer readable media as recited in  claim 19 , wherein content components related to the brand are assets that include one or more of game content, movie content, television content, kid content, celebrity content, metadata content, news content, user generated content, brand owner content, advertising content, formatting content, integration content, or navigation and presentation content. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable media as recited in  claim 22  wherein the content components are configured to be interfaced with a services module that identifies content from the internet websites as related to the brand and defines the link between the content components and the brand website, the link being defined by a bi-directional relationship that establishes a degree of separation between the content components and the brand website, the bi-directional relationship is facilitated by a user identifier that is assigned to each content component.