Ad attention surges in SG, but so does bot fraud–even at APAC level: report

Singapore – Media measurement and verification platform DoubleVerify (NYSE: DV) has released its latest report for Asia-Pacific, revealing diverging trends in media quality across the region, even as global standards show overall improvement. Drawing from over a trillion impressions across desktop, mobile, and connected TV (CTV) platforms, the report also incorporates survey feedback from both marketers and consumers.

While global media quality saw progress — including a 15% drop in brand suitability violations and a 7% decline in fraud and sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) — the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region presented a more complex picture, with rising issues in brand safety and viewability.

Singapore sees surge in violations

In APAC, brand suitability violations were 50% higher than the global average, with a regional rate of 7.7%. Singapore stood out with a 14% year-over-year increase in violations, reaching 9.4%, far exceeding the global average of 5.2%.

Fraud and SIVT rates in APAC also ticked up to 0.8%, with Singapore again among the highest at 1.6%. The spike was largely driven by a 54% surge in nonhuman data center traffic and a marked rise in bot and emulator fraud.

Viewability remains a key challenge across the region. APAC posted the lowest global authentic viewable rate at 61%, with Singapore performing slightly better at 64%, though still below the global benchmark of 70%.

APAC leads in attention, lags in protection

Despite media quality concerns, APAC led all global regions in attention metrics, with an Attention Index of 114 — 14% above the global standard. Singapore matched the regional average, buoyed by strong engagement in medium-sized desktop display formats. This trend indicates strong audience receptivity and provides advertisers with a path to optimize for both attention and outcomes.

“While APAC continues to command strong audience attention, rising brand suitability violations and fraud levels show the need for more sophisticated, context-aware strategies,” the report stated.

Growing digital engagement, rising ad fatigue

The report also highlighted growing consumer engagement with digital content in APAC, with users spending an average of 3.5 hours online daily, particularly on social media. However, 46% of consumers now use ad blockers, and nearly half say they are less likely to buy from brands whose ads appear near false or offensive content — emphasizing the importance of brand-safe environments.

Marketers in Southeast Asia and India are responding by shifting budget towards commerce media networks, while prioritizing high-performing formats like social media reels and feeds to drive campaign impact.

A call for precision in media strategy

As media buying becomes increasingly complex, DoubleVerify’s latest insights underscore the urgent need for advertisers to balance performance with protection.

“Advertisers across APAC must tailor their strategies to local market conditions — addressing fraud and suitability challenges while leveraging formats and platforms that drive attention,” the report concluded.

Meanwhile, Conrad Tallariti, managing director for APAC at DoubleVerify, commented, “Singapore’s rising ad attention shows brands what’s possible, but the spike in bot and emulator fraud reminds us that performance must go hand-in-hand with protection to truly deliver ROI.”

He added, “Advertisers here are navigating increasingly fragmented environments where attention is hard-won and brand reputation can shift in an instant. Our latest findings emphasize the importance of real-time, region-specific insights to help brands maximize ROI, minimize waste, and ensure their media investments deliver both protection and performance.”