In a groundbreaking collaboration, Horizon Media, the largest independent media agency in the U.S., partnered with Sharethrough to pilot a shift to GreenPMPs™ (Private Marketplaces designed to reduce carbon emissions in advertising). The project, which launched in May 2024, aimed to assess the sustainability and performance benefits of transitioning all deals to GreenPMPs. Today, the results are in, and the findings mark a significant step forward for sustainable advertising.
The Pilot: An Industry-First Test of Sustainability at Scale
Horizon Media initially tested GreenPMPs with smaller campaigns, observing no negative impact on scale and maintaining or even improving performance metrics. Encouraged by these initial findings, the agency committed to switching all Sharethrough PMPs to GreenPMPs starting in May 2024.
The objective was clear: measure the real impact on sustainability and determine if this could be achieved without compromising scale or performance. By the end of the test period, the collaboration exceeded expectations.
Sustainability Impact: Emissions Reduced and Compensated
The results were impressive. Since the switch to GreenPMPs, over 300 million impressions were delivered resulting in an average 51% reduction of carbon emissions for display campaigns and 57% reduction for video campaigns. This reduction resulted in avoiding 34 metric tons of C02e, which is the equivalent to avoiding the emissions from:
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86,670 miles driven by an average gas-powered car
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which is the same as driving from NYC to LA 31 times!
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Charging nearly 2.8 million smartphones
Additionally, since switching to GreenPMPs, 88 metric tons of CO2e were measured and fully compensated through carbon-removal projects. To put this into perspective:
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This equates to the carbon emissions from driving a gasoline-powered car 273,573 miles – the equivalent of circling the Earth 11 times.
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Alternatively, it’s comparable to fully charging over 52 million smartphones
These results align with Horizon Media’s broader commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030, showcasing how sustainable practices can be seamlessly integrated into large-scale advertising operations.
Performance and Scale: Sustainability Without Compromise
In addition to reducing emissions, Horizon Media was able to maintain or increase campaign performance, outperforming benchmarks from the first half of 2024 when GreenPMPs were not applied. Overall, GreenPMPs generated a 10% viewability increase on standard display ads and more than doubled CTR on online video ads while maintaining a video completion rate above industry standards.
Concerns about limitations in campaign scale due to the removal of high-emission websites were unfounded. Instead, the use of GreenPMPs redirected impressions to more premium websites and placements, enhancing campaign quality across all formats. This demonstrates that sustainability can go hand-in-hand with superior media performance and reach.
The Future: Horizon Media Commits to GreenPMPs
Given the success of the pilot, Horizon Media has decided to continue using Sharethrough’s GreenPMPs for all future campaigns. This decision reinforces Horizon Media’s leadership in adopting innovative, sustainable advertising practices and supporting their clients in achieving better returns on media investments.
“The advertising industry has a unique opportunity to become one of the first industries to reach net-zero emissions,” said Frank Maguire, VP of Insights, Strategy, and Sustainability at Sharethrough. “To get there, we need advertisers to prioritize sustainable partners and share how sustainability benefits both the planet and business performance. Horizon Media’s swift actions and commitment to GreenPMPs exemplify how we can collectively make a difference.”
“Partnering with Sharethrough on GreenPMPs has allowed us to take meaningful steps toward sustainability without sacrificing the scale or effectiveness of our campaigns,” said Jean-Marc Papin, SVP, Media Technology at Horizon Media. “We are proud to leverage solutions that align with our vision for a greener future while delivering exceptional value to our clients.
A Model for the Industry
The Horizon Media and Sharethrough collaboration serves as a powerful case study for the advertising industry. By demonstrating that sustainability can enhance—not hinder—performance, this pilot paves the way for other agencies and advertisers to adopt similar practices.
As the industry moves towards net-zero emissions, partnerships like this one highlight how collaboration, innovation, and commitment can drive meaningful change. With Horizon Media continuing its use of GreenPMPs™, this initiative not only sets a precedent but also inspires others to embrace the dual benefits of sustainability and success in advertising.