[User Awareness Survey on Digital Advertising] 78.0% Say 'Corporate Image Worsens' When Ads Appear on Inappropriate Content

Momentum Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kohei Hosoi; hereinafter 'Momentum') conducted a 'Survey on Digital Ad Placement and Corporate Brand Awareness' targeting 500 general internet users nationwide.

Background

In recent programmatic advertising, the proliferation of generative AI and automated optimization of delivery platforms have exacerbated the issue of 'brand safety,' where a company's ads are unintentionally displayed on inappropriate websites or offensive content.

This survey has revealed the actual impact of ad delivery on inappropriate content on consumer purchasing behavior and brand trust.

Statistical data has demonstrated that ad exposure on unintended placements due to reliance on automated delivery systems is not merely a matter of image degradation but is directly linked to economic and practical damage, such as reduced advertising effectiveness and loss of loyal customers.

Key Findings of the Survey

78.0% of users reported that their 'impression worsens' towards a company or brand upon seeing its ads on inappropriate content.

77.8% of users reported that they would 'hesitate to click' on an ad, even if interested in the content, depending on the nature of the placement site.

65.6% of users would 'refrain from purchasing' or 'doubt corporate ethics' even for a favorite brand if its ads appeared on inappropriate sites.

Detailed Survey Results

1. 'Exposure Risk' Destroying Brand Value
When a company's ad is displayed on inappropriate or fraudulent content, 78.0% of respondents stated their impression of the company or brand would 'worsen.' This proves that it is not merely a passive loss of advertising effectiveness but an active risk that destroys the brand value built up over time.

2. Quality of Ad Placement Hindering Conversion Opportunities
When asked, 'If you were interested in the ad content itself but the placement site's content was inappropriate, would you hesitate to click (tap)?', a full 77.8% of users answered 'yes.' Consumers expressed security concerns and wariness of delivery algorithms, revealing that inappropriate placements directly impact advertising performance.

3. 65.6% of Fans Experience Defection or Doubts about Corporate Ethics
When users learned that a company's advertising budget was effectively being used to fund inappropriate or fraudulent content, 65.6% of consumers reported changes in behavior or awareness, such as refraining from purchasing. Consumers directly interpret ad exposure on inappropriate sites as 'the company financially supporting that activity,' which can lead to severe loyalty decline even for beloved brands, posing a direct management risk.

For more details on the survey, please see this article: https://www.m0mentum.co.jp/column/2026-consumersurvey

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Awareness Survey on Digital Ad Placement and Corporate Brand

Target: General internet users nationwide

Valid Responses: 500 samples (n=500)

Survey Period: May 2026

Survey Method: Internet questionnaire survey

Comment from Momentum President and CEO Hosoi on the Survey Results

The survey has revealed, with specific figures, that the majority of consumers expect companies to manage and control where their digital ads are placed.

While digital marketing departments often focus on cost and efficiency metrics in ad operations, implementing appropriate placement controls to protect one's own brand will ultimately lead to business growth.

Momentum will continue to disseminate information and provide services to help establish governance for corporate digital advertising.

About Momentum Inc.

Momentum is an ad verification solutions company that drives efforts to clean up Japan's digital advertising industry, based on language analysis technology specialized in Japanese and proprietary ad fraud detection technology. Our solutions are widely used by domestic advertising agencies and ad platforms. Many leading Japanese companies have joined our certification programs, the Agency Certification Program (ACP) for agencies and the Platform Certification Program (PCP) for ad platforms. We contribute to the development of a healthy digital advertising market by realizing our mission of 'Creating a Trust Infrastructure for the Digital Society.'

URL: https://www.m0mentum.co.jp