Affluent Adults & Those In Senior Management Have Heightened Concerns About Brand Safety, According To Research From The 614 Group

Findings Align with Significant Growth of the Brand Safety Summit Series

In 2021, Five Events Slated in North America, APAC, and Europe with Thousands of Senior Industry Executives Expected to Participate

News provided by

The 614 Group

Apr 14, 2021, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, April 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of the current social, political, and economic climate, when asked if they are more or less concerned about where they see brands or companies' ads appear than they were two years ago, affluent consumers (HHI $80K) and senior-level managers in the same income bracket report higher concern about ad placement than the broader U.S. population (affluent – 45%; Sr managers – 52%; gen pop – 37%). Moreover, brand advertising adjacency has greater likelihood of influencing purchase decisions in these key B2C and B2B audiences (affluent – 46%; Sr managers – 53%; gen pop – 39%).

These findings – from the new "Brand Safety: 2021 Topline Perceptions" study from The 614 Group and conducted by YouGov – are in lockstep with the growth of The 614 Group's Brand Safety Summit series of events. In 2021, the consulting group has planned to serve its audience of 20,000 loyal followers with events on three continents showcasing expert industry speakers to address the most compelling topics in brand safety. The Brand Safety Summit Series this year brings together major brands, all the agency holding groups, many of the largest platforms and publishers, and the leading tech companies solving for consumer safety.

When the consulting group kicked off the conference in the fall of 2014, it was with a single live event in New York City which brought 100 executives together to discuss and debate topics such as, "What is viewability?". Since then, the Brand Safety Summit has grown to become the leading thought leadership gathering on the topic and has been recognized by leaders as the industry's premiere event where decision makers come together to improve online advertising.

In the last 8 years, the Brand Safety Summit has expanded into an annual series of must-attend events across the globe, produced in New York City, Singapore, and London, as well as Cologne, attracting powerhouse speakers such as:

Yvonne Abt, Vice President, Media and Data Strategy, Sony Pictures Entertainment, North America
B. Bonin Bough, Former Chief Media, and E-Commerce Officer, Mondelez, North America
Dave Byrne, Head of Brand Safety and Industry Relations, TikTok for Business
Tony Chen, CEO, Channel Factory
Frederique Covington Corbett, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Strategy and Planning, Visa
Brian King, President, Marriott International Caribbean and Latin America, North America
Lou Paskalis, Senior Vice President, Customer Engagement and Media Investment, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch
Susan Schiekofer, Chief Digital Investment Officer, GroupM
Jack Smith, Chief Product Officer, Double Verify
Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, S4 Capital

Despite the pandemic's challenges, the 2020 series grew in both geography and numbers of those who participated. Now, executives are already clamoring for access to The 614 Group's 2021 slate:

Brand Safety Summit Asia – Singapore – April 14, 2021
Brand Safety Summit North America – New York City – May 18 & 20, 2021
Brand Safety Summit Europe – in London – July 6, 2021
Brand Safety Summit @ Dmexco – in Cologne – September 9, 2021
Brand Safety Summit North America – New York City – November 11, 2021

"What is really exciting to me is the evolution of the conversation globally in the eyes of brands and agencies who, while they always need to watch the bottom line, also understand more clearly than ever the value of making brand safety investments for their customers," said Rob Rasko, President, The Brand Safety Summit Series. "These research findings up the ante when it comes to important B2C and B2B audiences."

Channel Factory is the presenting partner of the 2021 series of events. "Brand safety in 2021 is important. In addition to the findings in this 614 Group study, our own research shows that 68 percent of consumers would prefer to buy from a brand that was committed to making online environments more positive. Our goal this year is to do just that, so we are joining forces with the Brand Safety Summit to ensure we are helping to support and facilitate these conversations," added Tony Chen, CEO, Channel Factory.

DoubleVerify, TAG, TikTok, and Unruly are also full-year partners of the event. Agency partners for the Brand Safety Summit series include founding partner Group M, as well as Premier Content Partners, Dentsu, Publicis Groupe, and Matterkind. Facebook, Pixability, Nielsen and Media.Net are other sponsors signed up for New York City and other events later in the year.

"As social and digital consumption continues to rise, Facebook is committed to working across the industry on critical concerns for advertisers in the realm of brand safety and suitability. Participating in the dialogue at 614 Group's virtual Brand Safety Summit Series is an important part of that commitment," said Colleen Soriano Weinrich, Facebook Head of Agency (North America), who will be speaking at the Brand Safety Summit New York on May 18, 2021.

More findings from the "Brand Safety: 2021 Topline Perceptions" can be found here.

Methodology:
This survey has been conducted using an online interview administered to members of the YouGov Plc panel of individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys. Emails are sent to panelists selected at random from the base sample. The e-mail invites them to take part in a survey and provides a generic survey link. Once a panel member clicks on the link they are sent to the survey that they are most required for, according to the sample definition and quotas. (The sample definition could be "US adult population" or a subset such as "US adult females''). Invitations to surveys don't expire and respondents can be sent to any available survey. The responding sample is weighted to the profile of the sample definition to provide a representative reporting sample. The profile is normally derived from census data or, if not available from the census, from industry accepted data.

YouGov plc makes every effort to provide representative information. All results are based on a sample and are therefore subject to statistical errors normally associated with sample-based information.

The 614 Group:
The 614 Group is a results-driven digital advertising infrastructure consultancy, providing strategic and tactical services to our clients. With unparalleled experience, a global network and talent, the firm generates the ideal blend of visionary and executable support services which can be completely customized to each client's capabilities and goals. Through our original content, live events, and research, we empower the industry-at-large with cutting-edge education and resources. Based in the U.S., the firm comprises 40 consultants across three top global markets.

Media Contact:
Laura Goldberg
LBG Public Relations for The 614 Group
[email protected]
347-683-1859

SOURCE The 614 Group