You might think your brand’s ads are safe. Sorry, that’s risky thinking. One wrong move and your careful image is toast faster than a celeb’s Twitter meltdown.
Every ad dollar should make your brand stronger. It shouldn’t stick your logo beside garbage. But let’s be honest—the web’s messy. You pay for impressions, only to find your ad next to fake news, wild Reddit stuff, or even worse? That makes your team want to scream.
But here’s a win: Adobe DSP and Amazon DSP have new open beta features. They let you actually steer brand safety. We’re talking context tools, smart machine learning, and strong pre-bid blocking with DoubleVerify. No more apologizing or fixing things later. Now you duck chaos up front, before your ad dollars vanish.
Picture programming not just where your brand should show up—but more important, where it should NEVER go. That’s happening now. Big DSPs are rolling out settings you wish you had years ago. Advertisers, tune in: these new brand safety tools keep your ads sharp, safe, and still on point. In 2024, reputation is money.
Want to see how top DSPs use all this? Check out our DSP Services page for real-world ways to boost safety and keep things on track.
In 2024, it’s not just what your brand says. It’s where your ads live. If you don’t own that, you’re letting the internet write your story.
Key Takeaways:
- Adobe and Amazon DSPs give you pre-bid brand safety tools so you avoid disasters from the start.
- DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, and more—these partners make your defenses stronger.
- You set the rules. Pick topics, publishers, or keywords to cut risky stuff from your ad plan.
- Machine learning helps pick good spots, but you stay in charge.
- Beta features keep changing. Watch out for new API upgrades to fine-tune control.
Why Brand Safety Is More Than Just Insurance
One Bad Placement Can Wreck It All
Worried about ad placements? You should be. Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer found 71% of people lose trust when they see brands’ ads with the wrong content.
Imagine your vegan snack ads landing on a hunting podcast. Or your slick fintech banner showing up next to "crypto scam" news. Awkward and brutal.
Basic brand safety isn’t enough. If you want to win in 2024, you also need brand suitability. That’s making your ad actually fit its surroundings. Rob Rakowitz, from the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, puts it straight: "It’s about more than safety. It’s matching your ad to real context."
Mess up once? It can take months to repair—and that mistake can live online for years. In the age of memes, news, and viral rage, you don’t get do-overs.
Goodbye, Spray-and-Pray
Old DSPs blocked trouble spots after-the-fact with big, messy blacklists. That’s old news. DoubleVerify’s tools are inside top DSPs now, letting you screen out entire content types pre-bid.
It’s like building your brand’s “moral compass” right into the ads. Forget big, random lists. Now you draw the line before you even spend a cent.
Brands learned the hard way. Set the right guardrails from the start or it’ll cost you.
Adobe DSP: Brand Protection on Steroids
What’s Inside?
Adobe DSP’s brand controls (open beta!) are like a Swiss Army knife for ads. You get fraud checks, quality control, and picky context filters. Think of it as Tesla Autopilot, but for keeping ads safe.
A few strong features:
- DoubleVerify Pre-Bid Segments: Set strict rules before your ad runs. Assign DV IDs at advertiser or campaign level—this keeps bad spots locked out. No more cleaning up after.
- Context Filtering: It’s not just DoubleVerify. Connect Integral Ad Science, Peer39, and Comscore to block by category, site, or keyword. Selling CPG? Block adult stuff, gossip, or rivals--fast--across banner, native, and video.
- Fraud Defense: Adobe scans for bots and bad actors using their own system and outside partners. Junk traffic takes a hike.
“Pre-bid filtering helps advertisers send every dollar to safe, relevant places—no wasted impressions.” — Sarah Martinez, Mindshare
Adobe’s not just dodging PR fails. Each ad lands where your brand fits. Better spend, better impact.
Custom Goals, Supercharged
Another neat feature: "ADSP_" custom goals. They let you tilt campaigns for both brand safety and business stuff. The machine learning in the background tweaks where ads show up based on your targets.
Say your bank client wants super-safe settings for a new launch but can chill out for awareness ads. ADSP_ custom goals flex as you go.
This level of DSP tuning isn’t fancy anymore. It’s a must-have.
Amazon DSP: Brand Safety for the Streaming World
Meet Brand+ and the Third-Party Crew
If Adobe is your big toolbox, Amazon DSP feels like a research lab for safe ads. The new open beta features are for brands who want full control—plus flexible automation.
Here’s what’s cool:
- Brand+ Controls: Block topics, load suppression lists, and tune context filters. This works on Amazon’s huge sites plus third-party video—like Twitch, Fire TV, and more.
- Smart Machine Learning: The DSP suggests safe choices, but you always control. Exclude risky types (finance, news, weapons, whatever) in one click. Take over automation anytime for peace of mind.
- API Access: Amazon’s APIs make it easy to set rules, test, and auto-fix settings with breaking news. Ad buying meets power scripting.
Real-Life Example: In 2023, a global CPG brand used this beta to block news stories as soon as a PR problem broke out. They still hit 30 million impressions, with zero brand headaches and no crisis calls.
Why "Safe" Isn’t Enough
You don’t want luxury watch ads in-between cat videos or fire-sale TikToks. Even if the spot is “safe,” it can crush your brand’s vibe.
