Interactive television program guide system for determining user values for demographic categories

A method for targeting advertisements to a user of an interactive system, the method comprising:

• receiving a user input associated with a program;
• determining a type of function of the interactive system that the user input requested for the program;
• determining at least one demographic value associated with the program;
• calculating, using a processor, a current user demographic value associated with the user based on the determined type of function and the at least one demographic value associated with the program;
• comparing the current user demographic value to a demographic criteria associated with an advertisement;
• and
• selecting the advertisement if the current user demographic value meets the demographic criteria associated with the advertisement.

An interactive system for targeting advertisements to a user of the interactive system, the interactive system comprising:

• a user input receiver configured to receive a user input associated with a program;
• and
• a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
• determine a type of function of the interactive system that the user input requested for the program;
• determine at least one demographic value associated with the program;
• calculate a current user demographic value associated with the user based on the determined type of function and the at least one demographic value associated with the program;
• compare the current user demographic value to a demographic criteria associated with an advertisement;
• and
• select the advertisement if the current user demographic value meets the demographic criteria associated with the advertisement.