WPP Media maps CO₂ emissions from Dutch media

Today, WPP Media Netherlands announced a striking finding. Thanks to a national scan using advanced Scope3 measurement methods, it has been demonstrated that high-quality, local media emit significantly less CO₂ than the Dutch benchmark. Specifically, WPP Media's programmatic display buying demonstrates a reduction of no less than 56%.

This in-depth data has only recently become available and marks the very first time such a comprehensive scan of the entire Dutch media landscape has been conducted. The finding that high-quality local media generally have a drastically lower carbon footprint than the international "longtail inventory" has thus been proven data-driven for the first time.

WPP Media's Insight: Quality as a Sustainability Factor

For over ten years, WPP Media has believed in the power of high-quality media and direct partnerships with publishers. Now, the Scope3 data definitively proves: sustainability and effectiveness are not opposites, but synonyms. High-quality media, such as those from renowned premium publishers like DPG, NOS, RTL, and De Telegraaf, attract high demand and quickly find buyers for their advertising space, resulting in minimal server processing and therefore lower energy consumption. This contrasts with "made-for-advertising" sites, which typically require significantly more auctions and energy to dispose of their inventory.

The differences are significant: emissions from high-quality media can be 20 to 100 times lower than from low-quality media. This is not a marginal improvement, but a complete paradigm shift that has now been conclusively established for the first time at the national level.

Measurable results: 56% reduction, with the Dutch Lottery as an example

The recent independent scan by Scope3 – a leading platform for measuring campaign emissions – validates WPP Media's approach. WPP Media's programmatic display buying in the Netherlands generates an average of 56% less CO₂ than the Dutch benchmark. This is the direct result of strategic choices made years ago that now measurably contribute to advertisers' ESG objectives.

The Dutch Lottery, as a pioneer, had its campaigns measured and even achieved an 80% reduction in emissions compared to the benchmark. "Sustainability is a shared responsibility," says Evita Nales, Media Manager at The Dutch Lottery. "Together with WPP Media, we mapped the climate footprint of our campaigns, with a positive outcome that exceeded our expectations."

Raising the Bar: Innovation for Continuous Reduction

While a 56% reduction below the benchmark is a good achievement, WPP Media sees this as a starting point, says Linda Jansen, Sustainability Lead at WPP Media: "We continue to invest in innovation to further reduce emissions without sacrificing results."

This includes:

• Continuous measurements with Scope3.

• The use of our Carbon Calculator for detailed insight into CO₂ emissions per media type.

• Refining a Dutch WPP Media benchmark that drives continuous improvement.

• The Sustainability Maturity Model to provide advertisers with concrete guidance on their path to sustainability.

• Operational improvements, such as smarter compressed creatives, more efficient loading formats, more precise targeting, and continuous, critical curation of the supply chain. By collaborating with publishers on better integrations and more direct channels, we create a more efficient ecosystem. This isn't a one-time project, but a continuous vigilance.

The result: an ecosystem that becomes more efficient year after year, with lower costs, better results, and significantly lower emissions – a true win-win-win situation.

The future of sustainable advertising

According to Tim van Rijt (Senior Supply Chain Strategist at WPP Media), the transition to sustainable advertising is not only necessary but also demonstrably profitable. WPP Media Nederland proves that low emissions and high effectiveness go hand in hand, and that partnerships with high-quality publishers deliver both better campaign results and structurally lower CO₂ emissions. Our results demonstrate that more is possible, and we continue to push the boundaries. Quality wins on all fronts, and we're constantly raising that bar.