Ready for a twist? Where your digital ads land can make or break your brand fast. Here’s a number: Almost 70% of shoppers say their trust is gone if your ad pops up next to bad content. One ugly ad next to a weird video, and you might be trending—and not in a good way.
It’s risky out there. And let’s face it, brands mess up in front of everyone these days, with little mercy. If your ad shows up in the wrong place, it’s going to hurt. Not just your pride—this stuff costs money, and people might not forgive. (Remember that cookie brand ad on a conspiracy video? Your crowd remembers, trust me.)
But don’t panic. You do have control. DSPs—Amazon, Adobe, Meta—are rolling out better brand safety tools. We’re talking filters, AI, and plug-ins that let you choose exactly where your ad appears. With all these new open beta features, you finally get more power (and less drama) in your hands. Tweaking ad placements from your dashboard should be in every marketer’s toolkit.
Here’s what we’ll do: Break down these brand safety tools, show you why they boost your ROI, and teach you how to use open beta features for clean, on-brand campaigns. Your rep and your budget will be happy about it.
Key Takeaways
- Brand suitability lets you filter ads in smarter ways—not just basic safety like before.
- New open beta DSP features let you adjust settings at the advertiser and ad-group levels.
- Third-party tools (DoubleVerify, IAS) add fraud and context checks.
- Filters balance reach and risk. You can pick broad or tight inventory.
- Real DSPs like Amazon, Adobe, Meta give you hands-on tools you can try.
- Testing beta features gives you feedback to tighten up control.
From Blocklist to Suitability
How Brand Safety Grew Up
Back in the day (picture everything sepia, old-school), brand safety meant, “Just keep my ads away from hate and NSFW stuff.” You threw some keywords on a blocklist and moved on. But now? There’s way more content—new publishers, TikTok stars, meme kings. What worked for cat memes now fails brands every day. Bad press isn’t just about skipping obvious danger zones—it’s all about the smaller details your crowd cares about.
Brand suitability steps it up. You’re not only blocking the worst stuff—you’re matching your ad with your brand’s style. A fancy watch brand won’t just avoid bad channels; they’ll skip silly prank videos, too. Suitability is all about matching placements to your brand’s look, values, and goals. Audience feels your vibe, so your ads should fit that, even with the “mood lighting.”
Safety Meets Science
DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms) noticed brands needed more control. Not just block or let through—give us dials! That’s why DSPs now have loaded toolkits, using real-time data and AI for layers of control.
As Shaun Matheson (GroupM’s Digital Lead) says:
“It’s not just about blocking the bad. It’s all about finding the right place for your brand story.”
Now, brands don’t just block topics—they can target subtopics, certain creators, even specific moods or trending moments.
Want to go even deeper? Check out our DSP Services for brand control at the next level.
The Secret Sauce: Open Beta Features
Level Up Controls
Amazon DSP’s beta tools let you set suitability at both advertiser and ad-group levels. No more “one rule for all.” You could run a big awareness campaign with medium settings, while using tighter filters for a new product launch. Use settings like brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails for broad rules, then brandSafetyTierTarget for fine-tuned experiments on a single group.
Want to get picky? Override the rules for just one Twitch campaign or a specific video ad, while staying strict on everything else. This gives you both strong safety and freedom to test. E-commerce brands do this a lot—looser settings for Black Friday, then dial it up tight around family-friendly stuff the rest of the year.
Third-Party Integrations
DSPs now work with partners like DoubleVerify, IAS, and Peer39. These are your campaign’s “brand bouncers.” Here’s what you get:
- Fraud checks and context filters—they check every ad before you even buy it. Only real, relevant people see your stuff.
- Pre-built safety groups (like DoubleVerify IDs) so you can set company rules and use them across all brands. Fast and simple.
- Deep context choices—filter by keywords, type of content, or even topics. Super useful for finance, pharma, or anything kid-focused.
Plug-ins like IAS make sure that, even if a video passes basic safety (no swearing, no violence), it might still be skipped if it’s just not your brand’s style. Like, you don’t want your healthy snack ad on a party video. Suitability tools catch that stuff.
Adjustable Inventory Filters
Pick how far you want your ads to go—expanded, moderate, or limited inventory. Going big gives you more reach (great for e-comm buzz). Keeping it tight means your ads only land on the safest, best-reviewed stuff.
Got numbers? Amazon says using inventory filters well boosts engagement by up to 20% on fitting placements. So you get more clicks, bots do the hard work, and your ad money goes further.
“We see a 15% bigger lift when our suitability matches our audience,” says Maya Tolbert, Senior Digital Media Manager at a Fortune 500 brand.
Real DSPs, Real Moves
Amazon DSP
Amazon DSP mixes shopper data with DoubleVerify and others. It feels like having both a security guard and a host:
- Exclusion lists for touchy stuff (politics, gambling, current events), so you don’t get stuck on the wrong side of the news.
- Smart AI to suggest and even apply safety settings, so you don’t have to dig in every detail. The system learns and updates.
- Beta extras for Twitch, so you can try the latest tools early. Great for brands chasing young or niche crowds.
Most pros layer controls, even for different ad types. Like, you might run a product demo on all safe channels, but keep a charity ad just for trusted sites.
Adobe Advertising DSP
Adobe goes even further than just protecting your rep:
- Weighted goals: Want conversions or signups? The DSP picks best placements to hit those targets.
- Placement filters: Change rules for each ad, channel, or creative. Maybe TikTok looks looser than the Wall Street Journal.
