First Irish market study linking advertising effectiveness with reduced campaign emissions.
Backed by Ireland’s leading agencies and trade bodies, aligned with global Ad Net Zero framework.
Offers localised data to guide agencies, brands, and media owners in low-carbon media planning.
Dublin Report Targets Advertising’s Climate Footprint
Ireland’s advertising sector has taken a collective step toward addressing its climate impact with the release of a new study that ties campaign effectiveness to reduced carbon intensity. Published under the banner of Ad Net Zero Ireland, the report seeks to provide agencies, brands, and media owners with evidence-based strategies to cut emissions from media planning and buying while preserving commercial performance.
Developed by Havas Media, WPP Media, and Futureproof Insights, and backed by major trade associations including the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI), the Association of Advertisers in Ireland (AAI), the Marketing Institute of Ireland (MII), the Commercial Producers of Ireland (CPI), and IAB Ireland, the research draws exclusively on Irish data. The study aligns with the international Ad Net Zero 5-Point Action Plan, the framework adopted by global industry players to reduce advertising’s operational and campaign emissions.
Local Data for Global Goals
Entitled The Sustain/Ability Gain: How Impactful Creative Can Take You Further with Less, the report is the first of its kind tailored to Ireland’s market. Its central message is that creative strength and climate responsibility are not mutually exclusive: well-designed campaigns can reduce waste, extend reach, and cut emissions simultaneously.
“We know that the weight and media mix chosen for a campaign can make a substantial difference to its carbon footprint, and that advertisers need to be well-informed to plan their marketing with its environmental impact in mind,” said Siobhan Masterson, chief executive of IAPI. “This report provides exactly that, moving us from ambition to implementation and helping ensure that advertising is part of the solution.”
The emphasis on Irish data reflects the need for localized benchmarks. Global best practices in decarbonizing advertising have limited impact without adapting to national audience behaviors, media consumption trends, and campaign structures. The study positions Ireland as a testbed for how smaller markets can translate global frameworks into domestic standards.
Findings: Creativity and Carbon Reduction
The research highlights several findings with direct implications for both climate and business outcomes. Strong creative, it argues, has “enduring quality,” reducing the need for repetitive or wasteful campaign pushes. Effectiveness is not defined by volume but by multidimensional attributes such as clarity, memorability, and emotional engagement.
For advertisers, this translates into a dual benefit: campaigns that resonate longer with audiences require fewer emissions-intensive placements. Media planners are encouraged to assess carbon intensity alongside cost and reach, creating a new layer of accountability in campaign design.
By tying creativity to sustainability, the report reframes climate alignment not as a constraint but as a driver of better performance. In practical terms, the research provides localised emissions benchmarks, enabling Irish advertisers and agencies to compare the carbon profiles of different media mixes.
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Governance and Industry Buy-In
The report’s publication reflects growing pressure on the sector to align with both EU and global climate objectives. As the European Union intensifies scrutiny on corporate reporting and supply-chain emissions, industries seen as “indirect emitters” are being pushed to demonstrate measurable action. Advertising’s influence on consumption patterns has made it a visible target for regulators and campaigners alike.
By supporting the report, Ireland’s trade bodies are signaling readiness to integrate climate considerations into the sector’s governance frameworks. The initiative dovetails with the broader Ad Net Zero campaign, which has been adopted in the UK, US, and other markets, creating the potential for cross-border standardization.
Implications for Executives and Investors
For executives and investors, the study offers an early signal that sustainability will increasingly shape how media investments are evaluated. Advertisers who integrate low-carbon planning into their strategies are likely to gain both reputational and operational advantages, especially as clients and regulators demand evidence of climate alignment.
“While the challenge is global, our solutions must be tailored and relevant to our own market,” Masterson said. “By providing our industry with localised benchmarks and insights, this work empowers Irish advertisers, agencies, and media owners to improve their performance on environmental issues and helps position the Irish media sector as a true sustainability leader.”
A Model for Other Markets
The Irish initiative illustrates how smaller advertising ecosystems can play an outsized role in advancing sector decarbonization. If adopted broadly, localized data-driven approaches may become the bridge between international action plans and measurable reductions at market level.
For now, Ad Net Zero Ireland’s report equips the country’s agencies and advertisers with the tools to recalibrate their strategies. For global players, it provides a case study in how climate responsibility can be embedded into creative and media choices without sacrificing effectiveness — an approach likely to resonate well beyond Ireland’s borders.
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