Context in Digital Advertising Adjacent to Gaming Content

The popularity of online gaming and streaming platforms is opening new avenues for brands to reach their target audience, but it has also raised concerns about the placement of ads next to inappropriate content. In a recent Search Engine Land article, it was reported that brand safety in video game advertising is becoming a critical issue for advertisers due to the potential for their ads to be placed alongside violent or otherwise inappropriate content. Mainstream gaming and gaming related content is not going away and as the bigger market, still needs due consideration and study.

One major way to address this “critical issue,” apparently, is context. “Context plays a critical role in ensuring brand safety in video game advertising," according to the Search Engine Land article. "Context and Contextual Advertising are separate concepts, but both play into one major branch of brand safety, Adjacency. Advertisers must consider the content of the game as well as the demographics and preferences of the target audience. Relevant ads that are appropriate for a specific audience can enhance the gaming experience and improve brand perception. In contrast inappropriate or ill-timed ads can detract from the experience and damage the brand’s reputation.”

To combat this and similar issues, many advertisers have turned to third-party verification services such as DoubleVerify, to ensure that their ads are only placed next to appropriate content. In fact, DoubleVerify has been taking steps into this space over the past year. The gaming industry has a vested interest in this area as well. Some have even been successful in addressing brand safety concerns, such as Unity Technologies, which has implemented a brand safety program that includes strict guidelines on the type of content that can be displayed alongside their ads. This includes tools such as Ad Controls and Monetization Dashboard.