Pakistan Digital Media Advertising Growth Among World's Fastest

Rapid growth of broadband access in Pakistan is changing the country's media landscape. Digital advertising revenue is forecast to grow by 32% in 2019 to Rs. 10.8 billion ($103 million), 12% of total national advertising revenue (NAR), according to Magna Advertising. Digital marketing expert Lars Anthonisen believes Pakistan is quickly becoming a "digital first country". Anthonisen sees "new opportunities for brands to reach and engage with consumers who may have previously been overlooked". Overall ad spend in Pakistan is expected to rise by 15% in 2019 to Rs. 88.3 billion ($840 million) following a steep decline (-11%) in 2018, according to a Branding in Asia report. Growing availability of smartphones, tablets and mobile broadband is extending the reach of advertisers to digital media where it is possible to precisely target prospective customers.

Return to Media Growth in 2019: 

Magna expects to see a return to growth in Pakistani media revenue in 2019, with television, which makes up two-thirds of total NAR, benefitting from the 2019 Cricket World Cup (+15%), according to a Branding in Asia report.

In 2018, Pakistan media industry went through a major shakeout after a long period of rapid double-digit growth since the turn of the century. Hundreds of journalists and other staff lost their jobs last year.  It was a horrible year for Pakistani media industry which saw steep 11% decline in revenue during the year.

2019 Advertising Growth Forecast. Source: Magna
Digital Advertising Growth: 

Digital advertising is forecast to grow by 32% to Rs. 10.8 billion ($103 million), 12% of total national advertising revenue (NAR), according to Magna Advertising. Digital marketing expert Lars Anthonisen believes Pakistan is quickly becoming a "digital first country". Anthonisen sees "new opportunities for brands to reach and engage with consumers who may have previously been overlooked".

Growing availability of smartphones, tablets and mobile broadband is extending the reach of advertisers to digital media where it is possible to precisely target prospective customers. As of May 2019, there are over 70 million broadband subscriptions in Pakistan and more than a million new subscribers are are being added every month, according to data from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority  (PTA).

Pakistan Telecom Indicators. Source: PTA

Overall Media Market: 

Print and radio are likely to grow as well, now that the initial shock of the government’s strict reforms has worn off and a preliminary IMF bailout agreement has been reached. Digital formats, particularly social (+39%) and video (+31%), will continue to see the strongest growth, +32% to Rs. 10.8 billion ($103 million), 12% of total NAR.

The ad spend in Pakistan is expected to grow by 15% in 2019 to Rs. 88.3 billion ($840 million) following a steep decline (-11%) in 2018.   In 2018, Pakistan media industry went through a major shakeout after a long period of rapid double-digit growth since the turn of the century. Hundreds of journalists and other staff lost their jobs. At least one TV channel, Waqt News, was closed while several others downsized. While such consolidation was long overdue after nearly two-decade long period of explosive growth, the PTI government's decision to reduce advertising budget, which constitutes nearly a quarter of all ad spending in the country, appears to have been the main trigger. Those affected by consolidation are accused the government of exercising press censorship by cutting its ad spending.

Pakistan Broadband Growth:

As of May 2019, there are over 70 million broadband subscriptions in Pakistan and more than a million new subscribers are are being added every month, according to data from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority  (PTA).

China is aggressively pursuing its plans to build a global digital superhighway that runs through Pakistan. This "Digital Silk Road" involves laying fiber optic cables in Pakistan which connect with China to the north and link with Africa and the Arab World via undersea cable to be laid from Gwadar Deep Sea Port built as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

A 820-kilometer long China-Pakistan fiber optic cable has already been laid between the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan in the south and the Khunjerab Pass, China in the north  and operational since July, 2018.

By 2020, the 6,299 kilometers of underwater cables will extend to Djibouti from Gwadar and form the Digital Silk Route between Asia and Africa. At the same time, a space-based Silk Road will provide satellite navigation support to all BRI (Belt Road Initiative) countries. The first Beidou base station of the Space Silk Road is already operational in Pakistan since 2017.  BeiDou is making rapid progress with 30 BRI countries already linked up.

When completed, the ambitious global initiative would use an exclusive satellite navigation system, BeiDou, fiber networks and 5G on land and submarine cables to create a multi-dimensional digital mega-project across land, sea and space.

