Know When to Switch Off

As brand custodians, all marketing professionals want to do what’s right for the brand by connecting with consumers using brand stories and media channels that work in the most efficient and effective manner. It is well known that the internet and easy access to data have given wings to the creation of content, and this has rightly forced most brands to put in place several brand safety-related measures that prevent brand ads from being shown against content that may be considered objectionable. Now, while this is true for digital media, surprisingly, there is no such principle at work for traditional forms of media, i.e., print and television, which enjoy circa 70%* share of all media spends in India. 

Notice, if you haven’t already, ads appearing in newspapers alongside articles on serious crimes, scams, and general human depravity or ad-tickers on news channels covering a tragic event. In one such instance, a news channel was recently live-broadcasting the tributes being paid to our martyred jawans following the Pulwama incident. The pictures were highly disturbing and emotionally moving, so it was shocking to see that the coverage was being powered and sponsored by some of the leading brands in India. This goes beyond the principles of brand safety, and perhaps, even raises the issue of morality, i.e., the context under which a brand derives commercial benefit.  

 It is understood that the ad inventory against a specific news program, the content of which is impossible to predict, would have been bought much in advance, and as such, it may be impractical to pull down ads at the last minute. I have not been able to find much research on the impact of ads on individuals based on their state of mind while consuming the ad. However, it may be logical to assume that the desired impact of any ad may be highly diminished, if consumed in a highly emotionally charged state of mind. So, if the principles of brand safety and morality have to apply to print and television media as well, what measures can we take to refine our approach?

 The onus lies on all stakeholders - the media owner, the media agency, and the brand. The media owner may make its systems and processes flexible enough to accommodate last minute changes and turn the inventory off when required. The corresponding loss of revenue may be made up by marginally increasing ad rates for the other ad-slots, which is achievable only if uniformly applied by all media owners. For this, media agencies will have to work with industry bodies to regulate, define, and agree upon a code of conduct, with clearly defined do’s and don’ts for displaying ads. Finally, brand owners will need to step up and demand for such a code of conduct to be strictly followed. Further, perhaps, this will also foster the practice of more empathetic news reportage, with all concerned “knowing when to switch off”.

Ankur Kansal

(The views expressed are my own and do not represent the views of my company)

*Source: DAN Digital Report 2019