Sustainability in Marketing: What a New Study Reveals About Print and Online Advertising

In the context of sustainability, digital communication is often regarded across the board as the ecologically better choice. But a new, independent life-cycle assessment (LCA) by the renowned Öko-Institut Freiburg provides nuanced and surprising insights into the greenhouse gas potential of print and online advertising.

The comprehensive analysis, which considers the entire life cycle, shows that printed advertising media have a significantly lower CO₂e footprint than their digital counterparts in many scenarios.

Key results at a glance

• ✅ The printed brochure has a 5x lower footprint than the online (PDF) brochure
• ✅ Ads in printed daily newspapers are 67 kg CO₂e lower than online banners (per 1 million impressions)

The key to print’s advantage

Reach (multi-user effect): With print media, several readers often share a single copy. This higher readership spreads the greenhouse gas potential across several people.

Material efficiency: Choosing papers with a low carbon footprint plays a decisive role.

Digital burden: In the digital sphere, it is mainly the manufacture and use of ICT end devices as well as energy-intensive data transmission that weigh on the balance.

Conclusion

Anyone who wants to advertise with impact and responsibility should give print a stronger role in the marketing mix once again. Choosing an advertising medium is complex – this data from the Öko-Institut provides an important basis.

The LCA study was commissioned by the Bundesverband Druck und Medien e.V., Austropapier, dpsuisse, Jorcon b.v. and Verband Druck|Medien Österreich.