COVID-19 Will Drive AVOD & Fraud: IAS’ Marlow

The global COVID-19 pandemic has slowed ad spend and TV networks’ production schedules. But it could also “accelerate” adoption of ad-supported connected TV channels – and, with it, of ad fraud that might creep in. That is according to an ad-tech exec who sees a need emerging for technology solutions to address the growth. In […]

 
 

In Pandemic, Ad Buyers Seek Programmatic Transparency: Amino’s Luttrell

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many advertisers to re-think their spending. But a shocking new report published during the pandemic has given them even more reason to scrutinize programmatic ad-buying supply chains. According to the report by ISBA, the trade body for UK advertisers, the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) and auditor PwC, 15% of advertiser […]

 
 

Ad Buyers Should Set Safety Criteria: MiQ’s Hundal

LONDON — Advertisers tempted to dodge advertising in coronavirus news during the pandemic should use technology to precisely spec-out which kinds of content they are comfortable with. That’s the view of a specialist programmatic ad adviser to the advertising community. Early in the pandemic, it became clear that a large number of advertisers were using […]

 
 

Don’t Avoid News, Semantics Can Help: Publicis’ Cohen

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many brands started running away from advertising in news publications, or using brand safety tools’ keyword blocking features to dodge coronavirus-related inventory. But one of the world’s largest ad agency groups is now the latest to say they don’t need to skirt news. In this video interview with […]

 
 

Is The Tide Turning On Keyword Blocking? IAB’s Cohen Hopes So

The fundamental dichotomy of the COVID-19 pandemic – booming traffic but declining ad revenue – threw publishers into a quandary. But, little by little, organizations seem to be making headway on getting advertisers to reduce one practice – bluntly side-stepping inventory in any news stories about the virus. Over the last couple of months, an […]

 
 

News Is Brand-Safe: 4As’ Kaplowitz

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many brands may have run away from advertising in news outlets. But they should never have declared news fell outside of “brand safety” descriptions. That is what a growing number of industry executives, even those who represent the advertisers and agencies, are now coming out to say. Marla […]

 
 

COVID-19 Keyword Blocking Is Down 88%: IAS’ Utzschneider

Education, technology and facts may now be winning back some advertisers who fled news at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this video discussion with John Montgomery, GroupM’s Global EVP of Brand Safety, Integral Ad Science (IAS) CEO Lisa Utzschneider reveals new research showing advertisers’ keyword blocking of news stories containing “coronavirus” and “COVID-19” […]

 
 

Danone’s CDO Doat: Context Is Critical for Advertising

PARIS– During the pandemic, the marketplace has shifted, and the context in which brands advertise is as important as ever. Domitille Doat, chief digital officer at Danone explained how the pandemic has altered the marketplace, both from a consumer’s perspective and from an advertising perspective.  Selling products for infants, Danone knows that it’s extremely important […]

 
 

Semantics & Suitability Bring Brands Back To News: CNN’s Cook

Slowly but surely, publishers, broadcasters, agencies and industry bodies may be changing the minds of advertisers who, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, pulled spending from news. Back in March, many advertising buyers began using keyword blocking tools to swerve virus-related stories, or simply stopping advertising in news altogether, believing it to be too […]

 
 

Publishers Can Avert “Blunt” Keyword Blocking: Integral Ad Science’s Chance Johnson

The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely difficult for publishers, with many advertising buyers using keyword blocking tools to swerve virus-related stories, or simply stopping advertising in news altogether. But publishers may be able to soften the blow and give advertisers what they want by using their own tools. In this video interview with Beet.TV, Chance […]

 
 

Advertisers Warming to News Investment as “Positive Associations” Emerge, GroupM’s Joe Barone

While brand safety was not the main reason for advertisers having pulled back from investing during the early days of the pandemic, those being budgets and messaging, concerns about brand safety or suitability have been a factor —  but they are abating. Initially putting investment on hold during the initial days, advertisers are finding that […]

 
 

From “Axe to Scalpel,” Brand Safety and Suitability Gets More Refined, Dentsu’s David Murnick

Since 2017, the digital media industry has largely taken control of brand safety issues, universally rejected content around terrorism and violence. The conversation has moved on to brand suitability and the tools in the hands of buyers and publishers have become much more refined, says David Murnick, EVP for Digital Operations at Dentsu Aegis Network […]

 
 

Brands Coming Back To News: Horizon’s Koenigsberg

An improving tone in news and current affairs around COVID-19 is prompting some brands to return to advertising in news, according to one ad agency leader. In March, many brands began using brand safety tools’ keyword blacklisting features to dodge ad inventory adjacent to coronavirus news, or simply pulled out of news altogether, fearing that […]

 
 

Dynamic Creative Helps Brand Suitability During Change: Xaxis’

Now we all realize it’s a crazy world where anything could suddenly up-end business fundamentally – but at least we can plan for the next major enforced change. Preparedness and resilience for large-scale resets are emerging onto the agendas of businesses around the world, and marketing is no exception. In the last couple of months, […]

 
 

“News Is Brand-Safe:” UM Worldwide’s Lowcock

In the era of social distancing, avoidance may be the order of the day. But that shouldn’t be the case when it comes to advertising against news. Interpublic’s UM Worldwide has become the latest agency in a procession of industry players to counsel advertisers against blacklisting news publishers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this video […]