JEDDAH, 21 November 2007 — True, the Internet is considered the most measurable and accountable advertising medium ever created. Today, online takes 10 percent of all advertising, which can increase to 25 percent in the next five years. But that does not mean that the other modes of advertising are heading toward a dead end. “Innovation and creativity still hold an edge in advertising whatever the means chosen,” says Rafic S. Saadeh, Athens-based chairman and CEO, of Horizon Holdings.
With so many options open to online advertisers, the medium’s strengths have created a potentially confusing and time-consuming process for ad buyers, I-agencies and advertisers. That is why other forms of advertising continue to thrive, whether the print media, the audiovisual media, the TV and radio media or even outdoor advertising. “What is important is communication and connectivity and how you are able to reach the right message to the right people,” Saadeh told Arab News in an interview.
Asked how important is market research when formulating a successful advertising campaign, he said: “It’s very important. Without research, you can’t do anything.” He does not have any preferred research method. “It depends on the situation,” he says.
“It is necessary to look at the new generation and study their consumption habits and patterns.”
While ad spending in other Middle East markets tends to be driven by foreign clients, Saudi Arabia has its own high-spending local brands. However, the country presents agencies with its own particular set of challenges.
The problem is a lack of investment in research. “There have been studies, but none of them go as deep as we would like,” he says. “We know that the typical consumer is young and high-spending.”
Agencies also realize that consumers are demanding ever more sophisticated advertising messages. The basic content of the ads has not changed, but production values have improved beyond all recognition. The audience will no longer put up with anything old-fashioned or cheap.
