GITNUXREPORT 2025

Brand Safety Statistics

Majority prioritize brand safety; risks impact trust, costs, and campaign effectiveness.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

45% of digital ads were delivered in environments with a risk of inappropriate content in 2023

Statistic 2

48% of digital ads are delivered in partly unsafe environments, according to recent analyses

Statistic 3

64% of consumers say they trust brands more when they see consistent and safe ad environments

Statistic 4

70% of marketers believe brand safety is the top concern for digital advertising

Statistic 5

65% of brands experienced ad misplacements in harmful or inappropriate content in 2022

Statistic 6

80% of advertisers have increased their investment in brand safety measures over the past two years

Statistic 7

Globally, 20% of digital ad spend is at risk due to brand safety concerns

Statistic 8

30% of consumers say they are less likely to trust brands that run ads next to inappropriate content

Statistic 9

60% of advertisers report significant changes in media buying strategies due to brand safety issues

Statistic 10

85% of digital publishers implement some form of brand safety measures

Statistic 11

Video advertising faces a higher risk of brand safety violations, with 75% of brands reporting concerns

Statistic 12

68% of marketers believe that real-time monitoring improves brand safety outcomes

Statistic 13

50% of brand safety incidents occur on social media platforms

Statistic 14

40% of marketers fear that emerging platforms pose new brand safety risks

Statistic 15

In 2023, 63% of digital campaigns experienced at least one brand safety concern

Statistic 16

72% of brand safety breaches are linked to lack of proper Content Filtering

Statistic 17

70% of advertisers prioritize AI-based solutions for brand safety

Statistic 18

77% of digital ad campaigns now include brand safety as a key parameter in their planning

Statistic 19

52% of brands have paused advertising campaigns due to brand safety concerns in 2023

Statistic 20

40% of brands report difficulty in assessing the effectiveness of brand safety measures

Statistic 21

32% of consumers actively avoid brands that they associate with inappropriate ad placements

Statistic 22

45% of advertisers believe that achieving perfect brand safety is unfeasible, but strive for continuous improvement

Statistic 23

62% of marketers plan to increase their investments in brand safety technology in 2024

Statistic 24

75% of digital publishers proactively implement brand safety controls

Statistic 25

50% of brand safety incidents occur due to user-generated content

Statistic 26

29% of brands have experienced reputation damage due to ad placement issues

Statistic 27

65% of marketers report that brand safety issues lead to increased costs in campaign management

Statistic 28

67% of digital ad fraud involves inappropriate content placements

Statistic 29

46% of consumers say they have avoided a brand after seeing its ad in inappropriate content

Statistic 30

72% of brands invest in pre-bid safety measures to prevent ad misplacements

Statistic 31

55% of advertisers see a direct correlation between brand safety and consumer trust

Statistic 32

33% of digital campaigns are re-evaluated mid-flight due to emerging brand safety concerns

Statistic 33

42% of advertisers are planning to adopt more transparency and control features to enhance brand safety

Statistic 34

76% of digital publishers prioritize compliance with brand safety standards to attract advertising revenue

Statistic 35

54% of advertisers acknowledge that viewability and brand safety are interconnected

Statistic 36

47% of brands have faced ad recalls due to brand safety breaches

Statistic 37

53% of digital campaigns experience at least one safety-related rejection or modification

Statistic 38

39% of social media ads are flagged for inappropriate content or safety concerns

Statistic 39

81% of brands consider transparency in brand safety compliance as a key factor in media buying decisions

Statistic 40

67% of advertisers see measuring safety risk as increasingly important for optimizing digital campaigns

Statistic 41

46% of ad campaigns have been delayed or disrupted due to brand safety issues

Statistic 42

70% of brand safety incidents are related to content in video advertising

Statistic 43

43% of consumers associate unsafe ad environments with negative brand perception

Statistic 44

50% of digital campaigns incorporate safety as a mandatory criteria in their KPIs

Statistic 45

71% of brand safety incidents are concentrated in programmatic advertising

Statistic 46

34% of brands have experienced legal issues due to inappropriate ad placements

Statistic 47

55% of marketers have increased their use of contextual targeting to improve safety outcomes

