Technology has changed all over the world and Middle East and North Africa is no exception. With consumers in MENA being more connected than ever courtesy proliferation of digital devices and platforms, one big market witnessing a huge media revolution is Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In the Kingdom, young Saudis have started switching to the internet for relevant drama, comedy, sports and news. According to a CBC report, “Saudis account for an astounding 190 million YouTube views each day — that’s a rough average of more than six views per citizen per day. YouTube offers Saudi’s young population entertainment choices not available on mainstream television, including locally produced content made by young Saudis who know how to speak to that audience.”
With content that could once only be delivered via traditional platforms such as print and broadcast television, multiple connected devices gives brands a plethora of options to connect with their consumers. Based in Saudi Arabia, Ramzi Ghanem, Managing Director, SMG, KSA says, “I think when it comes to consumers, Saudi Arabia is much more advanced than what many think. In Saudi, mobile consumption is high, number of hours spent on internet is high with local content being produced in Saudi. Over all the market is advanced in both mobile and digital content. As an agency working from such a market, SMG has invested a lot here because we have major clients who require major solutions.”
Sharing about how their main focus in Saudi is digital, Mr Ghanem says, “We are focusing a lot on talent for digital and content. Our clients are increasing their digital budget every year. In order to make sure that we move as the same pace as the consumers; digital, content and data is our priority now.”
Despite the growing digital demand, “agencies are not looking at digital the way we are,” points out Mr Ghanem. Elaborating on this further he says, “Agencies are not giving the right attention to data in decision making and targeting and this is one area that needs improvement.”
Cutting down budget does not hamper the growth trends of the industry says Mr Ghanem adding that “this doesn’t limit optimization of business. On the contrary it encourages us to work much harder in order to prove that we can stand even tough times. And that’s how we can stand out as an agency.”
The biggest challenge for agencies is to match the pace of the consumers. “The major challenge is the ability to be agile enough to service the pace of consumers, when it comes to creating content and messaging in real time, so we are thinking digital first” says Mr Ghanem.
As the media revolution in MENA blurs traditional media definitions, the challenge for agencies is to think digital and create content that engages consumers with insightful experiences.
