Observed Signal · Sep 30, 2026 · Corporate Update · Source: Ad Net Zero · Impact: 2/5
Fewer ads are showing sustainable behaviours – but new Kantar data shows the brands that do are winning
Ad Net Zero and Kantar released the Q3 2026 update of the Sustainable Behaviours Ad Tracker, now covering 21,187 ads across 44 markets. Only 4.1% of ads feature sustainable behaviour, down from 6.1% in the first report, with US ads at 3.0%. Despite the decline, ads featuring sustainable behaviours show stronger effectiveness, especially when combined with explicit environmental messaging. New Zealand leads the country ranking at 14%.
The tracker quantifies how rarely advertising reflects sustainable behaviours and proves that such ads carry no effectiveness penalty. As the share of sustainable ads declines, the data offers brands a clear opportunity to differentiate and win, especially in the US during Climate Week NYC.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Kantar classified 21,187 ads tested between November 2024 and August 2026 across 44 markets.
- Only 4.1% of ads feature sustainable behaviour, down from 6.1% in the tracker's first report.
- In the US, 3.0% of 3,237 ads show sustainable behaviours, down from 5.3% in 2025, placing the US 26th of 44 markets.
- Ads combining sustainable behaviours with explicit environmental messaging see +19 distinctiveness, +16 emotional engagement, and +11 long-term brand equity.
- New Zealand tops the country ranking at 14%, ahead of Norway (12%) and Sweden (11%).
Connected Companies & Entities
“Kantar classified 21,187 ads and provided the data for the Sustainable Behaviours Ad Tracker update.”
“Ad Net Zero released the Q3 2026 update of the Sustainable Behaviours Ad Tracker together with Kantar, supporting its Every Brief Counts too...”
“Samsung is highlighted in the report as one of the US brands doing sustainable behaviour advertising well.”
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