Digital ad spending data for the week of August 22 - 28
Top spenders last week include ExxonMobil, Climate Pledge, LCV, API, NRDC Action Fund
As members of Congress return to Washington, D.C. to quickly advance President Joe Biden’s economic agenda, climate groups and allied organizations are ramping up their digital ad campaigns advocating for the Build Back Better Agenda.
Before we dig into it, here are the top 25 spenders on climate and energy-related ads on Facebook from last week:
Several major climate groups grew their Facebook ad spending from the previous week to last week, including the League of Conservation Voters, NRDC and the NRDC Action Fund, Environmental Defense Fund and EDF Action, and Science Moms. Overall, these and about 30 other climate, clean energy, and environmental groups spent $569,824 on Facebook ads last week, compared to $432,011 the previous week.
Chief among these big spenders on the platform is LCV, which is continuing to use their ads to support various Democratic representatives in the House using a new flight of ads (primarily targeted at women in the Members’ respective areas) that have really distilled the key green points of the “Build Back Better plan” right in the copy:
The Build Back Better plan will:
1. Create clean energy jobs 👩🏭
2. Help lower utility bills 💡
3. Take on climate change 🌎
It's a win for our economy and our kids' future.
Another group rapidly growing its investment in Facebook ads is the NRDC Action Fund. Like we reported last week, they’re using the ads to go to bat for Reps. Mike Levin and Katie Porter of California, and they seem to have added Rep. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey to their list. In their ads advocating for these representatives and for the American Jobs Plan (or Build Back Better, depending on the ad), they emphasize cleaning up pollution, clean energy and transportation, and creating jobs.
We have found one wild card among groups using Facebook ads to advocate for clean energy: the Dairy Farmers of America. They don’t appear to be pushing for legislative action, but they are using their ads to showcase their own commitments to achieving a net-zero carbon “hoofprint” by 2050. Considering the huge carbon footprint of livestock agriculture in the U.S., it’s unclear if this campaign signifies a genuine commitment by members of the group or just another greenwashing PR attempt. Regardless, they’ve spent $80,373 on pun-laden Facebook ads in the past month that target young adults in states including PA, IN, CA, IL, and MO.
On the other side, ExxonMobil spent an enormous amount on Facebook ads last week - over $300,000 dollars - on familiar ads that implicitly argue against the Build Back Better agenda with copy like, “Our economy is recovering, but still vulnerable! Raising taxes on American businesses could hurt millions of American workers and stifle corporate investment and competitiveness.” Additionally, the Washington Post reported today on the numerous corporations spending millions of dollars to derail the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill at the heart of the Build Back Better agenda.
Overall, here’s how much climate groups, polluters, and other pages spent on Facebook ads last week:
Google and YouTube
LCV continues to be a major spender on Google and YouTube ads as well, having spent $88,400 - the most they have ever spent on the platform since May 2018 - on the platform last week on geotargeted ads that are very similar to their Facebook ads above:
Their NH-focused campaign with Priorities is still ongoing, as is the Civilian Climate Corps campaign from Evergreen Action. NRDC Action Fund has launched a new arm of their BBB campaign supporting Reps. Malinowski and Levin, spending $3,900 on the platform last week.
Snapchat
There were no new Snapchat campaigns among climate groups last week except for a pair of small campaigns - totaling $644 so far - advocating for Native lands and protecting sharks from the shark fin trade.
Overall, here are the top spenders on climate ads on Snapchat so far this year: