Quick stat for you: 54% of brand marketers say brand suitability matters even more than plain old brand safety for programmatic ads. In simple words, just keeping your ads off gross or harmful content is not cutting it anymore. Now, you have to make sure your ads actually show up where your brand fits. No one wants their brand in weird or awkward places.
That’s where Adobe’s DSP open beta steps in. It’s like having the controls at NASA, but for your ad placements. You get to pick exactly where your ads show up. Tired of seeing your happy dog food ad next to disaster news on Twitch? Those days are numbered. Now, you can steer your ads so every campaign lands in just the right digital neighborhood.
No more, "Why is our clean juice ad next to news about toxic spills?" Now, you get smart settings, live feedback, and the muscle to place your ads where they match your brand's vibe. Wanna see how top advertisers are avoiding cringe and scoring big wins with smart suitability tools? Here’s the lowdown.
TL;DR
Want your programmatic ads to actually work? Check out DSP Services for serious alignment and control.
Safety is still important. It keeps your brand protected from the basics: fraud, gross videos, bots, and hate speech. But suitability is what keeps your brand from showing up somewhere it feels off or (even worse) where nobody cares.
Picture this: you run a fun Gen Z skincare brand. Your ad next to dry financial news? It doesn’t get you canceled, but it sure doesn’t connect. It’s like showing up at a TikTok dance with an Excel sheet.
IAS says 74% of consumers say the context of an ad shapes how they feel about that brand. Place your ad in the wrong spot, and you lose trust and sales. Your message just doesn’t hit.
“Suitability means alignment, not only avoidance. You win when your ad fits the moment, not only when it’s safe.” — Jasmine Enberg, Senior Analyst, Insider Intelligence
To keep it super clear:
| | Brand Safety | Brand Suitability | |-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------| | Protects from | Harmful/fake stuff | Off-brand or odd spots | | Who’s in control? | Partners + DSP | Advertiser custom rules | | Main risks | Fraud, hate, bad vids | Wrong fit, missed chance| | Aim for | Protection | Real connection |
Both matter. But in 2024, suitability is where brands win.
For a while, brands just used broad, basic controls—like airport security lines. Block the usual suspects, cross your fingers. Adobe’s open beta for DSP changes that and lets you really dial things in.
Real story:
A fast-growing DTC sportswear brand doesn’t want ads on stories about scandal or injuries, but does want them on happy fitness and pop culture stuff. They fine-tune their controls using blacklist topics, publisher lists, and DoubleVerify filters. The outcome? Brand lift jumps 22%. Not one ad lands in drama or negative news.
Adobe’s DSP gives you a big box of switches and knobs:
brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails (for all your ads)brandSafetyTierTarget (for single ad groups)You can go all-in on systems and filters, but the big idea here? You call the shots. Nobody understands your brand like you do.
You aren’t lost in the wild. DSPs have big-name partners to double-check sites, block sketchy stuff, and keep your standards tight.
These tools aren’t just tacked on—they’re built into the DSP. So you can flag what you want, blacklist what you don’t, and change your setups while campaigns are live.
Pro tip:
"Brand suitability should always update. Getting feedback from DoubleVerify and Peer39 means advertisers tweak as they go, not just at the start." — Adam Berkowitz, Programmatic Lead, Dentsu
Right now, Adobe’s open beta works on Twitch display and video. But this tech is built to spread out. As new platforms open up, Adobe wants this same control everywhere your ads can run.
Pretend you’ve got a playful drink brand. You want all your ads in lively, upbeat places. Here’s how the fancier suitability tools help:
This is about real-time tuning, not once-a-year check-ins. One big FMCG advertiser trimmed their publisher lists for three days, and bounce rates dropped 15%. Suddenly, real humans were engaging, just from avoiding bad placements.
“We cleaned our publisher list after three days, dropping six weak spots. Bounce rate fell 15%, and the right users finally noticed us.” — Caroline Tsai, Digital Director, FMCG Advertiser
Old-school brand safety is one-and-done. Suitability is always moving. You have to keep tuning it up if you want real results.
It’s not just blocking ugly stuff. You’re actually hunting for the right, powerful moments. That’s where your ROI lives.
Let’s talk numbers. All this control isn’t always cheap. Premium suitability, especially with big-name partners, adds a bit per thousand views, depending on filters and partners.
And right now, open beta is Twitch-only (but more places coming). The upside? Suitability tools can give boosts as high as 27% more engagement and almost wipe out brand safety slip-ups. Brands often end up with higher trust as well.
Heads up: This isn’t “set it and forget it.” You’ll be checking in, making changes. Takes a little more work, but your campaigns fit the right spots, and your brand means more to actual people.
“Context is everything—once ads get out of just-safe-but-boring placements, ROI jumps.” — Shaun Teevens, CMO, SaaS Marketer
Pros:
Cons:
If you care about what works, the payoff is clear. Suitability isn’t just “safe.” It’s right.
Q1: Difference between brand safety and suitability?
Brand safety keeps your ads off harmful stuff—fake news, hate speech, bad videos. Suitability goes a step beyond—making sure your ad shows where it matches your brand’s voice. Think of it as “not bad” vs. “just right.”
Q2: How do I set these controls in Adobe DSP?
First, go to advertiser (global) settings. Then, tweak controls for each ad group. Using API? Try brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails for the whole account and brandSafetyTierTarget for campaigns. Drop in custom lists and filters as you go.
Q3: Who are the main verification partners?
DoubleVerify, Peer39, and IAS lead the pack. They bring in the tech and people that check stuff before and after your ad goes live.
Q4: Is it only for Twitch at the moment?
Yep, right now open beta is aimed at Twitch display and video. More platforms rolling out soon.
Q5: Can I change my suitability settings while a campaign’s running?
Definitely. You should! Real-time reports mean you can update lists and filters right away. No reason to wait till the campaign’s done.
Q6: Does this cost more?
Most of the time, yes. Premium filters and checks cost a bit extra. But most marketers say the bump in ROI and clean, trusted campaigns makes it 100% worth it.
Here’s your checklist for better brand suitability:
So next time your CMO spots a fun Gen Z ad stuck in boring news and asks “Why?,” you’ll have the data and the fix. Suitability isn’t just nice in 2024—it’s what gives brands a real edge now.
Want proof? See our Case Studies for real results and tips. Watch what happens when you control your placements and your story.
For next-level measurement, check out Amazon Attribution. Or dive deeper into DSP strategies for campaigns that matter most.