The Problem
Google built an ecosystem where your brand search terms are held hostage and you are forced to bid on them to ensure that users who are trying to get to your website can do so easily. The extra frustrating piece is that anyone who has tested going dark on brand search - or used an incrementality measurement partner - knows that turning these campaigns off results in lost traffic even in less competitive auctions.
Most advertisers feel stuck deciding between two bad outcomes:
Pay through the nose for the privilege of reaching their own audience
Turn off brand campaigns and lose out on traffic while leaving the door open to competitor conquest campaigns
Brand Control