Misinformation is widely regarded as inappropriate across the political spectrum, with 83% of left-leaning individuals, 76% of moderates and 74% of right-leaning individuals agreeing on its negative impact. Additionally, 47% of people hold brands accountable when their ads appear next to misinformation, underscoring the importance for brands to carefully consider where their ads are placed.

Brands pay the price when their ads appear next to content perceived as misinformation, missing out on building respect, trustworthiness and brand preference. Even existing customers are affected, with no gains in search intent compared to a +9% increase when the same ad appears with standard content. By analyzing viewer responses and engagement levels, the research seeks to provide insights into whether ads in these contexts can achieve their intended goals or if they are negatively impacted by the association with misinformation.