Video advertisement overlay system and method

1. A system comprising:

a hardware processor that is programmed to:

receive a request for a first video from a client device;

in response to the request for the first video, cause the client device to playback a second video, wherein the second video is an advertisement associated with the first video;

cause the client device to display a thumbnail of the first video as an overlay on the first video as part of a skip overlay;

cause the client device to display a countdown as part of the skip overlay, wherein the countdown indicates to a user of the client device when an option to skip the second video, by selecting the skip overlay, will become available;

inhibit skipping of the second video until the skip option becomes available;

receive a request, from the client device, to skip the second video after the countdown has completed; and

in response to the request to skip the second video, cause the client device to playback the first video.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to cause the client device to display the thumbnail after a predetermined portion of the second video has been played.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to cause the thumbnail to be displayed in accordance with a visual effect.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to cause the visual effect to be adjusted based on the time remaining on the countdown.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the visual effect comprises causing the thumbnail to fade in as the countdown proceeds.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to cause the client device to display a timer indicating the time left in the first video.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a first video from a client device;

in response to the request for the first video, causing the client device to playback a second video, wherein the second video is an advertisement associated with the first video;

causing the client device to display a thumbnail of the first video as an overlay on the first video as part of a skip overlay;

causing the client device to display a countdown as part of the skip overlay, wherein the countdown indicates to a user of the client device when an option to skip the second video, by selecting the skip overlay, will become available;

inhibiting skipping of the second video until the skip option becomes available;

receiving a request, from the client device, to skip the second video after the countdown has completed; and

in response to the request to skip the second video, causing the client device to playback the first video.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising causing the client device to display the thumbnail after a predetermined portion of the second video has been played.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising causing the thumbnail to be displayed in accordance with a visual effect.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising causing the visual effect to be adjusted based on the time remaining on the countdown.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the visual effect comprises causing the thumbnail to fade in as the countdown proceeds.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising causing the client device to display a tinier indicating the time left in the first video.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a first video from a client device;

in response to the request for the first video, causing the client device to playback a second video, wherein the second video is an advertisement associated with the first video;

causing the client device to display a thumbnail of the first video as an overlay on the first video as part of a skip overlay;

causing the client device to display a countdown as part of the skip overlay, wherein the countdown indicates to a user of the client device when an option to skip the second video, by selecting the skip overlay, will become available;

inhibiting skipping of the second video until the skip option becomes available;

receiving a request, from the client device, to skip the second video after the countdown has completed; and

in response to the request to skip the second video, causing the client device to playback the first video.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises causing the client device to display the thumbnail after a predetermined portion of the second video has been played.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises causing the thumbnail to be displayed in accordance with a visual effect.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises causing the visual effect to be adjusted based on the time remaining on the countdown.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the visual effect comprises causing the thumbnail to fade in as the countdown proceeds.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises causing the client device to display a timer indicating the time left in the first video.