- Partnered with Peer39/IAS for live, deep scoring and fast tips.
Adobe DSP is great for making rules, like, “No financial blogs unless they have an 80%+ rating.” If you’re doing multi-country campaigns, this is a big help.
Meta
Meta isn’t a full DSP, but their "Brand Safety and Suitability Center" lets you choose inventory levels—Expanded, Moderate, Limited. This means you can pick: do you want to reach more people, or play it safer? Set your blacklist (like news, wild user videos, conspiracy, adult jokes). Less worry about that awkward, “Did you mean to sponsor this?” moment.
Check your Facebook Business Manager for “brand safety” controls—they’re easy to miss. Meta also gives you recaps about what your ads were next to, making future clean-up much easier.
Quick quiz: If your brand is dad jokes and rescue dogs, do you want your ad on a gloom-and-doom news clip? Suitability says: No way.
Why This Matters
Protect Your Reputation
Yeah, bad headlines hurt. Nobody wants to be the one pulling ads after a social media mess. These tools make sure you pop up only where you belong. With ad budgets hitting $627 billion worldwide last year, every mistake costs.
But it’s not just about keeping out of trouble. It’s about building trust on purpose. When customers see you care about where your ad appears, they pay more attention—and support you more, too.
Stop Wasting Money
If your ads run in weird places, people just don’t click. You’re paying for eyeballs—make ‘em count. Smart DSP controls cut wasted impressions. Just check the Amazon Brand Lift Study. Brands using these controls waste 12-20% fewer impressions. That’s real cash you can use for bigger, safer ads.
Stay Compliant
More rules keep popping up: GDPR, kid safety, privacy. Brand suitability helps you avoid trouble, so you don’t get stuck in legal gray zones. For finance, health, or kid companies, these checks are even more important. Most top DSPs have compliance baked in, saving you from extra headaches.
Challenges Ahead
The Calibration Dance
Brand suitability isn’t “set it and forget it.” Beta means you’ll tweak filters, test, tweak more. Run A/B campaigns. The best results come from hands-on tuning, again and again. Over time, DSPs will get smarter, but right now, set aside real time to play with these controls.
What works now might not work next season. Trends change (thanks, TikTok). So review rules once a month, or quarterly, to keep your guard up.
Deep Controls Cost More
Plug-ins like DoubleVerify cost extra. You’re paying for real-time reports and expert settings. For big brands, it’s worth it. For smaller brands, decide how much you really need for each campaign. Some DSPs give bundle pricing or free trials, so always ask.
If you’re short on budget, focus safety tools on your big, risky campaigns. Go lighter for broad, everyday stuff. (Pro tip: Ask your rep about test credits. Early access almost always gets you a deal.)
Algorithm Transparency
AI is great, but don’t let it be a black box. Make sure your DSP tells you what’s going on. Ask for docs and updates. Amazon and Adobe do this well—they’ll even ask for your feedback.
Open beta tools are like open notebooks—don’t just use them, help them get better.
Wrap-Up
- Modern DSPs let you use suitability rules, not just safety blocks.
- Suitability is about fit. Ads should match your brand’s style, not just avoid scandal.
- Use third-party fraud/context tools for extra backup.
- Adjust inventory filters as you need—find the right balance for every campaign.
- Be ready to play. Beta tools need testing and feedback to work best.
FAQ
What’s the real difference between brand safety and suitability?
Safety is basic—blocking dangerous content. Suitability is deeper—you fine-tune for your brand style and fans.Which DSPs offer the most advanced suitability tools right now?
Amazon DSP, Adobe DSP, and Meta all have top tools. Amazon’s shining for Twitch, Adobe is all about goals, and Meta makes controls super easy.Are third-party integrations like DoubleVerify worth it?
If you’re a big brand or have to follow strict rules, yes. They guard your brand, help target better, and give you sharp reports. Measure the ROI to make the call.Can I run suitability settings for only certain campaigns?
Yes! Most DSPs let you do this at ad-group or at the ad level. Get strict for big launches, ease up for test stuff.How do I know if suitability settings even helped?
Look at post-campaign results: brand lift, better leads, fewer bad impressions. Tools like Amazon Attribution help you track.Is this all hype, or business-critical?
If you care about your brand, you need this. One mistake can blow years of trust. Suitability protects you—and helps you grow safely.
Get Started Guide
- List your brand’s big “no go” topics (gambling, politics, violence, etc).
- Open your DSP’s suitability controls, tweak by advertiser or ad-group.
- Partner with third-party filters (DoubleVerify, IAS) for fraud/context checks.
- Pick your inventory level—big, medium, or tight reach.
- Start with test campaigns. Watch reports, dig into those attribution tools.
- Fine-tune often, check transparency, and always leave feedback if you’re in beta.
Sometimes, the best ads aren’t everywhere—they’re just in the right spots. Take advantage of the new open beta brand suitability features. These help you get more ROI and keep your brand shining clean. As ad land gets noisier (and riskier), these controls mean safer, smarter spending. Test, tweak, don’t be shy. Your future team will be glad you did.
For smarter analytics and easy teamwork on Amazon Marketing Cloud, peek at our AMC Cloud platform. You’ll unlock deeper insights and get even better at suitability.
Want more wins, safe placements, and fresh advertising ideas? Check out our deep-dives on DSP optimization, Amazon Attribution, and the always-interesting Amazon Brand Lift Study.
