Brand safety refers to a set of measures that aim to protect the image and reputation of brands from the negative or damaging influence of questionable or inappropriate content when advertising online. In practice, this means ensuring that ads are not placed next to content that could potentially harm or negatively impact brand reputation in the consumer’s eyes. Brand safety is important because poor brand alignment risks alienating and losing customers, which can lead to a loss of trust between a brand and a customer, and lower revenue, brand equity, and customer perceptions.

To ensure brand safety, advertisers can buy ad space directly from trusted publishers, allowing them to directly address brand safety concerns. Advertisers and publishers may also employ third-party vendors of brand safety services that can be integrated into the advertising system. Other common preventive measures are blacklists of unsafe sites to avoid, or a whitelist of safe sites for advertising.

It is important to note that brand safety is subjective, and what could be taboo for one brand may be fine for another. Therefore, it is imperative for brands to establish their own definition of brand safety and suitability, and regularly assess potential threats to their brand safety.