Here's a surprising truth: the internet and the aviation industry are neck and neck in the production of global GHG emissions, both contributing nearly 4%. Digital advertising plays a significant role in this scenario, underpinning much of the internet's functionality from search engines to various content platforms, thereby contributing to a substantial portion of these emissions.
A single digital ad campaign can produce around 5.4 tons of CO2 according to GoodLoop's carbon calculator, roughly the equivalent to flying around the world one and a half times. With programmatic (the use of advertising technology to buy and sell digital ads) ad impressions producing about one gram of CO2 each, the cumulative impact becomes substantial when considering the trillions of impressions generated annually. This not only highlights the scale of the issue but also underscores an urgent need for the advertising sector to recalibrate its practices towards sustainability.
The Challenge of Measuring Impact
Historically, one of the significant hurdles in addressing the carbon footprint of digital advertising has been the complexity of tracing and measuring emissions across the digital supply chain. This challenge has made it difficult for brands, publishers, and advertising executives to fully integrate digital advertising into their sustainability programs in a meaningful way.
A Shift in Perspective
However, the narrative is shifting. Advances in technology now allow for comprehensive mapping and analysis of carbon emissions from devices, publishers, and creative formats, providing a reliable method to measure and integrate digital advertising into broader sustainability goals. This progress presents an opportunity for the advertising industry to transform from a contributor to global emissions to a proactive force for environmental stewardship.
Companies like Scope3 are leading the charge in this arena. Founded with the mission to decarbonize the digital advertising supply chain, Scope3 has developed a methodology to measure the end-to-end emissions of an ad's campaign delivery. By accounting for the carbon cost, they aim to reflect the true price of digital advertising, encouraging the industry to internalize these environmental costs in their operations.
Incentivising Sustainability
The journey toward sustainability in advertising requires a fundamental change in mindset across the entire ecosystem. For instance, if advertisers prioritize low-carbon campaigns, buying platforms will naturally gravitate towards more carbon-efficient supply options. This creates an economic incentive for publishers to minimize their carbon footprints, fostering a cycle of continuous improvement towards sustainability.
Moreover, reevaluating content strategies, such as opting for shorter video formats that are both effective and less carbon-intensive, can further reduce the environmental impact. Embracing new metrics that include sustainability benchmarks alongside traditional measures like brand safety can pave the way for a more eco-friendly digital landscape.
Measuring and Optimizing Media for Attention Can Cut Emissions by 63%
A study conducted by Playground xyz reveals a way to dramatically lower carbon emissions from digital advertising campaigns by 63%, by optimizing for Attention Time. The study showed that 40% of online ads remain unseen by viewers, despite being on display, leading to 15.3% of ad budgets being spent on non-effective inventory that not only fails to engage customers but also significantly increases CO2 emissions.
The study demonstrates that eliminating ads from websites where the attention time is below 0.5 seconds can decrease overall emissions by an average of 63%, while simultaneously increasing the average attention time per impression by nearly 40%.
Additionally, it suggests that advertisers have the potential to further cut their emissions by nearly 60% by strategically excluding ads from the top 20% of websites with the highest carbon emissions.
This strategy presents a dual advantage of boosting viewer engagement while significantly reducing the environmental impact of digital ad campaigns.
Looking Forward
The path to sustainable digital advertising requires a collective effort from all stakeholders in the industry. By pricing carbon into decision-making processes, along with optimizing for Attention Time, brands can drive demand for lower-carbon supply chains, creating a virtuous cycle of sustainability. With ongoing innovations in carbon footprint measurement and the strategic placement of ads, there's hope for a digital advertising ecosystem that not only thrives economically but also contributes positively to the planet.
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