The Media Carbon Calculator calculates the carbon emissions associated with a media plan based on the media mix. It uses a range of data sources, including DEFRA electricity emissions factors and device power outputs and energy intensity to determine the carbon footprint of a media plan at channel level.
Media represents a significant investment for clients. In 2019 media advertising spend in the UK was £23.6billion according to the Advertising Association and WARC.
However whilst many clients are increasingly looking to measure their carbon footprint and assess the environmental impact of their operations, including their wider supply chain, media is for the most part not currently part of this calculation.
Our ambition is that the industry measures the overall carbon footprint of the campaigns we plan and buy for clients across all channels. By doing this we will understand the impact of how that £23.6 billion is invested, and we can start to work as an industry to reduce the climate impact of running campaigns.
Charter members have access to a multi-channel Media Carbon Calculator which calculates the carbon footprint of the end delivery of a media schedule. The calculator focuses on end delivery and currently excludes the impact of content delivery, data centres and web infrastructure.
This will start to give agencies and their clients visibility of the climate impact of a media schedule and the extent to which different channels contribute. This measurement is the first step towards reducing the impact of our campaigns.
A proportion of the subscription fee will go towards investment in the further development of the multi-channel calculator. The media carbon calculator is a key resource to help deliver on Action 3 of Ad Net Zero on curbing emissions from media planning and buying.
The calculator has been developed by MediaCom and CO2balance and has been made available to Charter members to use.
The Media Carbon Calculator is the first step in us being able to quantify the impact of our clients’ campaigns. In order to reduce the impact of our campaigns we first need to be able to track and measure it.
The Media Carbon Calculator calculates the carbon emissions associated with a media plan based on the media mix. It uses a range of data sources, including DEFRA electricity emissions factors and device power outputs and energy intensity to determine the carbon footprint of a media plan at channel level.
The Media Carbon Calculator applies an algorithm to compute the carbon footprint of a live campaign. These factors take into account an average of emissions in each channel. Variables considered include desktop versus mobile consumption, file sizes, view time, screen type, power consumptions and run cycles.
If you don't have online vs mobile split on your plan, you can use the below for guidance when splitting out delivery for the calculator:
Please note this is general guidance only; certain targeting and publishers will likely skew this delivery so feel free to amend to a reasonable split for your plan.
The carbon calculator will ask you to enter the format of the ad. File sizes for each format have been standardised. In case these formats don't apply to your plan there is space for non-standard formats where the file size will need to be input.
In case these formats don't apply to your plan there is space for non-standard formats where the file size and view time will need to be input.
The calculator takes into account an average % of screens powered by renewable energy. This is 90% for digital 6 sheets and 75% for other formats.
Each cycle lasts for 2 weeks.
If the same static is staying up for longer than 2 weeks then only input the amount of times the posters are changed.
Gsm of poster paper assumed at 145gsm.
The calculator currently only calculates the end delivery of a campaign and not media transmission (ie it does not take into the data centres, servers etc used to deliver the message to the device).
This information does not currently factor in differences by supplier. The ambition is to include the detailed vendor level data as we develop the calculator further.
This should be taken into account when using the calculator and the outputs should be used as an indicative guide. It should be used to calculate the carbon footprint of a campaign for offsetting purposes rather than channel selection or optimisation.