Regional brands and marketers are increasingly using the power of audio to deliver messages to over 50 million consumers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This was highlighted once again at the first Anghami-organized Digital Audio Day, done with the support of Anghami’s media representatives DMS, the digital arm of Choueiri Group and Triton Digital, the global technology provider to the audio industry.
International and regional experts who addressed over 200 advertisers, marketers and brand managers said that audio advertising is predicted to grow significantly in the region. According to research on ‘Brand uplift studies’ in 10 sectors conducted by Choueiri Group with Nielsen, 69 percent of marketers expect to increase their investment in digital audio ads by up to 15 percent this year.
The regional potential remains huge when compared to global trends, with the United States alone recording a 112 percent increase in audio ad spend.
“The adoption of digital audio advertising in the region is still in its early stages, but the growth opportunities are huge for the sector. This evolution is led by the rise of music streaming, the strong impact of digital audio ads on brand performance, the mobility of digital audio, and the customization of personal experiences with the latest innovative technology,” said Elie Habib, Co-Founder and CTO, Anghami.
In a mobile and connected consumer environment, advertisers are investing in digital audio for several key reasons, according to Anna Bager, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mobile and Video Centers at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
She explained that the medium has a large and growing audience, with approximately 80 percent of music listeners having used an online streaming service in the last 12 months.
“In addition, digital audio’s consumer reach is highly effective, and its results are measureable. All of these factors played an important role in bringing the revenue of digital audio ads to USD 1.1 billion in 2016, and this trend is expected to continue in the same upwards trajectory,” she said.
This is accompanied with a shift in consumer behavior. “Music streaming is how the world listens to music today, with a 21 percent increase in time spent on music apps. Saudi Arabia is leading with a 24 percent share of time spent with digital audio, as compared to 15 percent in the US. Users in the region spend an average of 81 minutes on the platform each day, marking 64 percent growth year on year. Digital audio is also reaching new consumers and tapping into new markets, making the audio landscape bigger,” said Dr. Youmna Borghol, Head of Data, Choueiri Group.
Research shows that digital ads are two times more likely to lift brand awareness, three times more likely to lift purchase intent, and three times more likely to lift brand favorability than any other kind of digital campaign.
This is one of the reasons that Anghami is bullish on its dynamic creative technology and programmatic, research-enabled ad offerings to the regional audio marketplace. These new tools will enable a more custom, personal experience for listeners while providing customers with third party research on the impact of their campaigns.
“Anghami and DMS are excited to lead the effort in innovation in audio advertising, in order to ensure that our partners share in the continued growth of the audio industry,” Mr Habib added.
“Digital audio ads are personal and native, with the ability to convey a brand’s message to its target audience wherever they may be. Its addition in the media mix has had a tremendous impact on brand awareness and on the performance of cross-channel media buys. Our mission is to make it easy for brands and buyers across the globe to leverage this efficient and effective advertising channel, through the provision of total audience measurement and integrated advertising technology within buying platforms,” said Benjamin Masse, Managing Director, Market Development and Strategy at Triton Digital.
