Creative with less carbon: Why lazy ads are a climate crime
Half of the ads we see are a waste – not just of budget, but of carbon. In an industry obsessed with reach, how much of what we create is actually reaching anyone?
Carlos Jonmundsson, founder of Focus Group, explains why lazy advertising is killing the planet.
According to research from System1, presented at CRA’s Heard audio showcase last month, 50% of Australian radio ads fail to create a strong emotional connection, significantly reducing their effectiveness.
Similarly, JCDecaux’s global creative benchmarking study found that 70% of outdoor ads fail to move the needle, reinforcing the need for better creative execution. This isn’t just money down the drain; it’s a staggering waste of resources at a time when the industry’s environmental impact rivals global aviation.
In advertising, our currency is creativity. Yet, increasingly, creative decisions are driven by speed rather than strategic thinking. Short-term convenience is replacing long-term impact, and that comes at a cost – both creatively and environmentally. The result? More ads that blend into the background, failing to connect with audiences and resulting in wasted resources and missed opportunities.
We’re moving fast, embracing AI, chasing productivity – but losing sight of what really matters: effective communication that drives real business outcomes. While AI and automation can improve efficiency, they can’t replace compelling storytelling, strategic thinking, and distinctive creative that captures attention and delivers impact.
At our recent ‘Creative with Less Carbon’ panel discussion at The Commons Sydney, a number of industry figures explored the cost of ineffective creative. While DOOH can be energy-intensive, media overall is responsible for around 80% of the emissions generated by advertising. This means ineffective advertising not only wastes budgets but significantly adds to the industry’s carbon footprint.
Prioritising creative effectiveness isn’t just good business – it’s an environmental necessity.
Carlos Jonmundsson – founder of Focus Group
Creative laziness isn’t just about recycling ideas – it’s about the relentless push for speed and quantity at the expense of quality and sustainability. Programmatic advertising, often favoured for its convenience, is roughly four times more energy-intensive than direct media buys. Quick, careless creative only fuels this inefficiency, consuming even more resources.
Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way. Thoughtful, distinctive creative can not only cut through the noise but also significantly reduce carbon emissions. As Chris Sewell of NetZero Media emphasised during the panel, implementing standard frameworks such as the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) allows agencies to precisely measure their carbon impact alongside creative effectiveness, enabling smarter, greener decisions.
So, how do we shift from wasteful to purposeful?
- Demand better briefs. Poor briefs lead to creative guesswork, endless revisions, and excessive carbon usage. As cited by the UK-based Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), revision rounds have increased from an average of three in 2007 to five today, a direct reflection of inadequate upfront planning and misaligned expectations. Stronger briefs lead to stronger creative, fewer revisions, and less waste.
- Be brave with your creative. In a crowded landscape, you need to be bold to stand out. It’s easy to play it safe, but safe creative is forgettable. If you want to cut through, you need work that demands a response – whether positive or negative. Distinctive, thought-provoking creative gets noticed, ensures campaigns achieve their goals, and ultimately reduces unnecessary overexposure and excessive emissions.
- Apply a carbon lens to production. Integrating carbon-reduction thinking into production from the outset – like opting for local or virtual locations, limiting travel, or choosing renewable-powered studios – helps tackle substantial ‘behind-the-scenes’ emissions.
- Design digital experiences for efficiency. Better-designed digital experiences save energy. Efficient code, smaller file sizes, and considered UX design all reduce emissions and enhance user engagement.
- Bring your media partner into the fold. Media strategy isn’t just about where an ad appears – it’s about making sure the creative message is amplified in the most effective way. Engaging with media partners early can ensure a strategic approach to placements, reducing the need for excessive impressions and maximising impact with fewer resources.
Creative that doesn’t cut through isn’t just a wasted opportunity – it’s an avoidable carbon footprint. With the right strategies, tools, and bravery, advertising can, and must, achieve more with less. It’s time for the industry to stop being lazy, start thinking bravely, and deliver campaigns that resonate deeply, responsibly, and sustainably.
If we don’t rethink creative effectiveness now, we’ll be wasting more than just ad budgets – we’ll be fuelling an industry-wide failure. It’s time to be brave, challenge bad creative, and demand better.
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