Case Study: Open Media
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With technological advancements and popularity of digital platforms across the world, more companies are switching from static paper billboards to digital advertising screens.
Going digital offers dynamic real-time media, capturing 400% more views than static displays.
This has an immediate impression on the customer that can be controlled from anywhere in the world – reducing the need for regular fortnightly production, transportation, and disposal of printed billboards. Businesses are therefore much more likely to ditch paper for digital.
As of today, the digital out-of-home (DOOH) industry has seen a 6.1% growth in the UK since 2022. While the growth of advertising screens means advertisers can reach more people, problems are created from the moment these screens are produced, used, and disposed of. Although it is not yet known how long screens ‘live’ for, they are said to use “the same electricity as three average UK households” every year.
A lot of energy is also involved in the extraction, manufacturing, and transportation stages and improper disposal of electronic waste can result in the contamination of soil and water - posing threats to human health and environment.
OPEN Media is an outdoor media owner and has over 35 digital screens in cities across the UK, always seeking new and exciting cities to move into, wanting to lead by example regarding sustainability.
Lancaster University postgraduate researcher Diana Mezanec is developing a life cycle sustainability framework for the management of these DOOH screens. This research will examine the materials used for production, estimate carbon emissions during manufacturing, transportation, and operation stages, as well as give recommendations for end-of-life of display screens.
This will help to identify the most sustainable strategies for reducing environmental and social impact, providing innovation within not only OPEN Media, but also the wider electronic industry.
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