Statistic 48

49% of digital ads are delivered through platforms that do not fully guarantee brand safety

Statistic 49

72% of marketers say that safety concerns influence their creative approval process

Statistic 50

66% of brands believe that ethical issues around content influence their safety policies

Statistic 51

60% of publishers have adopted preventative measures to avoid unsafe ad placements

Statistic 52

28% of consumers recall seeing inappropriate ads, influencing their perception of the brand

Statistic 53

39% of consumers say they have unfollowed or stopped engaging with brands after safety breaches

Statistic 54

55% of marketers use third-party verification tools to monitor brand safety

Statistic 55

Over 90% of programmatic advertising platforms have integrated some form of brand safety controls

Statistic 56

58% of digital campaigns that experienced a security breach linked it to poor vetting of third-party data

Statistic 57

69% of digital ad fraud cases are linked to content from unverified sources

Statistic 58

78% of brands actively audit their ad placements to ensure safety compliance

Statistic 59

55% of marketers believe that automated safety solutions reduce manual oversight and streamline campaign management

Statistic 60

58% of marketers are willing to pay a premium for platforms with proven safety guarantees

Statistic 61

49% of digital ad spend is allocated to environments with verified content

Statistic 62

75% of ad fraud occurs via unsafe or unverified sources

Statistic 63

62% of brand safety breaches can be mitigated through better publisher vetting processes

Statistic 64

53% of digital ad spend is targeted toward verified safe content

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Sources

Our Reports have been cited by:

Trust Badges - Publications that have cited our reports

Key Highlights

70% of marketers believe brand safety is the top concern for digital advertising
65% of brands experienced ad misplacements in harmful or inappropriate content in 2022
80% of advertisers have increased their investment in brand safety measures over the past two years
45% of digital ads were delivered in environments with a risk of inappropriate content in 2023
55% of marketers use third-party verification tools to monitor brand safety
Globally, 20% of digital ad spend is at risk due to brand safety concerns
30% of consumers say they are less likely to trust brands that run ads next to inappropriate content
60% of advertisers report significant changes in media buying strategies due to brand safety issues
85% of digital publishers implement some form of brand safety measures
Video advertising faces a higher risk of brand safety violations, with 75% of brands reporting concerns
68% of marketers believe that real-time monitoring improves brand safety outcomes
50% of brand safety incidents occur on social media platforms
40% of marketers fear that emerging platforms pose new brand safety risks

With over 70% of marketers citing brand safety as their top concern and nearly half of digital ads still appearing alongside harmful content, the urgent need for stronger safety measures has never been clearer.

Ad Placement and Environmental Contexts

45% of digital ads were delivered in environments with a risk of inappropriate content in 2023
48% of digital ads are delivered in partly unsafe environments, according to recent analyses
64% of consumers say they trust brands more when they see consistent and safe ad environments

Ad Placement and Environmental Contexts Interpretation

With nearly half of digital ads appearing in risky spaces and only a slim majority of consumers trusting brands that ensure safety, the digital advertising industry faces a stark reminder: in the race for reach, safety is still the winning currency.

