Why Brands Can Feel Confident About Advertising Next to News
There’s been a long-standing belief in the advertising world that brands should avoid placing their ads next to certain types of news stories, especially those covering topics like politics or crime. But a new report from The Future of News UK, conducted by research firm HarrisX, is turning that idea on its head.
Ads Perform Well, No Matter the News Topic The study shows that it really doesn’t matter what kind of news content your ads appear next to. Whether the stories are about heavy subjects like inflation or politics, or more upbeat topics like sports or entertainment, the ads performed just as well across the board.
HarrisX tested six different ads alongside eight different types of news stories, from the Middle East and crime to political figures like Nigel Farage and Sir Keir Starmer. The study found that the difference in how well the ads performed was less than 3%, no matter the topic.
Time to Challenge Old Assumptions Mark Penn, CEO of Stagwell (HarrisX’s parent company), was surprised at how consistent the results were across all types of news stories. He pointed out that many big brands, like Microsoft, tend to avoid advertising next to news stories and prefer safer content like sports or entertainment. But this study shows that playing it safe might not be the best approach anymore.
No Real Brand-Safety Concerns One of the big takeaways from the study is that placing ads next to serious or hard news doesn’t damage a brand’s reputation. HarrisX surveyed over 22,000 people in the UK, and there was no major difference in how the public viewed brands whose ads appeared next to stories on more serious topics. Whether the audience was made up of Gen Z, high earners, or university graduates, the results were the same.
Time to Rethink Ad Strategies These findings come at a time when many brands are still uneasy about placing ads next to certain types of news, worried about negative associations. To make things worse, many brands use keyword-blocking systems that end up flagging completely harmless content. For example, they might block the word “shoot,” not realising that this could apply to sports stories, not just crime-related content.
This study makes it clear that brands don’t need to be afraid of advertising next to serious news topics. By partnering with quality news outlets, brands can still see strong ad performance, even if the stories are about politics, crime, or other hard-hitting issues. It’s time for brands to rethink their ad strategies and embrace the value of news content for reaching informed, engaged audiences.