MANILA, PHILIPPINES – An advertising agency’s primary job is to ensure digital ads gain a high impression count to convert leads to sales, though most consumers-at-large are not privy to how much a media impression generates a carbon footprint. Though it’s not easy to calculate greenhouse gas emissions for various types of digital media, a brand’s digital ad may sit stale on the internet which can count as unnecessary energy consumption. A recent study from The Shift Project stated that any information processed or shared online accounts for at least 4% of global greenhouse emissions, and even more surprising — is twice as much as the aviation industry’s emissions.
As the effects of climate change become more visible, many advertising agencies must evolve their working practices to incorporate environmentally conscious decisions. Havas Group was among the first marketing agencies who signed the UN Global Compact. Signing is one thing, taking action is another. Havas Ortega, one of Iits offices headquartered in Manila, found that reducing an agency’s carbon footprint could simply mean developing better data measurement systems to segment an ad’s reach to the right consumers and relying on reading data to update campaigns. Quality over quantity is an aphorism that maintains a universal truth that applies to measuring impressions and performance at Havas Ortega.
Data as an instrument to make actionable environmentally friendly steps as an agency
To date, Havas Ortega in strengthening its meaningful media experience proposition, has invested in tools and technologies to reach the right audience. These tools measure and monitor consumer engagements and relationships with different media platforms. In-house developments like Vector, Aperture, and Fusion, to name a few.
Vector, in 2020, won global awards like The Internationalist Awards for Innovation in Media and a silver for Best New Technology Initiative at the Festival of Media Awards. This tool is used for its accuracy in coming up with evidence-based OOH vehicle selection plans to optimize media budgets using real-time traffic data. Aperture pins down the optimal reach and budget levels for a brand’s multi-screen campaigns, whereas Fusion surveys top-ranking comments on posts from Facebook’s platforms for further processing. These tools help Havas Ortega create an accurately targeted campaign that shapes public perception and sways the behavior of their desired market. Thus, effectively lessening meaningless impressions contributing to an agency’s carbon footprint.
Philip Tiongson, Head of Mx and Director of Data Science for Havas, said “Now more than ever, brands and their agency partners must take into consideration in their decision-making process and the impact of such decisions on the environment and on other SDGs. Using data has allowed us to focus on our clients’ investments to deliver against business objectives with the least amount of impression wastage and cost inefficiencies. As we progress into more data-based campaigns in the future, we hope to be even more focused on efficient effectiveness in order to minimize our environmental footprint.”
Choosing who you work with plays a role, too
Havas Ortega also looks toward who they bring on as clients. Cultivating the green economy means partnering with businesses that align with the same values. SM Supermalls, the largest department store chain in the Philippines, appointed Havas Ortega as their in-mall messaging and concepts partner to further the messaging of their GreenMovement Initiative.
“We always look for opportunities to partner with companies or current brands to communicate green ideas. Each green step helps further our efforts toward contributing to a greener industry,” added Janlo Cui, Business Director of Havas Creative.
Looking toward the future, CEO of Havas Ortega Group, Jos Ortega, hopes to put pressure on their existing accounts to prioritize making environmentally-conscious decisions and securing new brands pillared on those decisions as well.