Brand Safety and Ethical Concerns

70% of marketers believe brand safety is the top concern for digital advertising
65% of brands experienced ad misplacements in harmful or inappropriate content in 2022
80% of advertisers have increased their investment in brand safety measures over the past two years
Globally, 20% of digital ad spend is at risk due to brand safety concerns
30% of consumers say they are less likely to trust brands that run ads next to inappropriate content
60% of advertisers report significant changes in media buying strategies due to brand safety issues
85% of digital publishers implement some form of brand safety measures
Video advertising faces a higher risk of brand safety violations, with 75% of brands reporting concerns
68% of marketers believe that real-time monitoring improves brand safety outcomes
50% of brand safety incidents occur on social media platforms
40% of marketers fear that emerging platforms pose new brand safety risks
In 2023, 63% of digital campaigns experienced at least one brand safety concern
72% of brand safety breaches are linked to lack of proper Content Filtering
70% of advertisers prioritize AI-based solutions for brand safety
77% of digital ad campaigns now include brand safety as a key parameter in their planning
52% of brands have paused advertising campaigns due to brand safety concerns in 2023
40% of brands report difficulty in assessing the effectiveness of brand safety measures
32% of consumers actively avoid brands that they associate with inappropriate ad placements
45% of advertisers believe that achieving perfect brand safety is unfeasible, but strive for continuous improvement
62% of marketers plan to increase their investments in brand safety technology in 2024
75% of digital publishers proactively implement brand safety controls
50% of brand safety incidents occur due to user-generated content
29% of brands have experienced reputation damage due to ad placement issues
65% of marketers report that brand safety issues lead to increased costs in campaign management
67% of digital ad fraud involves inappropriate content placements
46% of consumers say they have avoided a brand after seeing its ad in inappropriate content
72% of brands invest in pre-bid safety measures to prevent ad misplacements
55% of advertisers see a direct correlation between brand safety and consumer trust
33% of digital campaigns are re-evaluated mid-flight due to emerging brand safety concerns
42% of advertisers are planning to adopt more transparency and control features to enhance brand safety
76% of digital publishers prioritize compliance with brand safety standards to attract advertising revenue
54% of advertisers acknowledge that viewability and brand safety are interconnected
47% of brands have faced ad recalls due to brand safety breaches
53% of digital campaigns experience at least one safety-related rejection or modification
39% of social media ads are flagged for inappropriate content or safety concerns
81% of brands consider transparency in brand safety compliance as a key factor in media buying decisions
67% of advertisers see measuring safety risk as increasingly important for optimizing digital campaigns
46% of ad campaigns have been delayed or disrupted due to brand safety issues
70% of brand safety incidents are related to content in video advertising
43% of consumers associate unsafe ad environments with negative brand perception
50% of digital campaigns incorporate safety as a mandatory criteria in their KPIs
71% of brand safety incidents are concentrated in programmatic advertising
34% of brands have experienced legal issues due to inappropriate ad placements
55% of marketers have increased their use of contextual targeting to improve safety outcomes
49% of digital ads are delivered through platforms that do not fully guarantee brand safety
72% of marketers say that safety concerns influence their creative approval process
66% of brands believe that ethical issues around content influence their safety policies
60% of publishers have adopted preventative measures to avoid unsafe ad placements

Brand Safety and Ethical Concerns Interpretation

With over 70% of marketers prioritizing brand safety amidst nearly half of campaigns experiencing safety breaches, the digital advertising landscape resembles a high-stakes game of whack-a-mole—where an ounce of proactive AI-powered content filtering is still not enough to fully safeguard reputation and trust.

Consumer Behavior and Response

28% of consumers recall seeing inappropriate ads, influencing their perception of the brand
39% of consumers say they have unfollowed or stopped engaging with brands after safety breaches

Consumer Behavior and Response Interpretation

These staggering stats underscore that when brands overlook safety, nearly a third of consumers notice—and over a third react by disengaging—making brand safety not just a concern but a critical brand reputation safeguard.

Verification and Quality Assurance

55% of marketers use third-party verification tools to monitor brand safety
Over 90% of programmatic advertising platforms have integrated some form of brand safety controls
58% of digital campaigns that experienced a security breach linked it to poor vetting of third-party data
69% of digital ad fraud cases are linked to content from unverified sources
78% of brands actively audit their ad placements to ensure safety compliance
55% of marketers believe that automated safety solutions reduce manual oversight and streamline campaign management
58% of marketers are willing to pay a premium for platforms with proven safety guarantees
49% of digital ad spend is allocated to environments with verified content
75% of ad fraud occurs via unsafe or unverified sources
62% of brand safety breaches can be mitigated through better publisher vetting processes
53% of digital ad spend is targeted toward verified safe content

Verification and Quality Assurance Interpretation

As digital advertising's landscape becomes increasingly perilous, over half of marketers rely on third-party tools, audits, and premium safety guarantees—each statistic a stark reminder that trusting unverified sources is a gamble where brand integrity and ad spend are both at stake.