Like the recycler who takes extra care to separate their low-density polyethylene from their polypropylene, companies often go to great lengths to show off their environmental bona fides.

But how bad is digital advertising for the environment?

Well, first, how bad is the internet? Apparently, its impact is roughly the same as the aviation industry, which, while estimates may vary a bit, most likely makes up 3.5% of “all human activities that drive climate change,” a 2020 study from Manchester Metropolitan University found. The internet, along with its associated products and systems, accounts for 3.7% of global greenhouse emissions, per estimates cited by the BBC in 2020.

Of that 4%, it’s difficult to gauge how much comes from digital advertising specifically. Amy Williams, cofounder and CEO of ad-tech B corp Good-Loop, told Marketing Brew the space is “unexplored,” but that one academic told her it’s around 2%...*does math*...meaning digital ads could account for roughly .08% of total greenhouse emissions.

The average digital ad campaign emits 5.4 tonnes of carbon, the COO of Good-Loop, Ryan Cochrane, wrote in an opinion piece for Ad Age. For comparison, the “average carbon footprint” for a person in the US is 16 tons per year, The Nature Conservancy says.

Sustainable…ads?

Good-Loop’s been trying to make digital advertising more ethical and sustainable since its inception in 2017. Companies and advertisers “want to have a social impact. How can we build media products, advertising-technology products that actually put that intention into action,” Williams said. It’s “ad-tech for good.”

• This year, Good-Loop created a tracking tool in the form of a pixel called a “Green Ad Tag,” which can measure and track the carbon cost of digital campaigns, coupling the data transmissions that trigger ads with local energy consumption.
• So far, the tag is being used by the British automaker MG Motor, which is offsetting its digital campaign by planting a tree for every thousand impressions served via Good-Loop’s “TreePM” program.
• Though Williams noted that offsets aren’t perfect, she argued that perfect shouldn’t be the enemy of good. “Helping these brands do good and get confident in doing good and seeing the positive results from that, that’s how we make progress happen,” she said.

Earlier this year, Good-Loop also debuted a “Carbon Calculator,” letting advertisers upload campaign assets and impressions to determine their carbon output.

Read the full story here.—RB

Thanksgiving is over, but that’s not going to stop us from saying thanks to our (nearly 200,000 ) readers. Thank you for subscribing, reading, sharing, and never failing to point out typos.

We’ve covered a lot this year, everything from mascots to privacy. More stories to come, but below are some of our favorites from 2021.

Reporter Phoebe Bain explored if marketers need college degrees. An excerpt:

Both recruiters and people in high-level marketing roles without degrees themselves have seen that diplomas aren’t necessary for success in this industry. Further, some marketing professionals believe requiring them could actually inhibit a company’s diversity. Perri Grinberg—who’s specialized in diversity and inclusion efforts throughout her career and is the VP of human resources at RAPP, a global creative agency—told us companies that want to make their hiring practices more inclusive should require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. That’s what her organization does. “We want to be able to ensure that we are attracting [the most] diverse slate of candidates, and not all strong candidates have a college degree,” Grinberg explained.

Read the full story here.

Reporter Ryan Barwick explained what “made for advertising” sites are and how they grab ad dollars from major brands. An excerpt:

One minute, you’re reading a dense political explainer about rumblings in Washington, or checking the weather in your zip code. Before you know it, you’ve clicked on a headline about pool noodle hacks that will completely change your life. If you’ve spent more than 15 minutes online, then this is probably a relatable experience. It’s clickbait, otherwise known as “made for advertising” inventory, a term used to describe websites that earn most of their eyeballs through sponsored placements tied to chumbox ads. Using content recommendation platforms like Taboola or Outbrain, these publishers place ads on legitimate news sources like USA Today, goading people with patently ridiculous headlines to click through to their sites.

Read the full story here.

A few others:

• Ever wondered who Twitter follows on Twitter?
• How spammy sites that rip off obits end up running ads
• Your guide to the third-party cookie

Enjoy the weekend—we’ll be back in your inbox on Monday.—MS

There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those.

Insta: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…a handy-dandy “What size should images be on Instagram in 2022” cheat sheet for the year ahead.

NiFTy: Search Engine Journal wrote a guide to NFTs and the metaverse just for marketers.

LinkedInfluencers: If your brand’s LinkedIn strategy needs a refresh, or if you’re just feeling uninspired on the platform, look no further.

Mobile is a must: Iterable’s Mobile Marketing e-book can help you identify how to make the most of mobile to stand out and build strong relationships with customers. Get your copy today.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}

Catch up on a few Marketing Brew stories you might have missed.

• Marketers: What were you thankful for in 2021?
• How Cartier created a 2021 holiday commercial in 2020
• Streaming updates from Peacock, CNN, Roku, and more

Which headlines are real marketing news, and which one is fake?

1. Cheetos dust “brought to life” in art exhibit
2. Experiential agency rolls out flight simulator for brands to advertise on
3. Publishers clinging to 25-year-old CPM model while everyone else talks commerce
4. It Turns Out Paying People to Take the Covid-19 Vaccine Doesn’t Really Work

Keep scrolling for the answer.