Sustainable Media is Effective Media

Recent research shows that digital media and advertising now produce more carbon emissions than the aviation industry. Data centres alone account for around 2.5% of global CO2 emissions — more than aviation’s 2.1%. In Ireland, the issue hits close to home, with 121 data centres across the country (108 of them located in Dublin)

As the internet continues to grow, so does its environmental impact. For those of us working in digital media, it’s clear that we have a responsibility to address this challenge — not just as individuals, but as an industry. The key question is: how can we balance sustainability with strong performance? 

There are solutions and strategies that we can use to make a difference — not only for the environment but also for campaign performance. Saying that sustainable media is effective media is a strong statement, but one grounded in both research and real-world results. 

At the Ad Ne Zero summit at Windmill Lane this week, panellists shared a range of findings and reports on sustainability efforts in Ireland and among Irish businesses. One point that stood up in relation to the media was that there is currently no Irish-specific viewpoint on creative wear-out, raising questions about how we understand creative fatigue — and how we might reduce, reuse, and recycle assets more effectively.

This week, WARC reported on a study by sustainability research group Scope3, which analysed over 500 million impressions from live campaigns using Scope3’s carbon emissions data. These campaigns actively avoided climate-risk inventory and worked to reduce their carbon footprint. The results were promising: as emissions dropped, clickthrough rates increased, while spend efficiency metrics like eCPM and CPA remained stable or even improved. 

Irish advertisers now have a real opportunity to be at the forefront of sustainable media. These strategies are not only better for the environment — they also offer a performance and efficiency advantage, giving brands a competitive edge while doing good.

Source: Scope3