IPG Mediabrands and Zefr have partnered to tackle misinformation and enhancing brand safety for online campaigns.

The collaboration will provide campaign solutions that allow brands to avoid misinformation across social platforms in areas including political, climate, healthcare, AI-generated, and brand-specific content.

Zefr, a contextual data platform, recently released a new study with MAGNA titled 'Ads in Misinformation'. The study tested the effectiveness of standard content against misinformation for brands in the auto, CPG, insurance, and finance industries. The findings revealed that advertising next to misinformation led to wasted ad dollars, eroded brand perception, and negatively impacted performance KPIs.

In the wake of these findings, the 2024 election cycle in the US is expected to generate US$9 billion of additional ad revenue for media owners. However, consumers are critical of brands that advertise next to 'fake news'. This partnership between IPG Mediabrands and Zefr aims to tackle this issue head-on, ensuring brand safety and relevance in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

"Helping our clients to protect their brands while reaching their audiences through the most effective channels is core to the work we do as their agency partners. By engaging in specialised partnerships like this with Zefr, we are ensuring our clients have access not only to our in-house expertise, but also to the best tools and capabilities the industry has to offer, so their media investments are strategic and made with relevant, high industry standards in mind," said US & Global President at MAGNA, Dani Benowitz.

Zefr Chief Commercial Officer, Andrew Serby, said the partnership would apply media responsibility to client investment around the world. "At Zefr, we have been proactive in tackling misinformation across walled gardens, combining advanced AI for multi-media with global fact-checking networks. IPG’s leadership in combating misinformation for their clients is second to none, and this partnership underscores that commitment towards this critical issue. Together, we are accelerating the fight against misinformation across walled gardens, applying media responsibility to client investment around the world."

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group, managing over $47 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients.