Many companies are blocking their ads from appearing next to sensitive terms linked to the coronavirus, creating keyword blacklists similar to the ones used to avoid stories about airplane crashes, mass shootings and impeachment proceedings. “Coronavirus” was the second-most-blocked term online last month behind “Trump,” according to the technology company Integral Ad Science.
In an increasingly divisive environment, some companies regularly block thousands of keywords in an effort to sidestep backlash. But often, experts said, the caution leaves no room for gray areas and denies publishers much-needed advertising revenue. A cruise company might want to sidestep coronavirus content, but an automaker has less reason to keep its ads away from valuable consumers on reputable platforms.
“The use of the algorithm seems to be kind of a crutch,” said Ari Paparo, the chief executive of the ad tech start-up Beeswax, who recently pointed out valuable unfilled ad space on The New York Times’s website on Twitter.
The anxiety surrounding the outbreak is creating openings for shady marketers, said Joshua Lowcock, the chief digital and global brand safety officer for the marketing and media agency UM. Coronavirus is generating heavy news coverage, creating more space for ads. But as larger companies steer clear, the supply is being filled with bids from what he calls “profiteering opportunists.”
“Because there isn’t demand from legitimate advertisers, you’ve got unscrupulous advertisers stepping into that void,” he said.
As a result, dubious ads that normally cannot afford to land near high-quality content are squeezing into prime positions, taking advantage of the trust built up on those sites, Mr. Zaneis said.
“The slimy folks on the internet will always find the little cracks and crevices and ooze in there,” he said.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/business/media/cruise-ads-coronavirus.html
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