Ad Blog Arabia

Al Arabiya ahead of Al Jazira in Saudi Arabia

An Ipsos poll has confirmed Al Arabiya as the number one news channel in Saudi Arabia.

The news channel, part of MBC group, enjoyed a 4.9% increase over its competitor - Al Jazeera - in viewership throughout the Kingdom, bringing it to a current viewership rating of 24.2%.

Furthurmore, and quite controversially, the poll shows that 99% of those surveyed ‘would like to watch Al Arabiya’ compared to 79% who ‘would like to watch Al Jazira’.

There’s something for marketers to think about!

Add comment March 31st, 2006

PR explosion in the Middle East

According to the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA), the total fees paid to PR companies in the Middle East exceeded $60m in 2005.

MEPRA also expects it to rise by 20-25% this year.

Interested in finding out more about PR in the region?

Add comment March 29th, 2006

Ideas for ‘Open’ use

OpenAd.net (www.OpenAd.net.) is a website where clients can buy work and even request pitches.

The web-based service enables clients to post their communications briefs on-line and wait for responses from over 4,500 creatives who are signed up in 45 countries.

Many of the site’s creatives come from the UK advertising industry, but talents from other regions, including the Middle East, have also signed up.

The service is subscription-based and charges fees for clients soliciting agencies to pitch, or seeking to buy ready-made ideas.

OpenAd.net are now planning for a push in the Middle East, starting with the IAA Congress to be held in Dubai from 20 t0 23 March, 2006.

Visit the site.

Add comment March 10th, 2006

Advertisers ‘ getting into the game’

There’s a solution for advertisers who want to connect with a hard-to-reach market of young men who aren’t spending as much time watching television as they used to, but invest dozens of hours playing games.

Games publishers are more than pleased to take advertising dollars, for in-game advertising.

It’s been happening for some years now, but will really take off this year.

Nielsen Entertainment, a media monitoring and research firm, has started to follow in-game advertising and estimates it will be a $75 million market in the United States this year and will grow to $1 billion by 2010.

Read more.

Add comment March 2nd, 2006