Brand opportunities and risks have evolved in 2020 as policy shifts, political winds and the global pandemic continue to impact advertising.
A new report released by GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, reveals that brand safety risks will extend beyond programmatic and social formats to more traditional formats that have become increasingly digitised.
GroupM global EVP, brand safety John Montgomery says in the first half of 2020 there have already been a number of factors that will influence how brand safety evolves across these formats.
“In the first six months of 2020 alone, CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) has taken effect, Google announced they would be phasing out third cookies, the home stretch of the 2020 presidential campaign has come into full focus – increasing the attention on fake news – the world has been hit with a global pandemic and most recently protests related to racial inequality,” Montgomery says.
“Each of these events marks a unique opportunity to continue to challenge our brand safety practices. And, as people continue to evolve in how they consume content, there is always opportunity to push the envelope to create an even safer, more trustworthy online world.”
The report outlines six opportunities and risks that brand safety faces going into the future:
1. Policy shifts
Policy shifts such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and CCPA, among many others around the world, have created a seismic ripple throughout the industry, but the full effects are yet to be felt.
As old measurement methodologies such as third-party cookies fall away, the report says the industry has an opportunity to collectively create better standards.
2. The new normal created by COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has also established a "new normal" and digital-first lifestyle for the majority of the global population which has led to changing consumption habits including a rise in news consumption, gaming and streaming content.
Where consumers go, advertising follows and new opportunities to strengthen brand safety measures will arise.
However, throughout the pandemic, aggressive keyword avoidance has led to the demonetisation of news at a time when the public needs trusted information most.
3. Fake news on the rise
Fake news and technologies that create deepfake videos are growing more sophisticated and threaten to further erode institutional trust.
Brands must be more proactive than ever in preserving their core assets and demand transparency in all transactions.
4. The rise of CTV
Connected TV promises to command a larger share of budget in the coming years.
However, measurement is fragmented across devices and publishers.
Brands should demand greater transparency and interoperability among key players.
5. DOOH becomes more advanced
Digital out-of-home (DOOH) is set to grow more advanced and complex as programmatic buying becomes more commonplace.
While out-of-home has long been used for broad awareness, it remains an open question as to whether brands will have or need access to more granular targeting and measurement solutions.
6. The world of gaming
Gaming presents a huge opportunity in terms of audience, but brands must navigate a vast landscape of platforms, titles, player personalities and publisher relationships.
Esports continues to grow in popularity, but brands must be aware of adjacency risks including violence and language.
If people continue to stay home in the aftermath of the coronavirus, gaming audiences will retain some of the recent, rapid growth.
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