Why quality journalism and brands can 'thrive' together

Ads perform equally well whether they are placed alongside brand-safe or unsafe content on news websites, according to research.

The study, carried out by research and consulting firm HarrisX, used a panel of consumers to test brand ads placed next to news stories, including “safe” (spanning sports, entertainment and business) and “unsafe” content (covering subjects such as Nigel Farage, crime, the Middle East, Sir Keir Starmer and inflation).

The study, unveiled at Campaign Live in the City of London, tested panel members’ responses across purchase intent, favourability and brand image and found this did not vary according to the news articles.

Jack Miles, senior research director at HarrisX, told delegates that the results countered perceptions that news sites were high risk for brands.

“Quality journalism and brands that work with them have an opportunity to thrive,” he said.

Miles said if brands did not advertise on news sites, they contributed to a “vicious cycle” of declining news revenues, less resources in newsrooms, journalism becoming more “clickbait-y”, the proliferation of disinformation and a decline in quality journalism.

“Ads performed equally well whether they were placed alongside brand-safe or un-brand-safe stories,” he said.

During a discussion on the future of news, Paul Gayfer, chief strategy officer at Goodstuff, emphasised the impact of context on advertising. 

“We are learning more about the power of context, going beyond reach and advertising,” he said.

“Consider the implicit signals your media plans give off, what the quality of the content and the placement are saying about the brand.”

Gayfer flagged the rise of “divisive news” as an area of concern. “It’s becoming more clickbait-y. There is a danger if we continue to push a divisive agenda.”

He added: “Think about the media environment we want in the future and how we are going to fund it.”