Following a series of high profile slip-ups, YouTube has this week been applauded for achieving industry recognised certification to improve brand safety in the UK.
JICWEBS, the independent body that sets best practice and standards for trusted online ad trading, has delivered the Google-owned video platform the certification, helping to reassure advertisers over ad placements.
To gain the certificate, YouTube was independently verified by auditing firm BPA Worldwide to see how its processes meet JICWEBS’ guidelines to reduce the risk of ads being served against ‘inappropriate’ content.
The BPA told Mediatel that in its opinion, at the time of its review YouTube had established policies to minimise ad misplacement as described in the JICWEBS DTSG UK Good Practice Principles.
However, suggesting a global disconnect, headlines in the US last week – where YouTube is headquartered – reveal that big-name brands have once again had ads running on unsavoury channels without their knowledge.
Brands including Nike, Paramount Network and Acer told CNN they had been under the impression that filters they had set to protect them from having ads appear next to sensitive content should have prevented this from happening. [advert position=”left”]
In the UK, YouTube had previously come under fire for allowing ads to be placed against extremist content. The backlash saw hundreds of advertisers pull their advertising from the platform and instigated a wider debate over brand safety and the responsibilities of online platforms.
Commenting on today’s JICWEBS news, Phil Smith, director general at ISBA, the body that represents UK advertisers, said he welcomed the move to improve brand safety.
“Opening up to certification is an important part of the action needed to reassure advertisers that their investment is being protected,” he said.
Meanwhile, representing the agency world, IPA director general, Paul Bainsfair, said YouTube being certified to the JICWEBS DTSG principles and having an independent check on the processes they are applying is a “breakthrough step” that will “reduce risk through increased transparency.”
Google said providing more transparency and visibility to advertisers was hugely important to the business.
The company’s MD for UK and Ireland, Ronan Harris, said: “We are pleased YouTube has achieved certification for brand safety by JICWEBS. We remain committed to listening and working with the industry on cross-industry standards for digital advertising.”
