Decarbonising digital ads with machine learning

A platform helps marketers conduct effective and lower-carbon ad campaigns

Spotted: We may not often think about the sustainability of advertising, but Scope3 research found that, across just five leading economies, digital advertising generates more than 215,000 metric tonnes of carbon every month. This is because the algorithms that run digital ad selection and bidding – where digital ad space is bought and sold – use a lot of energy. To reduce this, startup Greenbids is working to help companies run cleaner ad campaigns.

Greenbids uses machine learning to identify the most effective advertising at the lowest carbon footprint. The platform uses a custom algorithm that balances media performance with CO2 reduction, making the whole process more sustainable.

For advertisers, the platform analyses a brand’s historical buying data to create emissions benchmarks for campaign KPIs (key performance indicators), such as brand awareness or attention. At the end of the campaign, it provides clients with a report that breaks down how much carbon was saved, as well as the impact on cost per view and brand awareness.

For ad publishers, Greenbids uses historical data and analytics to filter platforms by relevant criteria such as geography. This allows them to identify which platforms should get the bid requests, eliminating duplicates. The company is also developing an optimisation product for YouTube ads.

The company raised €1.6 million in funding last year, which is being used to help the firm grow in the UK and expand its offering to the US. Greenbids has also partnered with Scope3, to develop more accurate algorithms and carbon data.

Other recent innovations in advertising spotted by Springwise include a solution for offsetting emissions from ad campaigns and a marketplace for sustainable video content.

Written By: Lisa Magloff