Episode 21
Anne Coghlan of Scope3 on the Philosophy of Math, Decarbonized Media, and the Future of Digital Ads
Internet ads – you probably see hundreds, maybe thousands a day without thinking about them. But it turns out the process for serving those ads involves a highly complex digital supply chain that generates 7.2 million tons of carbon emissions annually. That’s why ad-tech veteran Anne Coghlan is on a mission to decarbonize media and advertising with Scope3.
A lifelong lover of logic and problem-solving, Anne earned her Master’s at University College London in the Philosophy of Mathematics, later joining digital advertising company AppNexus in 2015. There she met future Scope3 co-founder Brian O’Kelley and helped to develop many of the technologies that underpin digital ad delivery today.
When Anne left the ad industry to join supply chain tech company Waybridge, she began to notice that a lack of consideration for sustainability and energy consumption existed across both industries.
So, in 2021, she reunited with O’Kelley and other AppNexus alumni to found Scope3, a public benefit corporation aiming to decarbonize advertising and media by better measuring the carbon emitted from digital display and video ads. In 2023, Anne made AdAge’s 40 under 40 list and secured the #2 most influential person in performance media on PMW’s Power 100 List, but the COO of Scope3 is just getting started.
Hear Anne Coghlan share how her love for math ultimately led to co-founding a startup, why online ads only scratch the surface of Scope3’s potential use cases, and what the future holds for decarbonized digital media.
Episode Highlights
00:00 Anne Coghlan on decarbonizing digital supply chains
00:53 Conor Gaughan introduces Anne Coghlan and Scope3
05:08 The beauty of math, interest in music, and academic pursuits
16:10 Studies to consulting, joining AppNexus, and Waybridge
21:27 Launching Scope3, how it works, and the media industry’s footprint
34:14 Problem solving with math, maximizing impact, and open sourcing tech
45:01 What’s next, remaining optimistic, and the future of sustainable ads
49:39 Where to learn more
51:32 End credits
If you liked this episode, listen next to Allison Wolff of Vibrant Planet on Beneficial Fire, Sustainable Software, and Nature-Based Climate Solutions
More on Scope3 and Anne Coghlan:
linkedin.com/company/scope3data
Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone
Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at CiC@consensus-digital.com
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Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.
