CANNES — We are all part of one planet. Now, if ad-tech companies could operate as one movement, too, they may advance the cause of environmental sustainability.
In the last couple of years, we have seen several initiatives emerge to tackle the topic.
In this video interview with Tameka Kee for Beet.TV, Ben Skinazi, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Sharethrough, underscores the importance of collective responsibility in driving sustainability within the digital media industry.
Making strides towards sustainability
“We’ve been quite involved in the topic [sustainability] for more than 18 to 24 months,” Skinazi says, recounting Sharethrough’s key sustainability initiatives:
- The company began by recognizing and measuring its own carbon emissions, which paved the way for initiatives aimed at reducing these emissions.
- “Last year, we became the first ad exchange launching green media products,” Skinazi reveals, a move that allows brands and agencies to deliver low emission or carbon-neutral campaigns.
- They have also made strides in educating the market about the importance of sustainable media practices, hosting the first Green Media Summit in New York in April 2023.
- “A few weeks ago we announced removing MFSA (Made-For-Advertising) sites by default on all PMPs as well, in order to reduce the emissions,” Skinazi adds.
Collaborating for a greener future
The CMO acknowledges that achieving sustainability cannot be the work of one company alone. “What’s important is to get the industry working together,” Skinazi points out, emphasizing the need for collaboration among stakeholders.
“We are a member of Ad Net Zero. We are involved with IAB Tech Lab. We are working with Scope 3 for the measurement part,” Skinazi says, referring to Sharethrough’s active collaborations with different organizations to effect change.
Skinazi believes that different players within the industry can contribute to sustainability in unique ways. “What agencies and brands will be able to do in terms of sustainability within the digital industry might be different than what DSPs and SSPs might be able to achieve,” he explains.
Sustainability Is Possible With Ad Industry’s Ingenuity: Ad Net Zero’s John Osborn
Natively concerned
Sharethrough is a technology company specializing in native advertising solutions, including technology leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to match ads with the appropriate content and audience.
Skinazi suggests that SSPs like Sharethrough can curate low-emission inventory and educate high-emission websites and apps to reduce their emissions. On the other hand, agencies and brands wield the power of media budgets, allowing them the ability to influence the industry.
“They can put that kind of pressure, which will be healthy pressure for the industry, to become net-zero by 2030,” he adds.
You’re watching coverage of the Sustainability & Responsible Marketing Summit at Cannes Lions 2023, presented by Adlook & Sharethrough. For more videos from Beet.TV’s Cannes Lions 2023 coverage, please visit this page.
