Advertising revenue in the Arab world is forecast to be "lacklustre" this year, mainly because of the impact of political unrest in the region.
With spending expected to remain below US$7 billion (Dh25.71bn), which most experts agree is the real level - about half the "monitored" figures - growth in advertising across all media is predicted to be negligible this year compared with last year.
But reliable figures on the true size of the regional advertising market are not available.
"We have a lacklustre performance this year," said Sami Raffoul, the general manager of the Pan Arab Research Center (Parc), which attempts to track advertising spending in the region.
Parc said total spending this year was on target to reach $13.8bn, a marginal increase on the $13.7bn it reported last year.
However, the figures do not reflect the common practice in the region of media companies offering free or discounted advertising.
Some executives estimate the true level of spending for last year to be as low as $3.5bn.
The so-called Arab Spring is behind the lack of growth in the advertising market forecast for this year, said Mr Raffoul.
The Egyptian market had been tipped to be the best-performing in the region this year, but it was badly hurt by revolution there.
"Egypt's market was hard hit by the civil unrest. It plunged down by 52 per cent in quarter one and quarter two," said Mr Raffoul. "It's performing at nearly half of its capacity."
However, he predicted that the Arab Spring could boost the advertising market in the long term.
"In spring, we have planted, seeded - and we should collect the harvest sometime later. And that's exactly what we expect to happen in the few years to come," he said.
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and the telecommunications company Zain were the top advertisers between January and September, he said.
However, advertisers in the property, automotive, financial services and government sectors have reduced their budgets.
Internet advertising is one sector bucking the trends of the wider market.
Isam Bayazidi, the chief executive of the Middle Eastern online advertising network ikoo, said recently he expected online advertising spending in the Arab world to hit $160 million this year, and at least $250m next year.
Global advertising executives said the greater amount of time consumers spent online was an increasing opportunity for advertisers.
"Ten years ago, 20 per cent of our lives was spent interacting with some form of media. Today that figure is nearer 50 per cent," said Marco Rimini, the leader of business planning at the media agency Mindshare. "And that's a fundamental shift in the way in which we use our own time as human beings."
Mr Rimini cited research that found that 70 per cent of consumers go online to check out a particular product before making a purchase.
"Digital is changing the way in which we buy products," he said.
In the Middle East, there has been a boom in social media users. Fredrik Bernsel, the sales director for LinkedIn's partners in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the business networking site had strong membership in the UAE.
"We have 120 million members today, currently growing at about two per second. Here in the UAE there are 800,000 members," he said.
Mr Rimini and Mr Bernsel were speaking at the Mindshare Media Summit in Dubai.
bflanagan@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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LUKA CHUPPI
Director: Laxman Utekar
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Cinema
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Aparshakti Khurana
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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Q&A with Dash Berlin
Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.
You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.
You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.
Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.
Company%20Profile
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66