Reporting

SeenThis use different methods for reporting connected to data transfer and emissions, depending on the available data and purpose.

Understanding the potential impact of using SeenThis

Found on our website, the calculator is a tool that can be used pre-campaign to understand the potential of using SeenThis streaming technology compared to conventional download technology. While the calculation and its assumptions are based on a large sample of historical data, there are multiple unknown factors affecting the results (e.g. the quality of the creative, the campaign's viewability, placement, inventory, budget, etc.), making it difficult to produce an accurate evaluation. In order to get a precise result, a campaign with a detailed measurement must be carried out.

A/B testing

When we perform A/B tests with clients, we set up the test per client request. We measure the data transfer streamed with SeenThis, and if not otherwise stated, compare this to our measurement of the data transfer of running video of corresponding quality using conventional codec h264 main, mp4 progressive download; or compared to static display where images are downloaded and not streamed. The measured difference in the test is extrapolated to the impressions in the campaign and provided in a report.

Do you want to know more about Emissions Reporting?

Emissions can be measured in three main scopes, according to the GHG protocol corporate standard created by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in 2004.
It has since become the dominant accounting methodology for greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions reporting.

Read more

Emissions dashboard

The Emissions dashboard is available for all SeenThis clients and provides data on every campaign executed. We measure how much data has been transferred for a specific ad fetched directly from CDN centers, and compare this to an estimation, based on a proprietary model developed by SeenThis, of running video of corresponding quality using conventional codec h264 main, mp4 progressive download; or of static display where images are downloaded and not streamed.

CO2 calculation

When talking about emissions, it's important to distinguish between footprint and avoided impact.

To calculate carbon footprint, SeenThis uses a carbon key based on a methodology reviewed and validated by Doconomy, which converts data transfer into a CO2 emissions equivalent. SeenThis assumes 1 kg CO2e per 1 GB of data transfer[1]. According to this methodology, this means that if an ad resulted in 30 GB of data transferred, this would translate to a CO2e footprint of 30 kg.

Read more about assumptions in our white paper.

In evaluating the avoided impact in CO2e as a result of SeenThis technology, there's an assumption that data transfer technologies (including ours) can affect up to 30% of the internet value chain[1]. Therefore, the maximum reduction potential per 1 GB of data transfer is 0.30 kg CO2e (assuming the above-mentioned 1 kg CO2e per GB transfer rate). This carbon key is then applied to the measured or estimated lower data transfer from the compared case, meaning that if the comparison results in 300 GB lower data transfer, the avoided CO2e would be 100 kg CO2e.

To make emissions more tangible, we sometimes compare a certain amount of emissions to the equivalent carbon footprint of other activities (either or, not collectively). If not otherwise stated, we assume 131 g CO2e per passenger km when driving a car[2], 8.2 g CO2e to fully charge a depleted smartphone battery for 2 hours[3], and 285 g CO2e per passenger km and for a distance of 1,230 km between London and Madrid or New York to Nashville[2].