A global imperative: Sustainability in DOOH

Earlier this year, we emphasized the importance of sustainability in continuing to hold its place as a core focus within the advertising arena. The global imperative to achieve lowered carbon emissions has spurred a collective awakening among businesses, compelling them to assume a central role in driving positive environmental change. This is certainly applicable to the digital out of home (DOOH) sector, which is undergoing a transformative shift, redirecting its focus towards greener alternatives to mitigate its ecological footprint.

The Power of Programmatic DOOH

DOOH as a channel is known for its unmissable, unskippable format and provides brands with a powerful canvas to showcase their sustainability efforts. Programmatic DOOH takes the channel one step further by utilizing data to deliver campaigns in a more efficient and contextually relevant way, powering more precise delivery and less wastage. It also enables easy integration of 1st and 3rd party data sources via API keys, which we will look at in some of the following examples. Remaining agile and able to respond to real-world events is crucial in the context of the environment, and programmatic DOOH has this capability at its core, with innovative features that allow for in-flight optimization as well as dynamic content to ensure the timely delivery of eco-focused messages that resonate with audiences at key moments. Furthermore, as new options for screen materials and software seek to achieve lowered emissions and/or waste, DOOH has the potential to reduce carbon emissions per impression. We know how important this is when we look at the Sustainable Marketing 2030 study which reveals that an overwhelming 97% of consumers are willing to adopt more sustainable lifestyles, while 93% of marketers acknowledge their brand's duty to promote sustainable living.

A standout example for DOOH is evident in the recent ‘Greener Grid’ campaign by OVO Energy (OVO) in the UK - the world’s first programmatically traded DOOH campaign connected to National Grid data. With eye-catching creative that read “If you’re seeing this, it's a greener time to use energy”, OVO leveraged real-time grid data to activate its campaign only when the grid was powered by a higher proportion of renewable energy, which also allowed them to reduce the carbon impact of their overall media activity. This example underscores the vital role advertisers can play in confronting the climate crisis throughout their campaigns. The call for collective action is resounding, exemplified by initiatives such as #ChangeTheBrief, rallying agencies to steer consumers towards sustainable choices and behaviors.

Fire & Emergency New Zealand is another great example which used programmatic DOOH to deliver a wildfire safety campaign. This innovative approach allowed them to target audiences with real-time weather data, showing the "Half Grapefruit" fire danger icon in high-risk areas to drive awareness and educate New Zealanders about fire danger in both cities and rural areas.

Beyond Campaign Strategies: Embracing Sustainability Across the Industry

Beyond campaign strategies, there is a growing acknowledgment of the environmental impact associated with events and conferences. Efforts are being made to prioritize sustainability in event planning, advocating for reduced long-distance travel or offsetting carbon footprints from travel and conscious resource management. There are several companies and platforms  that provide event planning tools to monitor and curtail the environmental footprint of events on a global scale.

The DOOH industry is making significant strides in addressing its overall environmental impact beyond individual campaign strategies. A notable advancement comes from Scope3, which recently expanded its carbon measurement capabilities to include DOOH advertising. Their emissions model considers various factors unique to DOOH, providing a more accurate picture of the sector's carbon footprint. Building on this momentum and the launch of Hivestack Curate, a new curated marketplace for DOOH, we were proud to launch “Green Curated Deals” in May 2024 - a solution that helps DOOH buyers maximize the effectiveness of their campaigns while minimizing negative environmental impact. 

Andreas Soupliotis, Founder & General Manager at Hivestack said: “It is our top priority to mobilize the DOOH industry towards a standard framework that supports decarbonisation, putting sustainability at the forefront. Through this new product we are giving DOOH media buyers and sellers the option to steer towards a reduction of carbon emissions in an effective and meaningful way.” 

Collaboration and Data-Driven Measurement: The Path Forward

The significance of data-driven measurement in emission reduction cannot be overstated as we look ahead. It is anticipated that the industry will increasingly value data as central for making informed business decisions that facilitate the transition to a sustainable economy. Collaboration emerges as a cornerstone, necessitating the DOOH sector to rally and embrace forthcoming solutions poised to measure the end-to-end emissions of advertisements outside the home environment.

Sustainability in DOOH transcends the confines of a mere trend in 2024; it emerges as an imperative and a fundamental shift in the industry's ethos this year, and for all the years to come. Examples like IKEA’s Carbon Footprint campaign and McDonald’s Bee Hotel Billboards underscore businesses' recognition of the need to align with broader environmental objectives, presenting avenues for innovation, competitive edge, and genuine contributions to combatting the climate crisis.