Imagine this: you just dumped $50K into a new video ad campaign. You want your brand to shine and reel in fresh customers. But then you see your ad shoved between wild conspiracy theories, UFO GIFs, and flat-earther rants deep in internet chaos land. Total nightmare.
Now it's not just a weird Monday—it's a full-blown PR headache. And you do not want to explain that mess to your boss.
Welcome to the wild world of programmatic ads. Once your budget goes live, your ad can pop up anywhere. It’s like tossing a hundred paper planes out a helicopter. Some will land right where you want. Others end up in all the wrong spots (and you wish they hadn’t).
But there’s hope! Brand suitability controls have arrived—they’re now in open beta for Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs). For once, you get close to full control over where your ads show up. You don’t have to worry so much about your brand getting hit from sharing space with weird or risky content.
During this open beta, you get to be part of the team testing all the new safety nets and giving feedback. Kind of like joining a crew who’s trying out the latest spam filter, except this time, your brand (and a ton of ad dollars) is on the line. Let’s play.
TL;DR
Let’s keep it real—brand safety is just the start. We all want ads to dodge viral fails, hate speech, or scary sites. That’s basic. Suitability goes next level: Is this spot not just safe, but does it actually fit your brand? Would you brag about your company logo being seen there, or cringe at first sight?
Why is everyone suddenly obsessed? Here’s why: 70% of people lose trust in a brand if they see its ad near bad content (IAS, 2022). That’s not just a stat. That’s real customers walking away. Not great.
"With brand suitability controls, advertisers get surgical. It’s not just about protection—it’s reputation curation." – Ad Ops Manager, Major DSP
Now, your brand story, values, and ad partners finally matter as much as the ad itself.
This open beta isn’t some soft test. If you’re in, you get extra control—right from APIs and dashboards. Instead of a boring, big filter, you get a digital mixing board to set every campaign just right.
Here’s what you can do:
You can even skip all pandemic news, block sketchy sites, and scale it up in real-time. No more all-or-nothing bans or letting the weird stuff in.
Suitability is now sharp, not blunt. With beta, pick rules for your whole advertiser or break it down per ad campaign.
Want your main brand clean, but a side project to go a little wilder? Set those preferences easy with brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails and brandSafetyTierTarget.
Quick Tip: For now, all these tools are only on Twitch display and video ad slots—not Sponsored Products. But Amazon plans more soon.
Why join beta? You’re not just a user—you’re a maker. Here’s what you get:
“We saw a 22% drop in bad placements after tweaking suitability filters in the Adobe DSP beta.” – Digital Marketing Lead, e-commerce brand
Real results, real data, you help steer the whole thing for everyone.
Set suitability too high and you lock out too much. CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) go up, reach goes down. Set it too low, and suddenly your fancy perfume ad appears next to horror film spoilers. Oops.
Beta lets you play with suitability levels, watch how that changes reach, cost, and results, and tune it in till you nail it for your brand.
This isn’t just a test—it's where the big players are headed. Amazon, Adobe, Meta, and others want brands to show up in the right spots, first and best.
Let’s break down how Adobe does it:
“Advertisers crave cross-platform consistency. DSP segments and machine learning give them that without endless manual updates.” — Sujata Banerjee, Senior Product Lead, Adobe Advertising
Centrally managed, auto-powered, actually useful.
Amazon’s DSP tools are leveling up, big time. Twitch is just the test lab. The goal? Suitability for every Amazon-owned spot—Fire TV, Audible, 3rd parties, the lot.
Right now, you can:
brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails to put rules on autopilot—helpful for big agencies running tons of ads.Fun fact: Amazon Attribution and Brand Lift tools actually show you how changing safety and suitability settings impacts conversions, not just views.
Want more help with Amazon programmatic ads? Our DSP Services bundle advanced targeting, suitability power, and analytics all together.
Meta is going all-in, too:
In this world, peace of mind—and receipts—matter a lot.
Suitability means balance, not a silver bullet. Clamp down too much, CPMs soar, ad views dip. Too loose, and your hard-won reputation slips away overnight.
Treat it like a lab:
No two brands are alike. Test, tweak, review—keep dialling to find your just-right spot.
We’re just getting started. What’s on deck?
Stick close to beta programs, keep your reports sharp, and read the latest—things change fast.
1. Brand safety vs. suitability—what’s the difference?
Brand safety blocks the worst stuff. Suitability gets deeper, asking, "Does this fit my brand voice and style?" You pick what’s right for you.
2. Why start the beta only on Twitch?
Twitch lets DSPs try things out with real users and fix issues before rolling out everywhere. Better to test in one place first.
3. How do suitability settings in DSPs affect costs?
Tighter rules mean fewer places to show up—so CPMs may go up and reach goes down. Open beta helps you test and find your own best balance.
4. Why use 3rd-party verification partners?
They offer expert blocklists, scan for context, and react in real time—way better than guessing yourself.
5. Can I set suitability for each campaign?
Yes! Set rules for your whole brand or just one campaign. Your main ad can be strict, a special push can be chill.
6. How do I know if a placement went wrong?
Beta reporting lists every spot your ad ran. See something off? Block it for the next run. Fast and simple.
Get behind the wheel with open beta. Nail these tools, and you’ll never have to wonder why your ad’s on weird Reddit threads again.
Want to get future-proof with automation, live updates, and reports built for both safety and suitability? Peek at our Features for next-level campaign management.
Curious how Amazon reporting and brand lift tie together? See our Amazon Attribution guide. For Adobe DSP die-hards, don’t miss this DSP deep dive.