Consumers think platforms responsible for ads near unsafe content, finds IAS
A report by Integral Ad Science (IAS) has found that a majority of social media users think social media platforms are responsible for brands appearing near unsafe content – although a minority think brands/advertisers are to blame.
The 2022 Social Ads and Consumer Perception – Australia Edition study surveyed 514 Australian social media users in January 2021.
The report found that 67% of respondents think social media platforms were responsible for ads appearing near unsafe content, while 31% responded that brands/advertisers were.
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40% of the respondents agreed that the “growth of fake news has made them less trusting of ads on social feeds”, and 51% agreed “the personal content of social media makes them more aware of inappropriate ads on social platforms”.
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The report also found that inappropriate ad placements can also negatively impact consumer perception, with 44% of respondents agreeing that they have an unfavourable view of a brand whose ad appears next to content that does not align with the brand’s image, while 44% agreed they would feel favourable if the ad was next to something that did align with the brand’s image.
The percentage of respondents was 48% for the likeliness of remembering an in-feed ad if it was related to the adjacent social media content, and 40% agreed that they were more likely to purchase a brand’s product or service if it was related to the content being viewed.
Overall, the report found that 91% of consumers use at least one social media account, with 79% engaging with ads in the past year.
IAS country manager Jessica Miles said on the report: “There’s no denying that Social Media is an intricate part of our everyday lives making it an essential platform for advertisers to reach consumers, with ad spend projected to hit $2.7B by 2024, according to Genroe (Australia). Brands need to be hyper-aware of the impact of their advertising when investing in Social Media as they are communicating on a one-to-one basis within a private and personal environment. This environment means that inappropriate ad placements can have a significant impact on consumer perceptions and buying behaviours, with almost 7 out of 10 consumers unlikely to make a purchase if advertising is next to unsafe content.
“Contextually relevant advertising is a tool that advertisers can leverage to improve the ad experience and generate brand favourability. Advertisers also need to consider implementing media quality tools to ensure ad efficiency and brand safety. While our study shows that 67% of consumers hold social media platforms responsible for ads appearing near unsafe content, it is equally important that brands take the onus and direct their agency partners to help them align with what’s relevant and avoid unsuitable content”
Hi Keith McLennan,
I’ve gone back to IAS and the definition they provided me with is: “unsafe content will be, for example, topics like hate speech and terrorism as they tend to present threats to most advertisers.”
I hope this makes things clearer for you.
Thanks,
Anna
Any definition of ‘unsafe’ content?
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