Sightly and Horizon Media score over 99% in IAS YouTube brand safety measurement beta

Sightly and Horizon Media today announced the results of a joint beta test using the newly released IAS YouTube Brand Safety and Suitability Solution. Sightly says is the first third-party Google partner to use IAS YouTube Brand Safety beta, and achieved over 99% brand safety for participating clients of Horizon Media.

Together, this partnership between Sightly, Horizon Media, and IAS aimed to empower media buyers by ensuring brand suitable environments on YouTube through which advertisers can reach only the most pertinent and applicable audiences.

“Brand suitability in the form of context and brand safety is paramount for our clients advertising on YouTube,” said Alex Stone, VP, Digital Investment, Horizon Media. “We need to ensure our clients that their advertising will only appear alongside brand suitable video content. In working with Sightly and IAS, our clients have increased assurance that their pre-roll video reaches the most interested viewers with the most relevant video ads, with further confidence in where these ads will appear.”

IAS YouTube Brand Safety and Suitability use different variables available via the YouTube data API to determine if YouTube videos pass or fail based on brand safety and suitability standards set by the advertiser. The failed inventory is then categorized according to brand risks, such as Adult Content and Violence.

In this beta test with Horizon Media clients, Sightly selected the most conservative risk thresholds against all of the categories and achieved a brand safety pass rate of over 99%. By utilizing an extensive real-time blacklist, coupled with people-based targeting models, Sightly was able to find the desired target audience in the most relevant brand safe placements on YouTube and the Google Video Network.

“We have always believed that in order to solve big industry challenges all parties have to work together and this YouTube Brand Safety solution is the perfect example of that,” said Harmon Lyons, SVP of Global Business Development, IAS. “This solution not only helps protect brands for brand safety but gives advertisers the opportunity to be more selective in what types of videos fit their brand suitability needs.”

“We are thrilled to be the first Google third-party partner to pilot IAS YouTube Brand Safety, and even more thrilled with the results of the beta program with Horizon Media,” said Kristlyn Lyons, Director, Business Development and Partnerships, Sightly. “Achieving a brand safety pass rate of over 99% is a direct result of our focus on bringing the latest technology solutions to our clients that drive value and deliver better results.”