The Parents Television Council announced the Best and Worst TV Advertisers, an annual list of companies that support programming that is safe for families, and those who sponsor some of the most explicit TV programs.

“Advertisers are the lifeblood of TV programs, and the kind of content they sponsor matters greatly. Our recent research has shown TV programs are getting more violent and have increased profanity, which is extremely concerning to families. Advertisers have the power to change TV for the better and reverse these trends. Those advertisers on our Best List are sponsoring programming that is generally safe for kids and families to watch. Advertisers on our Worst List need to improve their TV ad buys,” said PTC President Tim Winter.

“Companies need to be responsible in all areas of their business, especially in the kind of TV programs they sponsor given that TV can negatively impact children. Companies should take note that a 2016 study commissioned by Scripps Networks Interactive and UP TV found that ‘ads seen in TV-G rated programming score substantially higher in generating attention and purchase intent than commercials appearing in television shows with TV-14 and TV-MA ratings.’”

PTC Program Director Melissa Henson encouraged families to support those companies on the Best List with their holiday shopping. “We applaud these companies for supporting families, and we want to show our support in return,” she said. “Of note, Wendy’s is on our Best List after being on our Worst List for a number of years. Verizon is a new addition to our Best List. Congratulations to those companies and to the others made it onto our Best List. We hope they serve as examples to those on our Worst List that improvements can and should be made to their ad purchases.”

PTC’s Best and Worst Advertisers of 2019

The list is arranged by industry, followed by the best and worst companies in each category: