Anger is not a long-term social strategy
Opinion
Engagement through rage can drive users away. Smart platforms will attract those seeking more positivity, providing advertisers with greater environments to spend.
In a shifting media landscape, brands are reconsidering where to allocate their adspend. Amid policy changes and platform-specific risks, the pressing question is: where is my next move?
The latest Advertising Association/Warc Expenditure Report anticipates growth of 6.9% in UK adspend in 2025 — a welcome shift after a year of spend cuts and reassessments. But tech platforms, previously one of the most effective channels for marketers, have been jolted with uncertainty and risk.
Platforms regarded as category trailblazers now have uncertain futures. Policy shifts have created challenging scenarios for brands that are concerned about their ads appearing alongside harmful or toxic content.
All of these changes have raised crucial questions about the advertising environments that brands once relied on. It’s important for advertisers to adapt before, not after, their performance metrics dip.
Resist the rage
Content with distrust and division help garner clicks and likes on many tech platforms, creating a vicious cycle of engagement via enragement. But anger is not a long-term strategy. Engagement through discomfort and rage doesn’t just exhaust us, it can drive us away.
Pinterest foresees a retreat from rage in 2025. Smart platforms will attract users seeking more positive and inclusive environments, thereby providing advertisers and retailers with greater returns on their investments.
Now is the time to ask: can you create a successful ad strategy that leverages platforms that promote positivity and perform? Are the current toxic environments draining your adspend?
Positivity and performance together
As you diversify, consider doubling down on both performance and positivity.
Research shows that when consumers are in a good mood, they’re more likely to see the value of a purchase, making a positive mindset a powerful tool for advertisers.
Our data (Core Narratives and Decision-Making, conducted by Morning Consult) shows that 70% of consumers agree they’re more likely to remember, trust and purchase from brands that are associated with positive environments.
Diversifying adspend across platforms and prioritising those that choose safety and positivity while still driving results isn’t just a defensive move; it’s a strategic advantage that’s essential for long-term growth.
Engagement over enragement
Carefully assessing the risks and rewards associated with ad investments has never been more crucial.
Sticking with familiar channels in unstable, unpredictable environments may produce quick short-term engagement, but past success cannot be guaranteed with changing algorithms, shifting user behaviour and regulatory evolutions.
In these unpredictable times, marketers that adopt a proactive and diversified strategy will find themselves on the right side of the balance sheet.
Ultimately, advertising in a positive space is net positive.
Milka Privodanova is vice-president, head of EMEA sales, at Pinterest