Why your ad’s environment is your competitive advantage

Research from PA Consulting and The Trade Desk Intelligence shows that quality pays off. In fact, ads placed in premium media environments drive 30% higher purchase intent than those in lower-quality settings, the study shows. For marketers focused on reach alone, the data points to a growing truth: Where ads appear matters as much as what they say.

The measurable case for quality

According to the research published in The Premium Payoff report, extending your media plan beyond “cheap reach” can help ensure your brand shows up in suitable environments with high-quality audiences.

The research shows brands that advertise on premium media experience a boost in both perception and impact:

• Ads seen in premium media are 60% more effective at driving consumer perceptions of a brand as popular or successful.
• Premium placements are 50% more effective at improving perceptions of advertisers compared to less premium media.
• Over three-quarters (85%) of survey respondents say that premium media environments increase their trust of advertisers.

Defining premium media

But how can you know which media is premium? Premium media is trusted, curated, and earns audience attention via a combination of: 

• Brand affinity: Everything people think or feel about a media property before they even land on it
• High-quality environments: Everything people experience when they get there — including advertising

Premium media brands typically use distinctive cues in their environment to create a tailored experience that is:

• Perceived as more credible
• Optimized for a frictionless experience between content and ads
• Built around belonging and audience affinity

Premium media environments extend across CTV, digital, and audio, delivering:

• Seamless UX and ad integration: A clean, intuitive layout where ads enhance, rather than disrupt, the user experience; in fact, 57% of respondents in the study agree that ad-related factors are the biggest drivers of media quality overall
• Trust and transparency: Environments with a clear cultural identity and a reputation for quality content
• Cultural relevance: Publishers whose values and content results in a perceptual “halo effect” for brands

Activating the premium advantage

Once you understand the markers of premium media and the importance of leveraging it across the open internet, activating it becomes straightforward.

Here are four steps you can take to help your ads run in premium environments:

1. Focus on high-fidelity channels: Lean into CTV, digital, and audio channels that consistently offer clear user experiences and strong brand consistency.
2. Audit for trust signals: Look for clean layouts, seamless ad formats, and publishers with clear cultural relevance.
3. Align on values: Partner with publishers who reflect your brand’s ethos, ensuring the environment aligns with your brand identity and creates that “halo effect.”
4. Prioritize curated marketplaces: Utilize tools like the Sellers and Publishers 500+ list with pre-vetted, high-quality inventory.

As the research reveals, marketers who prioritize quality environments can see stronger results. Indeed, choosing media with the hallmarks of premium helps drive measurable gains in advertising effectiveness and consumer perception. In a market crowded with noise, where your ads appear can be the factor that sets your brand apart.

Source: 
The Premium Payoff, PA Consulting and The Trade Desk Intelligence, U.S., U.K., France, Oct. 2025.