Amazon DSP’s Brand+ lets you go past obvious risks. It helps you manage subtle stuff so every ad builds you up, not drags you down.
Pre-Bid Controls & Third Party Partners: The New Rule
No More Cleanup, Only Smarter Automation
Pre-bid control is the gold standard: risky site? Your ad never goes in. Amazon and Adobe are leading, and honestly, every good DSP now does this by default.
- DoubleVerify & IAS: Now built into the roots. Their pre-bid features knock out fraud, lousy sites, and risky pages before your money leaves your hand.
- Custom Exclusions: All brands have quirks. Build custom blocklists—add or cut publishers, keywords, and types for total accuracy. Make family-friendly? Dump news and politics. Going for gamers? Cut boring or too-adult stuff. It’s all yours.
- Transparency: New reporting shows you EXACTLY where your ads landed. Dive into source, spot issues, and edit your blocklists right away.
“Live reporting earns trust. If you can follow the ad supply path, you fight fraud and keep risk away faster than any static list.” — Josephine Tan, AdExchanger
When you track every impression, fix problems quick, and show proof to your team, brand safety turns into a secret weapon.
The Hybrid System
Some marketers freak out about losing control to automation. Don’t worry. The best bet is a blend—machine learning does the grunt work, you do the crucial stuff.
It’s like flying on autopilot, but with manual override. You scale and speed up, but handle tricky calls when it matters most.
Open Beta Is Changing Everything—Here’s What to Watch
Beta Stuff: Lots of Power, Lots of Work
Remember, these tools are still growing. Adobe and Amazon add API tweaks and new reports all the time, taking ideas from pro users. Staying fast and flexible is now a must.
Watch for:
- Dynamic Weighting: Adobe’s custom goals flex safety rules based on what’s happening right now. Need a risk-free launch? Crank it up. Want to go wider for a promo? Ease off—no manual work needed.
- API Upgrades: Amazon’s DSP API lets you set rules for each advertiser or ad group. Test things, adjust for breaking news, and automate boring updates.
- New Ad Types: These controls don’t just work on banners—Amazon covers video, Twitch, and more. More formats are coming as the beta matures.
Pro move: Set up alerts with your DSP’s reports. If your ad sneaks into blocked topics, you’ll know within hours—not weeks. Stops problems before they catch fire.
Keep Your Process Fresh
Set it and forget it? Not these days. Stay on top of things. Blocklists should update often—especially after wild news or viral stuff. Watch the roadmap, so you stay ahead instead of scrambling after drama.
Betas are always changing. What works today could be outdated by next month.
Your 60-Second Recap: Stay Sharp on Suitability
- In 2024, safe branding = good fit, not just avoiding danger.
- Pre-bid controls from DoubleVerify and buddies are a must-have.
- Adobe DSP dishes out custom goals, context tools, and fraud blocking.
- Amazon DSP’s Brand+ and new APIs offer deep tweaks and more automation.
- Betas move at light speed—keep your eyes on updates to keep winning.
[Want real safety at scale? Live dashboards and smart alerts with our Features platform help you sleep at night.]
FAQ: DSP Brand Suitability Questions
What’s the difference between brand safety and suitability?
Brand safety keeps ads off nasty sites (hate, violence, adult stuff). Suitability makes sure your ad fits the mood—like luxury brands dodging cheap-shopping websites.Who are the big third-party verifiers in DSPs?
DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, Oracle Data Cloud, Pixalate, Peer39. These guys find fraud and keep your ads seen and safe.What’s pre-bid filtering? Why’s it matter?
Pre-bid filtering means your ad never goes near an unsafe or off-brand page. Save money, skip disasters—instead of cleaning up later.If my DSP uses machine learning, do I lose control?
No chance. You can always step in, add exclusions, and combine both. Best of both worlds.How do I keep brand suitability top-notch?
Read reports. Update blocklists after big events. Use APIs for alerts. Keep your system alive.Do open beta controls cover every ad type?
Some, like Amazon DSP’s new controls, work best on video, Twitch, and display. But new formats get added fast as beta grows.
6 Steps to Master DSP Brand Safety
- Write down sensitive spots and no-go lists. Do this upfront so it’s clear for everyone.
- Add DoubleVerify or another trusted partner at the DSP level. One setup covers everything.
- Use topic, publisher, and keyword lists to weed out trouble. Get specific—beyond just news or adult stuff; think about memes, rivals, whatever fits for your brand.
- Set up automated reports and fast alerts for risky placements. Use APIs so problems get flagged right away.
- Test, review, and tweak settings regularly. Living systems beat set-and-forget rules—especially after the news goes wild.
- Stay up-to-date with DSP and partner betas. Early access = big head start. New features could boost your whole campaign.
The programmatic ad game isn’t just buyer versus algorithm now. The new rules: don’t let tech decide your fate. With Adobe and Amazon’s open beta brand suitability, you finally control the game—no more "sorry, missed it" moments.
The top brands? They treat suitability like a garden—always growing, always adjusting. Get smart with beta features, lean on third-party muscle, and never let your ad placements get out of sight.
Want more DSP wins? Dig into amazon brand lift study, see how amazon attribution gives you insight, and check out the details for dsp optimization before your next big move.
