YouTube show uploads new ideas in Saudi youth

YouTube, the world’s largest online video-sharing community, organized an exclusive “YouTube Day in Saudi Arabia,” the first roadshow of its kind in the Kingdom aimed at creating a viable business model for youth to become business and idea leaders.
“YouTube has become a cultural phenomenon in many countries around the world. Its effects are arguably most noticeable in Saudi Arabia, where 83 percent of users access the online platform on a daily basis,” said Alfonso de Gaetano, branding sector head for the MENA region.
“A whopping 73 percent of users in the Kingdom view YouTube as the number one destination for online videos and 58 percent view the website as the leading platform for high-quality content,” he said.
De Gaetano said that it has also become a major hub for brands in KSA. “This is the first time we give YouTube a physical presence and the first time we offer a platform to make great things happen and attract a large audience,” Diana Baddar, YouTube’s video partnerships manager in the MENA region, told Arab News.
“There is a huge level of excitement in the air. More than 1,500 people had registered at the beginning and a lot more have since showed up, although we are unable to accommodate everyone due to space constraints.”
She said that the Saudi YouTube user base is the second largest in the world. “Advertisers can expect high-quality content. We also want to see more people make YouTube their job, not just their hobby,” said Marenco Kemp, head of YouTube online partnership for Europe, Mideast and Africa.