Inserting ad elements

1. A method for presenting branding with electronic content, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

receiving, from a user device, a request that identifies a segment of electronic content and that contains information specifying a display window state of the user device;

selecting, based on the information associated with the user device, first metadata including information defining how at least one branding element is to be presented based on the display window state of the user device;

selecting second metadata for the requested segment of electronic content, the second metadata including information related to presenting the requested segment of electronic content; and

instructing the user device to generate a presentation based on the selected first metadata and the selected second metadata, the presentation including the requested segment of electronic content and the at least one branding element that is presented based on the display window state of the user device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second metadata indicates that the segment of electronic content should be presented in a fullscreen state of the window;

the first metadata defines that the at least one branding element is to be presented in the window with the segment of electronic content in the fullscreen state; and

instructing the user device to generate the presentation includes instructing the user device to generate the presentation such that the segment of electronic content and the at least one branding element are presented together in the window in the fullscreen state.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

instructing, with the at least one processor, the user device to generate the presentation such that the at least one branding element is overlayed on top of the segment of electronic content in window in the fullscreen state.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the second metadata further indicates that the at least one branding element should be overlayed on top of the segment of electronic content when the window is in the fullscreen state; and

instructing the user device to generate the presentation includes instructing the user device to generate the presentation such that the at least one branding element is overlayed on top of the segment of electronic content when the video-rendering window is in the fullscreen state.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first metadata further indicates that the at least one branding element should be presented in an area around the window when the window is not in a fullscreen state; and

instructing the user device to generate the presentation includes instructing the user device to generate the presentation such that the at least one branding element is presented in an area surrounding the window when the window is not in the fullscreen state.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing rules for selecting the first metadata and for selecting at least one of the second metadata.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rules include rules for selecting the first metadata and the second metadata based on one or more of the following: a surface location from which the segment of electronic content was selected, user-specific information, a content category of the segment of electronic content, and an identity of the segment of electronic content.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one branding element includes one or more of the following: an advertising element, a playlist contextual element, an environmentally-targeted contextual element, and a program contextual element.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

instructing, with the at least one processor, the user device to generate the presentation includes instructing the user device to access and present the at least one branding element while the segment of electronic content is presented.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

instructing, with the at least one processor, the user device to blend together the at least one at branding element and the segment of electronic content to create a single video file.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second metadata further includes a playlist of media items, at least one of the media items being the segment of electronic content.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first metadata further indicates that the at least one branding element is a playlist contextual element and that the information presented by the playlist contextual element is to be obtained from the playlist.

13. The method of claim 11 , further including, prior to receiving the request, associating the first metadata with the segment of electronic content and associating the second metadata with the segment of electronic content.

14. A method for presenting branding with electronic content, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

receiving an indication of a request by a client device to access a desired segment of electronic content;

selecting first metadata for a content element associated with the desired segment of electronic content and with one or more branding elements, the first metadata including branding presentation information defining how the one or more branding elements are to be presented based on a display configuration of a user device and branding element locations for retrieving the branding elements;

selecting second metadata associated with the desired segment of electronic content and with one or more segments of electronic content, the second metadata including content presentation information relating to presenting the segments of electronic content and electronic content element locations for retrieving the segments of electronic content;

transmitting instructions to the user device to:

retrieve the desired segment of electronic content based on the electronic content element location contained in the selected second metadata;

retrieve the branding element based on the branding element location in the selected first metadata, and

generate a presentation including the retrieved segment of electronic content and the retrieved branding element, based on the content presentation information and on the branding presentation information respectively contained in the selected second metadata and in the selected first metadata, such that the retrieved branding element is presented based on the display configuration of the user device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the content presentation information indicates states of display windows used to view the segments of electronic content.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the states include at least one of a fullscreen display state or a partial screen display state for the segments of electronic content.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

transmitting, with the at least one processor, instructions to the user device to display the retrieved segment of electronic content using a state contained in the selected second metadata.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the content presentation information includes at least one of display behaviors, display positions, display properties, and user interface functions of the branding content elements.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

accessing rules for selecting branding content elements for presentation with the segments of electronic content, the rules including rules for selecting the first metadata and the second metadata based on at least one of a surface location of a web page associated with the desired segment of electronic content, a content category associated with the desired segment of electronic content, or information about a user associated with the user device.

20. A system for presenting branding with electronic content, the system comprising:

a communication device for communicating with a user device over an electronic network; and

at least one processor configured to:

receive, from the user device via the communication device, a request that identifies a segment of electronic content;

selecting a first metadata for the identified segment of electronic content, the selected first metadata including information defining how branding is to be presented based on a display window state of the user device;

selecting second metadata for the identified segment of electronic content, the selected second metadata including information related to presenting the segment of electronic content; and

instructing the user device, over the electronic network via the communication device, to generate a presentation based on the selected first metadata and the selected second metadata, the presentation including the segment of electronic content and at least one branding element that is presented based on the display window state of the user device.