John Osborn, former OMD US and BBDO New York CEO, has been appointed to lead Ad Net Zero USA and help grow its supporter base as the world’s advertising industry responds to the climate crisis. This follows the announcement this summer at LIONS to roll-out Ad Net Zero internationally, a decision backed by major advertising agency holding companies, dentsu international, Havas, Interpublic Group, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe and WPP, along with Unilever – one of the world’s largest advertisers, global tech companies, Google and Meta, plus European media company Sky. Osborn’s appointment and the development of the Ad Net Zero USA chapter is also supported by USA trade bodies, ANA, 4A’s and the IAB, the WFA representing global advertisers, European and global agency associations, EACA and Voxcomm, and the IAA.
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Osborn’s remit will be to build on the commitments made by the Global Group to adopt the Ad Net Zero 5-point action plan into its US businesses, driving systemic change in the way the industry works and through the work it makes. Osborn’s appointment comes with an open invitation to US companies to join a chapter focused on specifically addressing the challenges and opportunities in the US ad market, which represents around 40% of the world’s advertising spend.
Ad Net Zero USA will be participating in Advertising Week New York with sessions, networking and special VIP reception at the British Consulate, hosted by Stillwell Partners and the British Government. Osborn will also be talking about sustainability and the US ad market’s response at the ANA’s Masters of Marketing Conference the following week and will join the stellar line-up of speakers at the Ad Net Zero Global Summit on November 9 & 10.
The Ad Net Zero’s 5-point action plan pledges to decarbonise advertising operations, with businesses committing to robust, verified plans to reduce their emissions. It also pledges to use advertising’s power to accelerate the switch to more sustainable products and services for consumers. The programme provides a roadmap for action in all ad markets, with the flexibility to adapt and develop-market specific solutions. It offers tools readily available internationally, like the AdGreen carbon calculator to help to measure and reduce emissions from advertising production.