When Google CEO Sundar Pichai confessed that his YouTube team had called “thousands and thousands” of brands to try to convince them not to pull their advertising from the video platform, it became clear that online video presents more problems to brands than lack of ROI. Ads being placed against offensive content – including livestreams of brutal assaults and even murder on social media – is the tip of the iceberg for brands struggling to avoid risk by association.
To the extent that every brand needs a live video strategy, should the approach be “Avoid at all costs”? Or should it be “Get with the times and embrace live, but do what you can to mitigate risk”? Communicus CEO Jeri Smith writes for the Observer on how marketers can make the most of online video without losing their jobs.
