Observed Signal · Aug 20, 2026 · Partnership · Source: https://martechseries.com/feed/ · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Brave Delivers 51% Higher ROI for IWG
Brave (the privacy-first browser and search engine) reported that IWG, owner of the Regus flexible workspace brand, tested Brave search advertising in the UK and US and achieved materially better performance than its established search channels. IWG used two Brave search ad formats — Keyword Triggered and Organic Triggered — and found ROI on Brave was 51% higher than on Microsoft Search, with an enquiry-to-deal rate of 10% (53% higher than Microsoft). After the initial test, IWG expanded Brave campaigns and now runs them continuously across five markets.
Shows a privacy-first search channel delivering significantly higher ROI and incremental demand versus established search platforms, indicating expanding ad inventory and targeting options for performance marketers.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Brave and IWG ran a joint test of Brave search advertising in the UK and US using two formats: Keyword Triggered and Organic Triggered.
- IWG reported ROI through Brave was 51% higher than through Microsoft.
- IWG’s enquiry-to-deal rate on Brave was 10%, 53% higher than through Microsoft.
- Following the test, IWG expanded Brave campaigns and now runs them continuously across five markets.
- IWG used Brave to reach incremental, high-intent demand beyond major search platforms.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Brave Browser & Search Engine, the independent, privacy-first browser and search engine, today revealed how IWG is using Brave to reach incr...”
“The article was published by MarTech Series (MTS), a business publication covering marketing technology news....”
“MarTech Series is part of the iTech Series network (mentioned in the article's About Us section)....”
“Referenced in a linked MarTech interview: 'MarTech Interview with Mark Listes, CEO @ Pendulum Intelligence.'...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Brave's Revenue Surges Amid AdTech Shakeup and Legal Battles
Brave’s Q1 2025 revenue reached $25 million, largely from the browser’s search ads, and Brave is developing its own search index, a costly move noted by The Information. The piece highlights a federal judge’s ruling that Google must share some of its valuable search index data with rivals. In AI-advertising debates, Criteo’s Todd Parsons says affiliate revenue could underpin ad trading in AI environments, while observers push for personalized ads. The roundup also covers publisher vulnerability to private equity and ad waste, with Megan Greenwell cautioning about broader industry dynamics. Notable items include Index Exchange suing Google for anticompetitive practices; Amazon Prime Video ads reaching 315 million viewers; Disney YouTube TV blackout revenue impacts; Paramount+ retiring its free trial; Warner Bros. Discovery seeking a sale; Yann LeCun leaving Meta to start a new venture; and Len Ostroff joining Criteo as EVP of business development.
Brave Introduced Its Own Privacy‑First Ads
Brave, launched in 2016 as a privacy‑forward ad‑blocking browser, has progressively added monetization features: opt‑in rewarded ads (introduced in 2019), a search advertising product built after acquiring Tailcat (formerly Cliqz), new‑tab takeover display ads, and limited pop‑up notifications. Brave’s ad approach emphasizes privacy and contextual targeting: ads are targeted by the query and user country only, with no third‑party cookies, no ad IDs, and no programmatic cross‑site tracking. Jean‑Paul Schmetz, Brave’s head of ads and CEO of Ghostery, argues browsers need owned search or search deals to monetize, comments on the implications of the Google search antitrust ruling and remedies, and discusses how AI search and sponsored/sponsored queries (e.g., OpenAI’s ads) affect publishers and competition.
Brave Expands into France and Germany with Key Hires
Brave Browser & Search Engine has announced expansion into continental Europe, appointing Zouher Yahia as Senior Ad Sales Director for France and Thomas Bindl as Senior Ad Sales Director for Germany. The move follows Brave’s growth in the UK, US and Canada. Brave Search is described as the third-largest independent search engine with an index of over 40 billion webpages and more than 2 billion monthly queries; the Brave browser has over 117 million users. In 2025 Brave reported a 55% increase in search queries via its browser and a 400% rise in advertising revenues. Brave promotes a privacy-first, no-profile search experience, serves a single ad per query, and offers ad formats including solus sponsored search placements and the New Tab Takeover.
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