Snapchat has launched a new initiative in collaboration with sustainability platform Scope3 to measure the carbon footprint of digital ads. The program aims to provide advertisers with data on the environmental impact of their Snap ads, enabling them to make more informed decisions. The data will be based on various factors such as server load to create and host ads, mobile device usage to view them, and the percentage of overall company emissions.
Snapchat's partnership with Scope3 is unique as it's the first messaging platform to contribute data to Scope3's emissions model. This partnership enhances the accuracy of Scope3's model for social and messaging, using a mix of public and third-party data sources. This initiative will improve the industry's understanding of the total impact of advertising on carbon emissions.
According to Snap, advertising on social media and messaging apps accounts for 3.36M metric tons of carbon emissions annually across five major markets (US, UK, DE, FR, and AU). However, Snap ads are more carbon-efficient than average, being 39% more efficient than similar apps and 60% more efficient than programmatic advertising.
Under the program, Snap will provide data for specific ad formats, including video and A.R. ads. A.R. ads, such as Lenses and Skippable Video, have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to other formats, making A.R. a potentially environmentally friendly format for the future.
While the impact of this initiative on advertiser decisions remains uncertain, it provides valuable insights that could lead to more conscious marketing approaches. Snapchat will make emissions data available in Scope3's emissions dashboard for agencies and advertisers.
