4A’s APB Releases Brand Safety Playbook OTT/CTV Guidance

For many of us we know that words matter – at their best they can inspire better actions, and at their worst they can cause harm and incite violence.

For this reason we are asking all members effective immediately to cease the use of loaded terms used by the industry blacklist and whitelist. While we assume that there wasn’t negative intent in the creation of these terms, we have to acknowledge they are wrong to use in the biases they perpetuate and the pain – conscious and unconscious – they cause.

Our request is simple:
1. Change the narrative: Refer to content and sites you want included in your campaigns as Inclusion Lists, and conversely content and sites you want eliminated in your campaigns as Exclusion Lists
2. Activate your network: As leaders and representing your organizations, please cascade this shift and politely call out the conscious shift when you see others not doing it
3. Embed it in your operations: Update all operating documents and especially contracts between marketers, agencies, platforms, and technology partners to reflect this shift

We need to undertake all viable actions to chase out bias and create safety for all.

The 4A’s Advertiser Protection Bureau (APB) is pleased to introduce Brand Safety for OTT/CTV: An Addendum to the 4A’s Brand Safety Playbook, a supplement to the 2019 Brand Safety Playbook that focuses on the over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) advertising platforms.

The rising consumer adoption of and brand investment in OTT and CTV creates industry challenges including higher CPMs; a fragmented ecosystem; a lack of industry standards and best practices; a lack of universal measurement and transparency; and fraud and brand safety issues.

This playbook is designed to help agencies and brands protect themselves against and overcome these challenges.

The APB recommends several best practices to optimize consumer and brand protection, investment value, and performance, including:

  • Standard digital best practices application
  • Measurement vendor selection
  • Inventory source selection

The APB offers this addendum to the Brand Safety Playbook with substantial support from Brand Safety Institute (BSI), IAB Tech Lab, and Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG).

Download Brand Safety for OTT/CTV: An Addendum to the 4A’s Brand Safety Playbook.

Download Brand Safety Playbook: A Guide to Defending Brands and Consumers.