By Andrew Sims, Senior Strategic Account Manager at 4D

Protecting your brand has become a crucial pillar for protecting a brand’s reputation. It makes sense, right? Ensuring that ads appear in appropriate, trustworthy environments should be a core focus for any marketing department. And it seems others agree. According to IAB Europe’s 2023 Brand Safety Poll 67% of industry experts identified brand safety as a top priority, while 71% cited that advancements in technology are helping to address these concerns. 

Yet, being ‘brand safe’ is just one piece of the puzzle. Relying solely on brand safety measures can often limit scale and audience reach for many advertisers. In today’s highly politicized environment, many brands shy away from news publishers during politically sensitive moments, fearing association with extremist views or culturally charged headlines. This creates a challenging dynamic for advertisers who want to support premium journalism while navigating a world increasingly shaped by opinion and extremism. 

Brand Suitability has seen significant traction in recent years, offering brands the ability to unlock opportunities that traditional brand safety measures may overlook. However, as we move into a new year, the focus shouldn’t remain isolated on safety and suitability alone. Instead, it’s time to elevate the conversation and aim for something bigger: becoming brand smart. 

2025: Being Brand Smart in the Face of Adversity  

The fact is, advertisers and publishers are losing revenue due to outdated and ineffective brand safety tools and practices. Trusted news outlets are being unfairly demonetized, while brands face challenges securing high-quality, brand-safe attention. The root causes? Legacy processes, technical debt, and a lack of understanding about the dynamic nature of upholding brand standards. 

Thats why we, here at 4D, believe that advertisers need to tap into enhanced contextual intelligence, ensuring their reputation remains intact while unlocking smarter, more effective solutions. 

Unlike cookie-based targeting, contextual advertising ensures the right levels of suitability by analyzing written and visual content using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) models. These technologies enable brands to place their ads in optimal locations aligned with their values, reducing the risk of reputational damage. 

4D’s Contextual Solution employs a range of measures to ensure that brand ads are displayed in smart and sophisticated ways: 

1. Identifying Content Categories and Keywords

By categorizing web pages based on keywords, topics, and sentiment, brands can tap into 4D to strategically align their ads with content that reflects their values. Irrelevant or harmful content is excluded, ensuring ad placements resonate with target audiences and reinforce brand trust, therefore enabling you to become ‘Brand Smart’. 

2. Emphasizing Brand Suitability

Brand suitability goes beyond merely avoiding negative content. It considers a brand’s unique objectives and values to identify the most relevant and impactful content themes. By striking a balance between reach and suitability, advertisers can become ‘Brand Smart’, using 4D to avoid missed opportunities. 

3. Real-Time Monitoring

Active monitoring of ad placements ensures campaigns remain aligned with ‘Brand Smart’ goals. By analyzing factors like page topic, sentiment, and quality, real-time monitoring enables swift corrective action if ads appear in unsuitable environments. This vigilance safeguards campaigns and maintains brand integrity. 

Getting Smart with Contextual Advertising 

As we step into the new year, my prediction is that advertisers will need to adopt a fresh perspective. By embracing Smart Strategies, brands can better navigate the nuances of language and editorial content, unlocking context-based protections that not only minimize risk but also maximize opportunity.   

This approach enables campaigns to connect with audiences in a more meaningful, value-driven way, enhancing both their relevance and impact.  

Are you ready to protect your brand while maximizing advertising impact? Discover how contextual advertising can empower you to be Brand Smart in 2025.  

Get in touch today.