As brands face mounting pressure to balance performance goals with brand safety, new research suggests that where ads appear online may have a measurable impact on return on investment. A study from ad tech firm Synexus highlights the financial and reputational risks of placing ads next to divisive digital content, quantifying what it describes as the hidden costs of polarizing content adjacency within the MarTech ecosystem.
Synexus released a report titled Attention Unblocked, conducted in partnership with attention measurement company Lumen. The study used eye tracking technology and consumer sentiment analysis to evaluate how audiences respond to advertising displayed in different editorial environments. By tracking eye movement patterns across digital screens, researchers examined how viewers process surrounding content and how those contexts influence brand perception.
The findings indicate that ads placed next to polarizing content perform significantly worse than those shown alongside non polarizing news and lifestyle material. According to the study, advertisements near divisive content generated 25 percent less attention and were 18 times more likely to produce negative brand perceptions. Researchers also observed lower recall and favorability metrics compared with placements in more neutral environments.
“Our findings are a wake-up call for advertisers: engagement unlocks ROI, but enragement destroys it,” said Maurice Nicholson, Chief Business Officer at Synexus. “Our research shows that consumers are significantly more likely to engage with ads shown next to trusted, non-polarizing content and far less likely to trust the brands they find beside polarizing clickbait.”
The report argues that many advertisers struggle to differentiate between harmful content and credible journalism in automated buying environments. Traditional brand safety approaches often rely on keyword blocking systems that flag specific terms without evaluating context. According to Synexus, this method can unintentionally block reputable reporting while allowing ads to appear alongside emotionally charged or divisive material that does not trigger keyword filters.
“For years, ad buyers have relied on ineffective ad-tech that too often places ads next to harmful polarizing content, while blocking them from appearing alongside more trustworthy, higher-ROI content,” Nicholson said. “Synexus helps brands tell the difference.”
Synexus promotes a contextual analysis approach that evaluates how topics are discussed rather than simply scanning for keywords. By focusing on tone and framing, the company says it can help advertisers identify environments that offer stronger engagement potential and lower reputational risk while avoiding placements that undermine campaign effectiveness.
“We want a healthy media environment,” Nicholson said. “When advertisers can reliably access safe and high-quality environments, everyone benefits, with better ad performance for brands and higher revenues for balanced and trusted journalism.”
The study’s conclusions add new data to ongoing industry discussions around brand safety, contextual targeting, and advertising performance. As advertisers seek to protect brand equity while maximizing attention and recall, research linking polarizing content adjacency to reduced ROI may influence how programmatic strategies are structured in the years ahead.
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