Eric Cox / Reuters
- Stagwell, a marketing group, is challenging the idea that running advertising next to so-called hard news hurts brands.
- A study by the firm found brand perception seemed largely unaffected by the content of stories ads ran against.
- Perceptions about "unsafe" topics to run ads with could make news a cost-effective opportunity for marketers.
The news industry has long faced a particular financial dilemma.
Much of news organizations' money has traditionally come from advertising, but a lot of the biggest news isn't the kind of thing that advertisers want their ads to appear alongside.