VIOOH sets new low for emissions in programmatic DOOH ads
VIOOH has reported its emissions intensity for programmatic digital out of home (DOOH) advertising for 2024, recording an average of 0.041 grams CO2 equivalent per ad impression.
The measurement follows the adoption of the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF), designed to provide an industry standard for carbon emissions reporting across advertising channels.
Emissions measurement
The results from VIOOH show a level of emissions that is considerably lower than industry benchmarks for other programmatic channels.
The reported figures are 20 times lower than the benchmark for programmatic display advertising, which is estimated at 0.84g CO2e per impression, and more than 30 times less than programmatic video, marked at 1.24g CO2e per impression.
The GMSF, updated in June 2025 by Ad Net Zero, sets a unified approach for measuring emissions across media.
VIOOH collaborated with Cedara, a specialist in sustainable media measurement, to ensure that its calculations for the year followed the latest standards. Cedara analysed data from business operations, media delivery, data centres, and media owners, incorporating log-level bidstream data to refine the accuracy of emissions estimates, including factors such as server, network, and screen energy consumption.
Supply chain efficiency
The figures released highlight pDOOH as a comparatively low-emission channel. Several factors are attributed to the reduced emissions per impression. The broadcast nature of DOOH means a single creative can be shown to multiple viewers with one transaction, while advances in programmatic supply chain efficiency reduce the overall processing footprint. VIOOH's network of digital screens is increasingly powered by renewable energy sources, aligning the DOOH channel with sustainability targets set by many brands and media agencies.
While changes to the measurement framework this year mean the results are not directly comparable to previous years, VIOOH has recorded below-industry emissions intensities for three consecutive years.
Industry perspectives
"Our 2024 results demonstrate that buying DOOH programmatically through VIOOH continues to provide a clear point of difference for advertisers seeking to make more sustainable media choices. As a brand safe, fraud-free, broadcast media channel compatible with multi-channel programmatic strategies, pDOOH is not only an effective tool for advertisers, but also one which supports strong sustainability credentials for everyone working across the marketing ecosystem," said Jean-Christophe Conti, Chief Executive Officer at VIOOH.
The implementation of the GMSF is intended to help advertisers compare the emissions impact of different media channels on a like-for-like basis.
More advertisers and agencies are being required by clients and regulators to measure and report on the carbon intensity of their media investments. The new framework, and results from VIOOH, provide data to inform these decisions.
Programmematic media buying remains an area of focus for energy efficiency improvements, given the complexity of supply chains and growing scrutiny of their environmental impact. The inclusion of real bidstream and server infrastructure data is a requirement of the most recent GMSF update, designed to increase transparency across all participants in the programmatic ecosystem.
"VIOOH's consistent progress in sustainable media efficiency is a testament to their commitment to transparent accountability and understanding the environmental impact of pDOOH. Their leadership is setting a new benchmark for the industry and enabling brands to choose more responsible media pathways," said David Shaw, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Cedara.
