Indian consumers prioritize appropriate content in online ads

Ninety-three percent of Indian consumers say it is important to them that content surrounding online ads is appropriate, according to a brand safety survey report, ‘The State of Brand in India: A 2023 IAS Survey’, published by Integral Ad Science (IAS).
The survey strives to understand what Indian consumers regard as brand safe/unsafe content and also understand the impact the ad environment has on their perceptions of brands and their advertising.
The survey has found that Indian consumers believe it is most important for social media sites to have safe and appropriate content, followed closely by news sites. In fact, 83% of them say that the amount of inappropriate content online has increased or increased substantially over the past year.
Violence and human rights violations, spam/ malware, and online piracy are the top content categories Indian consumers regard as inappropriate.
In a rapidly evolving media landscape and booming content growth, marketers are increasingly invested in protecting their brand’s reputation and allocating media budgets toward content that minimises the risk to their brand and brand safety continues to be a priority for marketers in India and across the globe.
Indian consumers are most receptive to ads appearing on social media and shopping websites. When inappropriate content is near ads, brand perceptions are negatively affected. Over two-thirds of Indian consumers say they are likely to disengage from a brand whose ads appear near inappropriate content, and 68% say they are likely to stop using a product and/or service of a brand whose ad appears near inappropriate content.

A majority of Indian consumers hold brands accountable for the content surrounding their ads and believe that brands have an obligation to place ads in environments that are appropriate.

87% of Indian consumers say the content surrounding a brand’s ads is a reflection of their values.
82% of Indian consumers say they would trust a brand less if they advertised near inappropriate content online.
IAS based this consumer survey on three factors:

How appropriate/ inappropriate content influences consumer perception

How perceptions of brands and advertising are related to each other

How responsible journalism and advertising on credible news sites influence brand trust

With numerous outlets publishing news every minute, consumers today are especially cautious of advertisements that appear near news topics. Indian consumers are especially sceptical of advertising around news topics. And, many consumers believe ad funding should support responsible journalism. 83% of them say they are likely to trust a brand whose ads appear on credible news sites.

85% of Indian consumers say they would feel less favourable towards brands that advertise on sites/ outlets that spread misinformation
90% of Indian consumers say it is important to them that ad funding supports responsible journalism.