Sponsorship

Brand Safety

Short Definition

Brand Safety refers to the practices and tools used to ensure that a brand’s advertisements or sponsorships appear alongside content that aligns with the brand’s values, avoiding reputational risks and inappropriate associations on YouTube.

Detailed Definition

Brand Safety is a critical consideration for media buyers and marketers investing in YouTube sponsorships. It involves assessing the suitability of a channel’s content to ensure alignment with a brand’s values, mission, and audience expectations. Misaligned sponsorships can lead to reputational damage or alienation of key consumer segments.

Role in YouTube’s Ecosystem 

YouTube’s vast and diverse content landscape makes Brand Safety essential. With millions of creators uploading videos across genres, ensuring ad placements on appropriate channels is vital for protecting brand reputation.

Why It Matters

  • Creators: Channels with high safety grades attract premium brand partnerships and build trust with a broader range of advertisers.
  • Media Buyers: Quickly identify channels that meet brand-specific safety criteria, reducing the risk of associating with inappropriate or controversial content.
  • Marketers: Ensure campaigns reflect the brand’s image and resonate positively with target audiences.

Key Features on Our Platform

Our platform provides an advanced feature that is specifically designed to streamline the decision-making process for media buyers: Brand Safety Grade.

What is the Brand Safety Grade?

The Brand Safety Grade is an A through F letter grading system that evaluates the potential risk level of a YouTube channel's content. It helps media buyers assess how suitable a channel is for brand alignment, based on factors like appropriateness, kid-friendliness, and overall content risk.

Key Features for Media Buyers

  • Quick Assessment: Each channel receives a grade from A (High Safety) to F (High Risk), making it easy to identify the right channels for your campaigns at a glance.
  • ‍Detailed Insights: Hovering over a channel's Brand Safety Grade triggers a tool tip with a detailed explanation of why that channel received its specific grade.
  • ‍Transparency: The breakdown includes insights into potentially sensitive topics, tone, or audience considerations, helping you make informed choices for sponsorships.

Why This Matters for Media Buyers

Streamlined Vetting: Save time by eliminating channels that don’t meet your brand’s safety standards.

Enhanced Confidence: Ensure your campaigns align with your brand's values by choosing channels with high safety grades.

‍Improved ROI: Focus your investment on creators whose content resonates with your target audience without risking your brand’s reputation.

How to Use It

The Brand Safety Grade column is accessible on the channel reports. Hover over any channel's grade to view a breakdown of the evaluation criteria, ensuring you have the context you need to make confident buying decisions.

This tool is part of our commitment to empowering media buyers with the data and insights needed to run effective, scalable YouTube sponsorship campaigns.

Leveraging Brand Safety for YouTube Sponsorship Success

Tips for Media Buyers and Marketers

  • Use Safety Grades: Focus on channels with high safety grades (A or B) for campaigns targeting general or kid-friendly audiences.
  • Understand the Context: Use the detailed insights accompanying the safety grade to align sponsorships with your brand’s values.
  • Target Strategically: High safety grades often indicate greater advertiser trust, leading to better engagement and ROI.

Success Stories A family-oriented food brand exclusively partnered with A-graded channels, resulting in a 150% increase in positive sentiment and engagement during its campaign.

Related Metrics and Data Points

  • Engagement Rate
  • Audience Demographics
  • Evergreen Score