Third Edition | August 2024

In-Depth

Don’t cancel brand safety – improve it

Brand safety is crucial for digital advertising, but current technology is outdated and hasn't kept pace with AI advancements, often mislabeling content as unsafe. This has resulted in significant portions of news inventory being unfairly demonetized. To address this, the focus should shift to developing more advanced solutions that protect both advertisers and publishers.

Keyword blocklisting harms everyone: Keyword-based brand safety measures negatively impact news monetization by often misclassifying high-quality content, resulting in lower CPMs and lost revenue. Automated blocklisting frequently generates false positives by misinterpreting context, which suppresses premium news supply. This, in turn, allows low-quality, MFA sites to thrive, appearing brand-safe while exploiting the system.?

Advanced brand safety: False positives are just part of the problem. Journalism covering difficult topics faces challenges with current brand safety tech. There's a need for more advanced solutions that incorporate contextual analysis and audience mindset. This approach would better assess content by considering its source, intent, and how it’s consumed, with LLMs adding nuanced interpretation. Transparency and feedback mechanisms are also essential to build trust and improve content classification.

The stagnant brand safety landscape, dominated by profit-driven companies, has created a barrier to innovation. However, this also presents an opportunity for disruption. By embracing innovation, a company could transform the media ecosystem. A smarter approach to brand safety will empower advertisers to support news content confidently, benefiting publishers, advertisers, and audiences alike. The solution lies in innovation, not abandoning brand safety.

Industry Report

76% of consumers in India to increase usage on open internet

According to The Trade Desk's latest report, India’s Engaged Audience: Why the Open Internet is the New Premium:

• The open internet, including OTT, CTV, music streaming, online gaming, and news websites, now reaches 640 million users in India.
• Nearly 8 in 10 young Indian consumers are spending more time on the open internet, with 76% expecting this trend to grow.
• The open internet captures more attention than walled gardens, with higher engagement in online gaming (35%), OTT/CTV, and news websites (34%) compared to social media (30%).
• Young consumers are 27% more likely to prefer OTT/CTV over social media and 55% more likely to view brands advertising on OTT/CTV as premium.
• Ads on the open internet are more trusted than those on social media, with OTT/CTV being the most trusted platform.

Industry News

Google announces integration of Netflix advertising inventory into DV360

Google has integrated Netflix's advertising inventory into its Display & Video 360 (DV360) platform, enabling advertisers to access Netflix ads via private marketplaces. This integration streamlines ad placements, enhances targeting, and will offer programmatic guaranteed options by November 2024. To boost transparency, Google has added Campaign Manager 360 for ad impression checks and expanded partnerships with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. Initially available in the US, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, global expansion is expected in the coming months.?

Dentsu BX expands footprint to India

Dentsu has launched Dentsu BX, its Business Transformation Practice, in India. Narayan Devanathan will lead the practice alongside his role as President & Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia. He will work with businesses to co-create strategies for sustainable growth, aiming to deliver transformative solutions that add significant value to clients, businesses, and society.