There is a golden opportunity for advertisers if they only stop blocking the news!
The opportunity for news brands over the next twelve months is compelling, especially in terms of what they can offer to advertisers: Scale. Engagement. Trust. Relevance. Innovation. And of course, quality journalism.
Last year was a pivotal year for democracy across the globe, with more than half the world’s population eligible to vote. It was also a year that illustrated the important role journalists play in our democratic society.
The results of a poll we ran in September — neatly sandwiched between the UK and US elections — revealed that an overwhelming number of Brits (76%) understand the value of quality journalism.
As the latest PAMCo figures show, 24 million people a day, 38 million a week and 44 million a month now actively read a national news brand.
And despite common misconceptions, news brands are popular with young people. Our latest study into youth readership proved that 15-29-year-olds are engaged with trusted news environments.
Nine in ten consume news — while 72% engage with news brands on a regular basis — checking on average six news items a day.
And there’s good news for advertisers too — 68% visit a retail site after reading news brand content.
This backs up the work by effectiveness expert Peter Field whose analysis of the IPA Databank showed the link between trust in news brands and advertiser profit growth has risen sharply over the last decade.
The golden opportunity news brands offer to advertisers is strong. Increasingly relevant... to young and old. Trusted... by millions. Engaging... with engaged large scale audiences. Valued... and highly valuable to advertisers.
But here’s the problem.
Advertising blocklists are one of the biggest threats to news brands.
Blocklisting and the continued paranoia around perceived brand safety issues continue to unwittingly defund trusted journalism.
And it means advertisers are blocked from reaching highly engaged and profitable audiences who value and trust the journalism they consume.
Last year, Stagwell’s extensive Future of News UK report found that it is safe for brands to advertise adjacent to quality news content, regardless of topic. This was quickly followed by a separate study by Teads and Lumen which came to the same conclusion.
Enders Analysis CEO Douglas McCabe said it best: “...journalism provides material brand leverage, not its opposite. The whole system should be turned on its head, and quantify the benefits of context for pricing power and consumer propensity.”
I have been encouraged by the growing number of allies and voices across the ad industry who understand the issue and are championing for change.
Not just because of journalism’s importance to society, but because of the value news brands offer to advertisers.
But we have to work harder together to change this carte blanche approach to blocklisting. We need to get back to a world where context is key.
After all, the evidence — and there is plenty of it — shows that this approach will benefit advertisers.
This article was first published in the Publishing Partners Guide 2025, which was distributed with the January / February 2025 issue of InPublishing magazine. You can register to receive InPublishing magazine here.
