SNPTV and French sales houses launch a common carbon calculator for greener TV advertising

12/10/2023

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French trade association SNPTV and its membersales houses TF1 Pub, M6 Publicité, FranceTV Publicité, Canal+ Brand Solutions, Altice Media Ads & Connect, Amaury Media, beIN REGIE, and Paramount introduced a common carbon calculator beginning of September.

This tool is designed to measure the carbon footprint of both linear and catch-up TV advertising campaigns, representing a significant step towards environmental sustainability.

The origins of this initiative can be traced back to the publication of a methodological framework by SNPTV, which primarily focused on assessing the carbon footprint of linear TV advertising campaigns. This framework was introduced three months before the launch of the carbon calculator. Concurrently, the SRI and the Digital Alliance released an updated calculation framework for assessing the carbon footprint of digital campaign distribution.

This carbon calculator relies on robust data derived from market sources, validated by a dedicated working group and experts, including Médiamétrie, ensuring the accuracy of its measurements.

The calculator adheres to several key recommendations outlined in its framework, such as focusing on the broadcast of linear TV and catch-up campaigns while excluding the production of advertising spots.

It considers elements like storage, network transfers, and viewership. Furthermore, it encompasses a comprehensive analysis of the entire life cycle of the infrastructures and terminals used for broadcasting, contingent upon data availability.

The calculator also accounts for the diverse broadcasting technologies employed in television broadcasting, including TNT, Satellite, IPTV via Internet Access Providers, and Over-the-top (OTT) digital networks, each governed by distinct models. Additionally, it introduces indicators tailored to the unique nature of TV audience measurement and provides a methodology for converting the GRP4+ audience indicator into a meaningful carbon footprint measurement for individual campaigns.

SNPTV envisions this calculator as a catalyst for establishing a robust, harmonised, and interoperable system for measuring the carbon footprint of advertising in France. It has been seamlessly integrated into the Meta-reference approach of the Union des Marques (the advertisers’ trade body) in April 2023 and aligns with industry commitments to sustainability. While the calculator does not come with a specific future commitment, the association has initiated the identification of carbon-intensive stages and is set to create working groups by year-end to exchange best practices for reducing their carbon footprint.

The development of this carbon calculator was made possible through a partnership with DK, a French industry leader in calculating the carbon footprint of media advertising campaigns. DK operates as a SaaS platform, offering carbon measurement and optimisation solutions for advertisers, publishers, and agencies. Importantly, it stands as one of the only solutions in the market capable of measuring carbon footprints across all media formats, spanning Print, Digital, Radio, urban billboards, and now, TV. The tool will be used throughout the year, initially by the SNPTV members, allowing them to provide results upon request from agencies or advertisers. However, by early 2024, the goal is to allow interested agencies or advertisers to have the tool in-house to directly calculate the impact of their campaigns.

This common carbon calculator underscores SNPTV’s commitment to the climate contract, established under the purview of Arcom in June 2022. It serves as a testament to the French industry’s dedication to advancing ecological transition in media management.