Digital screens seems to dominated Middle East and Africa with multiscreen users spending more time watching video on them rather than on TV. A recent global report by Millward Brown studied prominent regions in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) including Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. While Nigeria led the world as the most video exposed market at 4.5 hours per day, Saudi Arabia consumes video at 3.8 hours per day.
The study found that multiscreen consumers between the ages of 16-45 spend 220 minutes a day watching video across TV (live or on-demand), Laptop, Tablet or Smartphone. Fifty-six per cent of their video consumption is on digital screens (smartphone, laptop or tablet).
However, the report also said that despite the majority of users watching videos on digital, they yet remain less receptive to digital advertising. The study is designed to help marketers understand how, where and why people view video, when consumers are open to advertising and which creative approaches work best on each screen.
MENA consumers are generally more receptive to advertising messages, however ads in Live TV still fare best. In Nigeria, 58% of multiscreen consumers were favourable to ads on Live TV and 40% in Saudi Arabia.
Some of the points highlighted to drive video creative effectiveness include:
People are receptive to targeting, but don’t want to be stalked. Consumers are most receptive to video ads targeted based on their interests and least receptive to ads based on their web browsing history.
Context matters. With negativity toward video ads on smartphones at 49% globally and 37% in Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific, advertisers need to earn the right for attention. Twenty-nine per cent of consumers globally said they were less likely to skip, and pay more attention to, online video ads that offer rewards, and they were most receptive to skippable and click-to-play ad formats that provide control over what they see.
Content is still king. The findings indicate the need to consider digital early in the creative process, with an eye toward optimisation across screens. And while skippable formats are a creative challenge, they are worth the focus.
