CANNES – The ad-tech industry relies on computers whose power partly comes from burning fossil fuels. Natural gas and coal are used to generate 60% of the electricity in the United States, while 20% comes from renewable sources such as wind and hydroelectric, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Demand-side platform Adlook is looking to help reduce the carbon footprint of marketing activities with this month’s launch of GreenPath. The tool integrates carbon emission data for reporting and real-time optimization of ad campaigns with a guaranteed performance framework set by marketers. GreenPath relies on emissions data from Scope3.
“We started working with a lot of clients and asking them, ‘what is preventing you from taking action on sustainable business practices in the media space?’” Patrick Gut, vice president and head of sales, United States, at Adlook, said in this interview with Beet.TV contributor Tameka Kee.
Inability to take action was one of the biggest hurdles that Adlook has sought to remove with the introduction of GreenPath. The company focused on how traders of digital advertising typically work when they’re at a desk with their hands on a keyboard. The tool is designed to incorporate emissions data into media-buying decisions while also considering performance.
“We’re only going to take the lowest-carbon-emitting path to deliver that impression,” Gut said on GreenPath, adding that the tool uses a “performance framework with a sustainability lens on that.”
In a collaboration with media agency IPG Mediabrands, an alpha test partner of GreenPath, Adlook is showcasing results in published case studies. During early testing, GreenPath was able to perform better than industry benchmarks while reducing emissions by as much as 40%.
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.
