• by Joe Mandese , September 5, 2024

Less than a month after the World Federation of Advertisers shuttered GARM (the Global Alliance for Responsible Media), Dentsu is helping jumpstart a new coalition to encourage advertisers to invest their media budgets in credible news outlets.

Dentsu is partnering with researcher and consultancy The 614 Group on the as-yet-unnamed coalition, which already has two ad-tech suppliers -- OpenX and Sightly -- as underwriters.

Dentsu did not disclose which brands have joined the coalition to date, but it said it is in the process of inviting marketers and underwriters to join the coalition.

While the companies did not explicitly say whether the initiative is in response to the void created by GARM's demise, the new coalition's goals seem designed to fill it.

"This initiative comes as a response to the growing challenges faced by journalism in the digital age, where traditional monetization strategies have struggled under the weight of brand safety and suitability measures," the companies said in a statement, adding: "This collaboration will study why leading brands invest in news today and aim to deliver a marketer’s point of view on how these investments can increase. The effort has gained support from several dentsu clients who will be sharing important data and understanding in the research process."

The effort will initially be U.S.-based, but Dentsu hopes to make it multinational or truly global based on industry interest, and dependent on laws, regulations and cultures in other international markets.

In terms of tangible output, the companies said they plan to create a "playbook for leading brands who make serious investments in news, especially at critical times such as during the 2024 election cycle."

The playbook's goals include:

• Understanding how leading marketers wish to activate in news media.

• Developing a buyer’s view of the current offerings and commentary on what works and why.

• Surfacing data on performance captured by news.

• Rapid Mobilization: Understanding why brands might block news content and finding consensus on solutions.

• Ad Tech Advancements: Enhancing tools that allow for safer, more effective brand presence in news-related media.

“Today, more than ever, it is crucial that the digital advertising community recognizes the intrinsic value of news -- not just as a medium, but as a cornerstone of society," Dentsu Executive Vice President-Head of Media Responsibility Deva Bronson said in a statement, adding: "Through this coalition, we aim to highlight that investing in news is not just good ethics; it's sound business strategy."