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28 June 2018

Following a spate of misplaced ad scandals , not to mention Cambridge Analytica and fake news controversies , brand safety is currently one of the most poignant issues facing advertisers and marketers looking to reach digital audiences . The recent plethora of misplaced ads has been well documented , following a domino effect of high-profile cases .

Brand responsibility

According to Reuters ’ latest research , Tomorrow ’ s News 2018 , a high proportion of respondents believe advertisers and brands are responsible for where the ads are running . For years , it seems , the industry and marketers have had little regard for how the consumer feels , and often doubt they have been exposed to misplaced advertising . However , our survey shows a staggering proportion ( 75 %) have seen ads next to ‘ inappropriate ’ material .

62 % believe ‘ brands have full control over where their advertising appears ’

The majority ( 77 %) also say that advertising next to “ unsavoury or objectionable ” stories can damage their perception of a brand . And while 81 % feel that Facebook and Google should be “ held accountable ” for the content they carry on their platforms , they are unaware of their role in brand safety . Again , Reuters respondents believe the buck stops with advertisers .

75 % have seen brands advertising alongside unsavoury or objectionable stories or videos

The uncomfortable truth in our digital age , as we all know , is that it is not always clear where online ads are running . And yet , Reuters has revealed that consumers have “ no idea ” of the problems of programmatic , vulnerable supply chains or , most importantly , the huge role that Google and FaceBook play in the process , and their stranglehold on ad land .

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Impartiality , trust & integrity

Ad agencies and tech companies alike are being forced to be more attentive to good governance and collaborations with trusted partners . With this in mind , the value of impartiality , honesty and integrity also featured strongly in the new Reuters analysis — with 86 % of its global respondents saying they are more likely to turn to online news brands over social media for “ trusted content in a trusted environment ”. Likewise , a similar number of people ( 84 %) state they would only share news stories from brands they trust .

86 % are more likely to turn to online news brands for ‘ trusted content in a trusted environment ’

An overwhelming majority ( 80 %) of people surveyed say that a news brand is a mark of quality on a story ; the statistics show it is also the go-to option for most to obtain “ in-depth analysis and opinion ”.

Consumers underestimated

Predicted digital advertising spend will reach US $ 291 billion worldwide by 2020 . A clean-up of the digital ad ecosystem is therefore timely , echoed by widespread calls for it to be safer , more transparent and better protect consumer interests . Fresh Reuters data has shown that the lack of trust among consumers has been underestimated . An investment in brand-safe environments and trusted partnerships is not only good business sense — it is what clients and consumers are clamouring for .

Mike Jeanes is research consultant at Reuters .