Methods and systems for ad placement planning

A system comprising:

• one or more server computers coupled to a network;
• and
• one or more databases coupled to the one or more server computers;
• wherein the one or more server computers are for:
• allocating a first inventory from a supply of unallocated inventory to a first advertiser, wherein the first inventory satisfies the first advertiser's targeting criteria, and wherein the supply includes advertising opportunity inventory;
• allocating a second inventory from the supply of unallocated inventory to a second advertiser, wherein the second inventory satisfies the second advertiser's targeting criteria;
• reserving a third inventory from the supply of unallocated inventory to the first advertiser, wherein the third inventory satisfies the first advertiser's targeting criteria;
• reserving a fourth inventory from the supply of unallocated inventory to the second advertiser, wherein the fourth inventory satisfies the second advertiser's targeting criteria;
• and
• allocating a fifth inventory to a third advertiser, wherein the fifth inventory satisfies the third advertiser's targeting criteria and also satisfies the first advertiser's targeting criteria or the second advertiser's targeting criteria, by using unallocated inventory or shifted inventory, or a combination of unallocated inventory and shifted inventory, wherein the shifted inventory is shifted out of the allocation for the first advertiser or the allocation for the second advertiser, and wherein the shifted inventory is replaced by the reserve inventory for the respective advertiser.

A computer readable medium or media containing instructions for executing a method comprising:

• using one or more computers, allocating a first inventory from a supply of unallocated inventory to a first advertiser, wherein the first inventory satisfies the first advertiser's targeting criteria, and wherein the supply includes advertising opportunity inventory
• using one or more computers, allocating a second inventory from the supply of unallocated inventory to a second advertiser, wherein the second inventory satisfies the second advertiser's targeting criteria;
• using one or more computers, reserving a third inventory from the supply of unallocated inventory to the first advertiser, wherein the third inventory satisfies the first advertiser's targeting criteria, and wherein the third inventory is proportional to the first inventory;
• using one or more computers, reserving a fourth inventory from the supply of unallocated inventory to the second advertiser, wherein the fourth inventory satisfies the second advertiser's targeting criteria, and wherein the fourth inventory is proportional to the second inventory;
• and
• using one or more computers, allocating a fifth inventory to a third advertiser, wherein the fifth inventory satisfies the third advertiser's targeting criteria and also satisfies the first advertiser's targeting criteria or the second advertiser's targeting criteria, by using unallocated inventory or shifted inventory, or a combination of unallocated inventory and shifted inventory, wherein the shifted inventory is shifted out of the allocation for the first advertiser or the allocation for the second advertiser, and wherein the shifted inventory is replaced by the reserve inventory for the respective advertiser.