So you checked off some boxes in your DSP dashboard and think your ads are safe? Hold up. In 2024, brands aren’t just playing defense—they’re using something sharper: brand suitability. It’s the new way to say exactly where your ads can (and can’t) show up. No more worrying your ad ends up next to conspiracy videos you’d avoid at Thanksgiving.
But here’s the twist: this stuff isn’t just for tech giants. Now, platforms like Amazon DSP and Adobe DSP hand you the keys. You get real-time content filters, third-party checks, and AI reports that help you finally relax, instead of losing sleep over stats.
It’s not just about staying out of trouble. Putting ads in the right place means better engagement, more trust, and bigger ROI. If running ads feels random, let’s fix that. This is your quick guide to the new brand safety tools in DSPs, why you need them, and how to make your next campaign clean and pro.
Quick stat: Back in 2022, around 80% of advertisers said brand suitability stressed them out the most. Still, 40% knew their tools weren’t good enough. That’s changing fast—if you know where to look and what buttons to press.
Key Takeaways
Think of brand safety like a bouncer. It keeps out the obvious threats—hate, violence, explicit stuff, or fake news. If you like things drama-free, that used to work.
Brand suitability, though, hands you the velvet rope. You set the vibe. Your ads only show where energy and message match your brand. It’s like picking your afterparty, not just any old bar.
Programmatic buying means your ad can pop up anywhere. If you’re Red Bull, you don’t want your ad stuck between a funeral home and a tax fraud story. Suitability helps you hit the right crowd every time.
As Shaan Puri put it, “Most ad tools just keep you from being fired—not make you a hero.” Suitability is the feature that helps you actually look smart—skipping messes without killing reach or fun.
Here’s how it works: a kid’s meal brand avoids any ad next to adult jokes or even caffeine. A luxury watch brand only shows up on classy, dream-worthy content. Not just boring safe news sites.
Amazon’s open beta is a testing ground for suitability fans. You can set rules for the whole advertiser or just one group, right from the API. Want to skip all gaming content or block whole Twitch genres? No sweat. Block big categories like gambling or get specific with keywords you don’t want to touch.
Want the full breakdown on using these controls? Check out our DSP Services for tips and strategies.
brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails to set big rules, or adjust at campaign with brandSafetyTierTarget.These tools are new, and Amazon listens to feedback. So expect features to grow as more brands test them out.
Adobe teams up with DoubleVerify, Peer39, Comscore, and IAS. With all these partners, you can:
Note: more filtering, especially with a partner, costs extra. But most brands think it’s worth it, especially if you’re handling big names or touchy industries.
Why do all this? You don’t want to spend for weak tools. With this new model, advertisers can:
Suitability isn’t just a shield—it’s a sales tool. A Comscore study saw tailored suitability boost engagement by up to 30% over plain-old safety.
Imagine a green beauty brand. They want to be seen with clean living stories, not random beauty tips or, worse, controversy. Suitability locks that in and bumps up click rates and positive vibes.
A programmatic lead at a big CPG brand said it best: “With suitability, we A/B test not just audiences, but the whole mood. Get the vibe right and, wow, things explode in a good way.”
Tech’s ready, results look strong. Here’s how you set up:
brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails for big settings or brandSafetyTierTarget for fine-tuning.Top DSPs offer open betas for feedback and speed. Early testers get:
Nothing’s perfect, so keep in mind:
Nailing suitability takes work. Here’s what experts do:
An Amazon Brand Lift Study showed a big retailer doubled engagement on channels they used to blacklist, all because of new, sharper suitability. They allowed family-safe gaming streams—channels they would’ve missed with just basic rules.
Another one: a global drink giant layered suitability on programmatic buys. Their crisis moments dropped, and brand ratings climbed, just from showing up in the right spots—not just “not risky” ones.
Brand safety keeps ads away from obviously bad or sensitive topics. Suitability looks deeper. It matches ads to your exact vibe, values, and audience—so every ad fits, even if the content’s not “unsafe.”
Amazon’s beta is Twitch-only (Display/Video). Adobe covers most spots—desktop, mobile, video. Some options change by country or site.
Better controls, especially using partners (like DoubleVerify), mean extra fees. But most brands think the ROI is worth it for higher engagement and a cleaner image.
Yep. Too tight and you lose big, safe sites. The trick is balancing safety without losing strong, relevant placements.
Simple: review after every run, or more often when trying new betas. Use real campaign reports to steer your changes—not just guessing.
brandSafetyTierInheritedSettingDetails and brandSafetyTierTarget for Amazon).Want to get really good at DSP? See our Amazon attribution guide and the Brand Lift study explainer. Next-level brand safety and bigger campaign wins are right there if you stay sharp.
Want to tie together all the great tools—suitability, first-party data, the newest AI? Pop over to our Features page. We break down what smart advertisers need to win, today.