It seems likely that the Facebook story, relating to consumer goods firms finding their ads running alongside the fascist British National Party's page, and the same again with brands finding themselves next to adult film entries on the IMDB.com is just the tip of the iceberg.There are, no doubt, many other examples out there of online content appearing next to suspect content.It does not seem as if the same standards apply to online content that applies to when ads are placed online.Clearly, it is a different landscape and sites have a lot of inventory, but really it is not that difficult to work out a checklist of content that advertisers’ ads should not run alongside: racist, sexist, offensive or adult-related material. If these simple checks are not being done, then it asks the question: are any checks being done?The IAB has made efforts to shore up confidence with an audit of the sales houses that have signed up to the Internet Advertising Sales House, the IAB ad network that promotes best practice.But as Marketing reports this morning it does not go far enough, because there are sales houses that have not signed up and are therefore not being audited. This includes the likes of Google, which has not signed up to the initiative. The burden, however, does not lie exclusively with sales houses. Online media planners and buyers are also part of the equation and the IPA says it is exploring additional protective measures for advertisers.
UPDATE: As pointed out below, t he BBC's 'Panorama' last month exposed examples of hundreds of violent videos were appearing on various websites and how some like Pure Street Fights were carrying ads from the likes of BT, John Lewis, 02, Carphone Warehouse and Orange.Again in that incident brands insisted that they had no knowledge that their ads were running on such sites.The placing of those ads highlighted by 'Panorama' was blamed on "rogue ad networks" although the programme did not name and shame.
Gordon Macmillan
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