Why clean advertising must be the new normal
Clean advertising means improving the user experience and having more accountability, so consumers aren’t irritated and brands don’t fear fraud or misplacement.
Last year was a watershed year for digital advertising. Most recently, in December, we saw even more brands pull spend after it was revealed pre-roll ads were appearing next to questionable content.
Senior brand leaders are now taking this very seriously. In fact, in Teads’ research of UK CMOs at large brands, 83% say they’ve become more concerned about brand safety in the past year. In response, 95% say they have overhauled their digital strategies in the past 12 months.
Many are demanding greater transparency from suppliers and agencies, with nearly half (44%) questioning their supplier relationships and 43% scrutinising agency relationships.
This study lays out clearly how the ad industry is still being blighted by a lack of trust and transparency, cluttered ad experiences and brand safety concerns. But the research also reveals how brands are taking steps to protect themselves.
In the future, 93% will choose agencies or suppliers based on their ability to prove brand safety and transparency. Over a third (36%) have boycotted or reduced spend on channels that can’t guarantee brand safety and 37% of CMOs say they are now directly involved in the execution of digital strategy.
We need to strive for excellence, improve user experience and deliver greater accountability. Platforms that can’t guarantee this have no place in today’s digital plans.
By taking greater control, CMOs are telling us what they want to see change. First, they want better industry-wide standards for fraud and brand safety. Second, they believe there should be more focus on reporting the quality of ad placements and environments, rather than just reach, driven by third party measurement. Finally, CMOs want greater transparency from suppliers and agencies about where ads appear and what their definitions of success are.
The message is loud and clear: as an industry, we can’t go on operating in the same way we always have. We all must work together to ensure that we have the best destinations for brands to advertise on, supporting quality and premium publishing and championing formats that respect the user.
The environment in which ads are shown has never been more important for brands and advertisers. We need to strive for excellence, improve user experience and deliver greater accountability. Platforms that can’t guarantee this have no place in today’s digital plans.
At Teads, we are taking a stand to improve the advertising experience for consumers, advertisers and publishers alike. We are striving to deliver ads for our clients that are viewable, brand-safe and fraud-free.
For brands and agencies, this means having transparency and verification on ad buys; if it’s not viewed, the advertiser shouldn’t pay. For consumers this means seeing non-intrusive, quality creative. For publishers, it’s having access to high-yield video inventory and global brand advertisers, with the right tools to prevent fraud.
By working together, we know we can make #cleanadvertising the new standard for everyone across the board.