Brand safety remains a paramount concern for advertisers in the ever-evolving digital landscape. IPG – a leading marketing solutions provider – is doubling down on its commitment to safeguarding brands from the risks associated with user-generated and AI-generated content. The company is broadening its scope through a strengthened alliance with Zefr, a company specializing in brand safety. This partnership aims to pre-emptively categorize and block content that could negatively impact brand reputation across major social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Advertisers now have access to new custom-built dashboards created by IPG and Zefr. These innovative tools are designed to pinpoint and avoid problematic content within text, images, videos, and audio. Brands can specifically sidestep content that falls under sensitive categories, including AI-generated content, or misinformation relating to polarizing issues such as US politics, climate change, healthcare, and anything potentially damaging to the brand.
Through diligent content analysis and avoidance strategies, IPG and Zefr endeavor not just to protect advertisers, but to thwart the ad revenue that fuels the spread of such harmful content. According to Zefr’s chief commercial officer, misinformation persists on digital platforms partly because it generates profit through advertising.
To gauge the critical relationship between consumer perceptions and misinformation, IPG’s Magna division delved into comprehensive research. Findings suggested that a mere 36% of survey respondents considered it acceptable for brands to be shown adjacent to AI-generated content. The research also revealed an unsettling trend: advertisements placed next to misleading content suffered in trustworthiness, and subsequently, the brands’ overall image suffered—even if people were uncertain about the content’s authenticity.
Such research underscores the importance of combating misinformation, particularly with the rise of convincing AI-generated materials such as fabricated political content or deepfakes, which were found to deceive or confuse a significant number of those surveyed. Ultimately, the data contribute to a growing call for concerted efforts by both the government and technology companies to address the challenges posed by AI-generated falsehoods, thereby ensuring the integrity of upcoming electoral processes and beyond.
Challenges and Controversies in Enhancing Brand Safety:
One key challenge in enhancing brand safety in the digital realm is the rapid pace of technological change. As new platforms and forms of content emerge, it becomes increasingly difficult to track and categorize potential risks. AI-generated content adds another layer to this issue, complicating identification and verification processes.
Another challenge involves balancing brand safety with free speech and content creators’ rights. Excessive control over content can lead to accusations of censorship, while insufficient control can facilitate the spread of harmful misinformation. Figuring out where to draw the line is controversial and can vary by region and culture.
Furthermore, there’s a continuous struggle against sophisticated methods used to hide or disguise problematic content. Advertisers and safety solution providers must constantly adapt to tackle evolving threats to brand reputation.
The use of AI and machine learning assists in identifying risky content but can also inadvertently block harmless material—a phenomenon known as “false positives.” The tuning of these systems is crucial to minimize errors that can impact legitimate content creators and advertisers.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Enhancing Brand Safety:
The advantages of enhancing brand safety include the protection of a brand’s image and reputation, minimizing the risk of consumer backlash and negative associations. It also promotes trust in digital advertising ecosystems and supports the creation and maintenance of safe online environments.
On the other hand, stringent brand safety measures can restrict reach and limit ad placement opportunities. Overzealous filtering can lead to the exclusion of relevant and safe environments, potentially reducing campaign effectiveness. There’s also the risk that smaller content creators might be disproportionately affected by broad safety measures that favor larger, established publishers.
Additionally, the resources required to maintain stringent brand safety protocols, including advanced technology and expert personnel, can be expensive and might disadvantage smaller companies with limited budgets.
It’s worth mentioning that, as of my last update in April 2023, the URLs provided in the suggestion are used for illustrative purposes only. Since specific references to external links were requested to be omitted unless absolutely certain of their validity, I am not providing any hyperlinks to related content. If you need further information on legitimate resources about brand safety, I recommend visiting the websites of leading digital advertising and marketing firms, major social media platforms, and recognized industry watchdogs, as they frequently have dedicated sections on the topic.
The source of the article is from the blog japan-pc.jp