How Digital Advertising Has Evolved Since the Brand Safety Crisis

In 2017, The Times pointed the finger at several large brands for ‘funding terrorism’ through digital advertising. As the story unfurled across the globe, advertisers rushed to make the changes necessary to keep their brands safe. Since this pivotal moment in internet history, the intervening years have seen industry players come together to take matters into their own hands. 

For example, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok have ensured brand advertisements are placed within safe and relevant contexts through working with trusted technology partners. But what lessons have brands learned about safer digital advertising? And how can the advertising industry continue to shield brands from potentially damaging content?

The Cost to Brands

The brand safety crisis was a watershed moment for advertisers on digital platforms, with those inside the industry asking how this could have happened. Immediate action was taken by YouTubeOpens a new window , who changed its policy to stop any video with under 10,000 views from airing ads, but for consumers, the damage was done, and the blame laid squarely at the feet of brands. According to ReutersOpens a new window , two-thirds of consumers at the time believed brands had full control over where their ads were placed, while 77% said advertising next to ‘unsavory or objectionable’ content damaged their perception of a brand. 

Marketers today are still fully aware of this — recent researchOpens a new window by Zefr and Forrester found that 46% believe an underperforming brand suitability strategy leads to a loss in customer trust. With channels like video increasing their share of the budget in marketing plans, brands have had to urgently ensure their safety strategies are up to scratch. For example, they have quickly realized that the use of keyword blocklists to reduce the risk of appearing alongside harmful content was not flexible or nuanced enough to tackle the challenges that video presents. 

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Changing the Conversation

In 2020, a number of brands found themselves being placed next to content from climate change deniers, but this time their response was not to simply pull funding from the platforms. Instead, a cooler, calmer way of tackling the issue saw leading advertisers like L’Oréal working closely with YouTube to avoid ads appearing in environments that did not align with their values going forward.

The conversation itself has also shifted. Brand safety is no longer the only goal. Instead, brand suitability has evolved to become a prime focus for marketers. Brand safety can be considered the baseline of what effective advertising should offer; however, brand suitability puts focus on content that meets brand values and also helps save on ad spends by minimizing wasted inventory.

But more than that, many advertisers are seeing how brand suitability, defined by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) as “specific targeting parameters unique to each brand, as determined by its values”, can improve how they are perceived by consumers. The same research conducted by Zefr and Forrester found marketers believed greater satisfaction was the key benefit of an improved video placement strategy, with 57% putting it at the top of their list. 

Looking to the Challenges at Play

Despite these attitude shifts and technological strides, the industry must also collaborate and use standardized approaches to help mitigate the chances of further crises:

• Social Media: New platforms present fresh opportunities for brands. While short, often textless video formats like those adopted by TikTok, can present some complexities, the platform has announced a commitment to brand safety to ensure brands have the confidence and assurance their ads will be seen consistently in suitable contexts. 
• Gaming: Gaming videos and streaming content continue to be popular, with Twitch expanding its user base and achieving a growth of 62% between 2020 and 2021, according to Sensor TowerOpens a new window . Some of the top games streamed are violent by design. By using scattergun-style keyword blockers or rudimental AI, brands may find themselves next to content they deem inappropriate or actually miss out on vital advertising slots.
• CTV: Although CTV bears similarities to linear TV, it comes with its own issues. It is quickly becoming one of the most common ways to watch content, and ad spend is set to reach $22 billion in the US by 2024, according to eMarketerOpens a new window . Although YouTube recently announced a specialist focus on CTV content for its platform, advertisers will still need to develop safety and suitability strategies specific to the medium to support the shift towards responsible media.

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Aligning the Ecosystem

As these challenges keep evolving, global advertising standards will become critical. The Global Alliance for Responsible MediaOpens a new window (GARM) is leading the charge and focusing on three areas: creating universal video safety standards, improving and creating common brand safety tools across the industry, and driving mutual accountability and independent verification and oversight. According to Zefr and Forrester research, a third of marketers find a lack of shared terminology a major challenge to implementing a suitability strategy. By developing a common, shared language for safety, the advertising industry will be better equipped to deal with new challenges.

Embracing people’s power can be another solution. Despite the strides made by AI and machine learning, there is no replacement for the human ability to pick up on nuance and tone in video. Blending a cognitive approach with machine learning in a hybrid learning model can result in more suitable ad placements. 

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to brand safety. Brands and advertisers must constantly re-evaluate their practices to stay ahead of the next possible crisis. Embracing these processes can lead to more than just avoiding dangerous content; it can lead to access to scaled target audiences, improved ad resonance, and ultimately increased ROI.

What steps have you taken to keep your brand safe from potentially dangerous content? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .

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