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Adspend shift in UAE [Bizcommunity (South Africa)]
[August 13, 2014]

Adspend shift in UAE [Bizcommunity (South Africa)]


(Bizcommunity (South Africa) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) DUBAI, UAE: Rising internet penetration sparks shift in advertising spend as MEA SMEs embrace the power of the web.

Once viewed as the sole preserve of large organisations with significant resources and large addressable markets, the world of advertising is undergoing a seismic shift across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Internet advertising is playing a key role in this transformation, with IDC forecasting a 27% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for spending in this area by MEA businesses between 2013 and 2018. The consulting firm's latest research paper, New Media Market: Internet Advertising Spending in Middle East and Africa in 2013 and 2014-2018 Forecast, attributes this dynamism to rising Internet penetration and the growing economic affluence of the region's consumer base.



Continuous developments within the Internet advertising market are driving increasing numbers of organisations to leverage low-cost options such as Google AdWords or Facebook Ads to target their customers in a more efficient manner. These wide-reaching platforms offer a much more cost-effective entry point than traditional advertising, making them particularly relevant for emerging markets such as MEA, where burgeoning economies and concerted government initiatives are spurring a rise in the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Opening up the world of advertising "The innovative new advertising models facilitated by rising Internet adoption are enabling organisations with limited advertising budgets to more fully participate in the advertising market," says Sony John, program manager for telecommunications and media at IDC Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "In this sense, the Internet has 'democraticised' advertising, as it is no longer absolutely necessary for businesses to have huge funds at their disposal in order to hire expensive advertising agencies or marketing firms. And while this has inevitably resulted in some cannibalisation of traditional media advertising, particularly print, the widening participation of smaller organisations in the advertising space has more than made up for it." But which factors in particular are driving the proliferation of Internet use throughout the region? The overall improvement in economic activity across most parts of MEA has meant that an increasing proportion of people are seeing their disposable incomes rise. This growing affluence is not only enabling consumers to purchase more mobile devices with Internet connections, it is also attracting more advertisers to target these consumers.Growth areas Falling data tariffs - the result of declining voice revenues and heightened competition - are also helping to accelerate Internet use on mobile devices, and crucially, the MEA region is characterised by a young demographic with an average age of 20-28 years (WHO, 2012). This young population is driving a connected culture whereby a large proportion of the population instinctively (and increasingly) chooses to go online for their information, social networking, and entertainment needs.

IDC's newly published report indicates that advertising formats such as 'mobile search' and 'mobile display' are expected to grow the fastest between 2013 and 2018, clocking CAGRs of well over 50%. Meanwhile, the 'online display' and 'online search' formats will continue to attract the highest levels of spending over this period. But despite this positive outlook, IDC believes there is plenty of scope for even more growth.


"There remains an overall lack of clarity among organisations around the different Internet advertising options that are available to them," says John. "Bearing this in mind, ad publishers can help drive this growing phenomenon even further by investing more in generating awareness of the different advertising possibilities that are available online, particularly in relation to the flexible pricing and payment options that can be tailored to meet an organisation's specific budget and needs."About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is a leading global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries worldwide. For more than 50 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, a leading technology media, research, and events company.

IDC in the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey For the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey region, IDC retains a coordinated network of offices in Riyadh, Casablanca, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Istanbul, with a regional centre in Dubai. Our coverage couples local insight with an international perspective to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions. Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey currently fields over 125 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region.

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