There’s no doubt the conversation around how to deliver sustainable advertising campaigns while being as responsible as possible will continue to shape our industry well into the future.

Last year we announced a partnership with Greenbids, an advanced optimization engine that powers sustainable ad operations using AI. Their capabilities, combined with our SPO abilities, create access to smart bidding models that fuel streamlined and sustainable media buying that’s already showing strong results in early trials.

We recently spoke with Guillaume Grimbert, CEO and Co-founder at Greenbids to talk about their mission, our partnership, and what may lie ahead on the topic of sustainability.

Q. To start, tell us a little bit about Greenbids and your mission.

Greenbids stands at the forefront of sustainable advertising, pioneering AI-driven optimization solutions across the entire programmatic value-chain – from advertisers and supply-side platforms to publishers. Our mission is to revolutionize the digital advertising space by fostering environmentally responsible practices.

With a presence in over 100 countries and headquarters in Paris, we collaborate with top-tier advertisers, agencies, and ad tech companies worldwide. We’re excited about our expansion, with upcoming offices in the UK, US, and APAC, supported robustly by Elaia Partners.

Q. Everyone’s buzzing about AI. Can you tell us how you’re leveraging AI technology in your offering?

AI is pivotal to our approach, especially considering that 60% of programmatic advertising’s carbon emissions stem from the ad selection process. An astounding 90% of ad calls typically fail, representing significant inefficiency and waste. By employing predictive models, we aim to drastically cut unnecessary ad calls – those unlikely to generate revenue. Our AI-driven strategy ensures that we maximize advertising revenue with the fewest possible ad calls, enhancing efficiency and sustainability.

Q. How does your partnership with Equativ help buyers and sellers overcome the challenges faced in running more sustainable campaigns?

Our partnership with Equativ is a transformative collaboration designed to enhance media effectiveness while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of programmatic ad trading. By leveraging Equativ’s granular data from its supply-side platform, we have been able to develop sophisticated AI-driven smart bidding models. These models not only streamline the media buying process but also prioritize efficiency, significantly reducing grams of CO2 equivalent per thousand impressions (gCO2PM) by 40% in early trials.

Equativ’s extensive supply path optimization (SPO) capabilities, combined with our AI solutions, enable us to direct ad spend to the most relevant and efficient inventory. This approach minimizes unnecessary digital hops and reduces wastage, which is crucial for sustainability. Moreover, our trials have shown an impressive 83% uplift in SSP revenue, demonstrating that it’s possible to enhance profitability while adhering to sustainable practices.

Q. What advice would you give to advertisers who wish to get started on their journey toward more sustainable campaigns?

Act, act, act.

The best advice is to start now. While it’s true that the industry lacks standardized measures for carbon emissions, waiting is not a viable option. Climate change certainly isn’t waiting for us. Begin by partnering with responsible media vendors and seeking expert advice. The journey toward sustainability is a continuous learning process, and the sooner you begin, the more advantageous your position will be in a rapidly evolving industry landscape.

Q. What do you expect we will see change in the industry this year?

The momentum is building, as evidenced by the increased attendance at the Green Media Summit, which grew from 50 participants last year to 200 this year. There’s a growing recognition across all sectors – publishers, agencies, ad tech, and advertisers – of the urgent need to act.

We’re encouraged by the development of foundational standards like GARM and Ad Net Zero. Additionally, impending regulations are a welcome force, compelling the industry towards more sustainable practices. This external pressure is crucial for accelerating change.

Ready to get started on your sustainable advertising journey?

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