Imagine you’re the marketing boss at a brand that’s blowing up. You just landed a huge seven-figure budget for digital ads. You’re pumped… until your CEO texts you.
There’s your precious logo, chilling next to fake news, Fortnite cheat ads, or, um, some NSFW stuff.
Oof. Stomach drops. This isn’t some far-off horror story—it’s what happens every day. Every time your ad pops up on a sketchy site you didn’t check, your brand’s image takes a risk. But what if you could run ads everywhere and keep your brand looking sharp? Here comes Adobe Advertising DSP, now in open beta, flexing brand suitability muscles.
If you want Meta or Amazon ad reach without the panic attacks, Adobe’s new tools make a difference. You get more control, smart automation, and wider channel options. Plus, you can stop worrying about bizarre ad placements. Curious how it all works?
Key Takeaways
- Adobe DSP’s open beta brings some of the best brand safety controls out there—matching or beating Meta and Amazon.
- Built-in with DoubleVerify, IAS, Peer39, and Comscore so you get easy fraud blocking, filtering, and precise content control.
- Change settings at advertiser or ad group level (plus full API support if you need big scale).
- AI helps hit both safety and campaign goals, balancing them in real time.
- Manual blocking too—just click to keep your ads off sketchy stuff.
- Works on Display and Video for Twitch—more channels coming soon.
Why Brand Safety Matters
Brand Safety Mess
Picture this: In 2017, big advertisers found their YouTube ads next to hate or wild content. They freaked. Millions in campaigns got pulled in days. Agencies and platforms scrambled, like, “Fix it, NOW.”
Brand safety went from “nice to have” to “this could kill us.” Trust took real damage. Facebook, Amazon, and others started adding keyword blocking, topic exclusions, blacklists, plus third-party checks. Still, real control was a headache. Too much blocking slowed campaigns. Not enough was risky.
If you need advanced options for Amazon ads, check out our DSP Services for hands-on campaign setup and protection.
Signal vs Noise
Let’s be honest—most think Adobe is only Photoshop. But their DSP is gaining fans who want reach and safe placements. With the new beta, Adobe DSP is fighting head-to-head with Meta and Amazon to become the safest programmatic tool.
“Advertisers want automation and control. We’re not risking years of trust,” says Rachel Dennis, a digital lead at a big agency.
It’s not just dodging disasters. It’s getting your message out there without any “brand in trouble” moments.
Next-Gen Controls in Beta
One Wall Not a Fence
Keeping out unsafe ads is like building a digital wall. Adobe DSP makes this real by tying together top safety groups: DoubleVerify, IAS, Comscore, Peer39. What’s it mean?
- Automatic fraud blocking: No bots, no useless clicks. Save your budget.
- AI content filters: Spots unsafe pages so you’re not checking sites one by one.
- Pre-bid blocking: Stops ads before the sketchy stuff ever sees them.
- Block by keyword or topic: Pick what’s not ok for your brand.
Meta makes you handle separate setups for each partner. With Adobe, it’s all right there—less juggling.
DoubleVerify ABS Segment ID
This geeky, but lifesaving tool lets you set a DoubleVerify “segment ID” per ad placement. It blocks junk before your ad’s even included (pre-bid), not after.
- Universal settings for every channel.
- Covers desktop video, native display, and more.
- Easy management: No more endless lists or hunting down bad sites.
Sometimes you pay more for “premium” segments. Honestly, cheaper than a PR nightmare.
Your Own Suitability
Custom Borders
Every brand’s got their edge. Maybe your crowd’s down for jokes, but you hate politics. Or you need total kid-friendliness. Adobe DSP lets you pick where the lines are—no one-size-fits-all.
- Budget control: Set how much you’ll spend in each spot. No surprises.
- Exclude by publisher/topic: Block whole sites, certain topics, or tag by data vendor.
- Multi-vendor filters: If even one partner says “not safe,” ad doesn’t run.
- Manual blocks: Catch something weird? Click. Gone.
“Getting this detailed means we don’t hurt results but don’t embarrass the brand,” says Marcus Wu, media director at Reprise.
Advertiser or Ad Group
You can pick safety settings for the whole advertiser or fine-tune per ad group.
- Try stuff out: Test new markets or products with tight filters, leave others open.
- Skip the chaos: No wild spreadsheets or messy setups. It’s all in one spot.
