Patent ID: 8606630

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: storing, in a computing apparatus, transaction data of a user, wherein the transaction data is related to a plurality of transactions processed at a transaction handler, each of the transactions being processed to make a payment from an issuer to an acquirer via the transaction handler in response to an account identifier, as issued by the issuer to the user, being submitted by a merchant to the acquirer, the issuer to make the payment on behalf of the user, the acquirer to receive the payment on behalf of the merchant; generating, by the computing apparatus, a profile based on the transaction data of the user, the profile summarizing the transaction data of the user using a plurality of values representing aggregated spending in various areas, wherein the values are computed based on factor definitions identified from a factor analysis of a plurality of variables, the variables aggregate the transactions based on merchant categories, and the factor analysis is based on transaction data associated with a plurality of users; identifying, by the computing apparatus, an advertisement based on the profile; and providing, by the computing apparatus, the advertisement for presentation to the user.