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In an era where environmentally conscious choices are gaining momentum, brands strive to convey their commitment to sustainability. Google’s research has revealed that 66% of consumers actively seek out “eco-friendly” brands, underscoring the increasing importance of green credentials in the market.
Nevertheless, skepticism looms, as 72% of individuals believe companies tend to overstate their sustainability efforts. This skepticism, however, can spark meaningful change, encouraging brands to make tangible emissions reductions that stand out when reported.
Across the industry, leading brands are taking measurable steps to infuse climate action into their digital advertising campaigns. While there’s no universal formula, these industry leaders share valuable insights on creating campaigns that embrace sustainability. Three distinct strategies emerge from their endeavors:
1. Elevating User Experience through Sustainability
Optimizing digital advertisements involves more than just aesthetics. Including trackers and code snippets adds network traffic and strains CPUs, ultimately impacting the user experience and elevating emissions. Simple shifts such as implementing dark mode or dimming creative assets enhance site performance and drastically cut emissions.
This approach’s effectiveness is demonstrated by the eyewear brand Arnette. This EssilorLuxottica-owned brand witnessed lower digital carbon footprints and a remarkable 32% increase in conversion rates among site visitors who utilized dark mode.
2. Energy-Efficient Tactics for Enhanced Performance
The act of displaying ads contributes to carbon emissions, influenced by the size of creative elements and their execution on devices. Brands can reduce emissions by optimizing creative elements’ size and compression and adopting server-side tagging.
For example, French electricity provider EDF harnessed Display & Video 360’s Custom Bidding option, leading to a 17% reduction in cost per conversion and an estimated 13% decrease in emissions.
3. Harnessing Asset Reuse for Sustainability
Creating ad campaign assets bears an inherent carbon footprint, highlighting the importance of strategic planning. A case in point is a Google Ads acquisition campaign that incorporated sustainability into its foundation by assessing and repurposing prior campaign assets. Sustainable travel choices were prioritized during production, yielding substantial emissions reductions and significant cost savings.
Embracing Industry-Wide Shifts toward Decarbonization
The unveiling of initiatives like Ad Net Zero, a global action plan targeting carbon emissions reduction in advertising, marks a turning point for the industry. A noticeable shift towards operational adjustments that emphasize sustainability is underway.
As brands adapt and align their advertising strategies with climate action, they demonstrate that impactful campaigns can coexist with environmental responsibility. The journey toward a more sustainable advertising landscape is a collective endeavor, underlining the industry’s commitment to a greener future.