Grow faster, stress less.
Smarter Campaigns With AI
Why AI Matters
AI in ads isn’t just hype now. Adobe DSP lets you start with custom campaign goals (the ‘ADSP_’ ones) and then:
- Suggestions on what matters most: Impressions, clicks, conversions, attention—you set it, Adobe fine-tunes.
- Updates goals live: Not just set-and-forget—adjusts as data comes in.
- Keeps safety and results working together: No trade-offs needed.
You can use Adobe’s picks or tweak them. This is a big win if you’re tired of fighting for every balance.
“AI works best when it’s easy and honest. Adobe’s help has boosted both results and safety,” says Sara Fields, VP at Thrive.
Adobe vs Meta vs Amazon
Quick side-by-side:
- Meta: Good transparency, some blocks, but no auto-tuning across all data.
- Amazon DSP: Great at blocking keywords, not so great unifying or using AI.
- Adobe DSP: All-in-one AI objectives across vendors, instant changes.
If you want less tinkering and more results, Adobe’s a strong bet.
What’s Missing or Coming
Live and Coming Soon
Real talk:
- Live now: Display and Video, Twitch especially. Perfect for gaming, streaming brands.
- On the way: More channels (TV, bundled inventory, native) are rolling out, but check before planning big buys.
- Heads up: Some guaranteed buys may not have all suitability tools yet. Open-web buys could be patchy here.
- Extra cost: Premium safety (like special DoubleVerify or Comscore tools) could add charges. Plan ahead.
Beta Perks
The best part? You get to help build it. Adobe wants beta testers to call out what’s good, what’s not, and what you really need. Your feedback actually matters right now.
BTW: In 2023, over half of advertisers said brand suitability was their #1 must-have feature in DSPs. Just two years ago, it was only 31%.
Quick Facts Snapshot
- Plug in the best safety vendors right away.
- Mix AI auto-recs and detailed manual controls.
- Set rules all the way to ad-group level for fast testing.
- Live updates—see changes almost instantly, unlike slow Meta or Amazon reports.
- Still beta, mainly Twitch, but more is coming.
Mini-Recap Adobe DSP Safety
- Suitability tools now go toe-to-toe with Meta and Amazon, plus bigger flexibility.
- Pre-bid and manual blocking drops surprise disasters to near zero.
- AI-powered options make scaling safe and smart easy.
- Some inventory still missing—double-check what you need.
- Open beta—help shape the next round of tools.
FAQ
How’s Adobe’s safety different from Meta’s?
Everything in one dashboard. Connect partners and tune goals all in one spot—not five.Can I customize safety by campaign?
Yep. Set controls for your whole account or per ad group. Tweak every campaign if you want.Does it support all ad types?
Right now: Display and Video on Twitch. More channels coming. Check before running big campaigns to be sure.Is there an extra cost for more security?
Sometimes. Premium vendor tools may cost extra, but it’s way less than losing brand trust.How fast do reports show changes?
Almost instantly. Change a block or filter, see the results right away. No waiting days or weeks.What if a new risk or hot topic pops up?
Easy. Use partner integrations and manual blocks fast—shut trouble down in minutes, not after it goes viral.
Make Your Brand Safe
- Sign up for Adobe DSP’s open beta (ask your rep; early users shape the roadmap).
- Connect your favorite brand safety vendors (DoubleVerify, IAS, Peer39, Comscore).
- Set up advertiser and ad-group controls—layer in filters and exclusions.
- Configure DoubleVerify’s IDs for top pre-bid blocking. Cover all channels in one go.
- Turn on AI campaign goals—let Adobe balance safety and performance for you.
- Watch suitability reports live—change things on the fly with no lag.
- Add manual blocks anytime—see something, block it instantly.
- Send your feedback to Adobe and help steer the next features.
In today’s world, reputation is everything. You need more than just a "safe" check mark. Adobe DSP’s beta gives you control, smart AI, and deep partner support—all in one dashboard. Mix and match automated and manual tweaks with ease.
If you care about your brand (and your numbers), now’s the moment to give Adobe’s new brand suitability suite a try.
Don’t use safety tools that slow you down. Check out our dsp optimization, details on the amazon brand lift study, or see how amazon attribution can help your brand stay strong.
Need top-notch Amazon campaign reporting? See how Requery can level up your insights.
