Why Ethical Advertising Should be Centre of Your Strategy

Whilst ethical advertising is not a new concept, it is now a focus in the advertising world and has rightly been pushed into the spotlight of brand’s campaigns. Ethical advertising prioritises fairness and equity both in messaging and in a consumer’s experience.

When brands are creating their future strategies, it can be easy to overlook ethical advertising whilst also balancing KPIs and outcomes, but to build trust with consumers, they need to ensure it is front and centre.

Partnering with the Consumer

As we face instability across the globe and there is more uncertainty when it comes to spending; brands need to make sure they create loyalty with their customers. Consumers are looking for brands to act with purpose, in fact, 88% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support.

This is especially true in the face of change and uncertainty, where they are looking for ‘comfort options’. Marketers have a key role to play here as they can build trust and business value through purpose-driven marketing ensuring consumer loyalty.

This need to build loyalty has only been exacerbated with privacy concerns. With the proliferation of new technologies and important questions around the use of consumer data, ethics in online advertising is becoming essential to regain trust lost.

As privacy expectations have increased, consumers are taking over their data; this means data transparency needs to be a high-priority for brands. Tech companies that provide ethical and transparent platforms are the solution here.

By partnering with a transparent end to end platform, brands will be able to address consumers needs for authenticity and honesty. As well as protecting user data and making consumers aware of how their data is used, these platforms also ensure high- quality ads are delivered in a premium environment.

High-Quality Publishers are King

Whilst brands look to create more ethical advertisements, a second part of this is supporting quality journalism to sustain the industry and promote the right environment. Advertisers know that they need to frame their ads alongside premium content to earn consumer trust and ensure spend does not end up on the wrong publications.

By working with publishers and an overall supply chain that provides transparency and offers quality to consumers, advertisers can directly fund reputable content. In turn, by  positioning their adverts alongside quality content and utilising the trust already gained there, brands will be able to earn consumer trust and loyalty.

Transparency is Key

As well as quality journalism, brands need to ensure their consumers feel they are being transparent and honest about their intentions. It is important that a brand establishes their core values and sticks to them, whether that is around sustainability, the way they process data or another area of the business; it needs to feel authentic.

For example, if a brand is stating that they care for the environment, their CEO should not be flying to multiple places via a private jet each week. As a brand you need to make sure you live and breathe your values so that you feel genuine to your customers.

Ethical advertising, transparency and privacy are all intertwined. As consumers become more aware of how their data is utilised and engaged with, ethical advertising is essential in the privacy-first world. 

It is important for brands to remember that trust is gained in drops and lost in buckets. The risk of not paying attention and engaging in ethical advertising is real. If you don’t feel authentic to your customers they will have no concerns looking for another brand who better aligns with their values. 

It is important to make sure you’re being true to your brand purpose. By building a relationship with your customers, staying consistent and prioritising an ethical approach you will get long-term value and loyalty from them.