Summary:

Rapid growth of broadband access in Pakistan is changing the country's media landscape. Digital advertising is forecast to grow by 32% to Rs. 10.8 billion ($103 million), 12% of total national advertising revenue (NAR), according to Magna Advertising.  Digital marketing expert Lars Anthonisen believes Pakistan is quickly becoming a "digital first country". Anthonisen sees "new opportunities for brands to reach and engage with consumers who may have previously been overlooked". Magna expects to see a return to media market growth in 2019, with television, which makes up two-thirds of total NAR, benefitting from the 2019 Cricket World Cup (+15%), according to a Branding in Asia report. Growing availability of smartphones, tablets and mobile broadband is extending the reach of advertisers to digital media where it is possible to precisely target prospective customers.

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E-Commerce in Pakistan

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Mobile Broadband Speed in Pakistan

Comments

Riaz Haq said…
The world of advertising – An overview
BY TAYYAB TARIQ NARULA

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/05/28/the-world-of-advertising-an-overview/

Overall, the brands’ budgets are shifting towards digital media at a fast pace and according to Magna Global, an affiliate of the global conglomerate IPG group, it is expected that the digital media spending will surpass TV media spending by 2018

The history of advertising can be traced back to the lost city of Pompeii in 79 AD wherein the advertising messages were found in its ruins. The history of modern advertising starts with the advent of the mediums of mass communication and the first one among them was the printing press. Printing press is said to be the beginning of the European renaissance and enlightenment period due to which people were exposed to the thoughts of the new age philosophers e.g. John Locke, Voltaire, etc. Along with bringing new ideas to the public for enlightenment, it also paved the way for capitalism. In 1472, the first paper bill ads was published by William Caxton for a book and he tacked them to church dooRsSince then, advertising grew with the invention of every new medium of mass communication i.e. Newspaper, TV, Out of Home and Digital.

In 1704, first newspaper ad was published in USA while in 1941 the first TV ad was broadcasted, again in USA. With the advent of cars, out of home advertising became an important medium of advertising. People with a high entrepreneurial spirit found a great opportunity in out of home advertising and even when the government stopped their way, they found creative ways to expand their business. In 1963, the French government put a ban on bill boards, so Jeans Claude Decaux, then a budding entrepreneur, made a deal with the city of Lyons, proposing that he would build bus shelters and keep them clean in exchange for advertising space there. This lead him to create one of the biggest companies in the world in out of home advertising sector having a revenue of more than $6 billion in 2016 and making him a billionaire worth more than $6 billion.

Nowadays, advertising is a huge business because of the rise of transcontinental capitalism. The global spending on advertising for the year 2016 was worth $500 billion, which is more than Pakistan’s total GDP. And if marketing expense is added i.e. market research, public relations, direct marketing, etc, then it makes a total industry of worth $965 billion. Among them, $214 billion were spent on TV and $160.2 billionwere spent on digital, being the two largest mediums. The annual revenue of the Facebook in 2016, which started in 2004 and for the google, the search engine giant, was $27 billion and $89.5 billion respectively. And the revenue model of both of these digital giants only consists of advertising. Among the world’s biggest advertisers are Procter and Gamble, Unilever, L’oreal, Toyota Motor Corporation and Volkswagen.

The world’s biggest advertising markets are US, China and Japan. In US, the multinational companies spend a whopping $180 billion on advertising. The closest market, China is not even half of that. In China, the companies spend 85 billion on Advertising while the next biggest advertising market Japan is again not even half of that with a combined spending of only $38 billion. The other big markets are UK, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and South Korea with a combined spending of $140 billion. Interestingly, US spending in advertising is more than the combined spending of the eight countries among the world’s top 10 largest spenders, excluding China. This also represents the strength of the US economy and its high per capita spending as advertising is directly a function of the economy. Whenever the economy performs better, the advertising spending of the companies increases and whenever there is a slump, the advertising sector also faces a downturn.
Riaz Haq said…
#Digital #Pakistan: Increasing digitization and #internet accessibility make Pakistan's e-commerce market one of the fastest growing in the world. Size of #ecommerce market is up by 92% to 99.3 billion rupees ($640.3 million) during the fiscal year 2017-18 http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1163302.shtml#.XXBF_novZYI.twitter

The number of registered e-commerce merchants was 496 in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2017-18, reaching nearly 1,100 by year end, and was over 1,200 in the first quarter of 2018-19, showing an exponential growth in e-commerce activities in the country.

Pakistan has e-commerce companies in almost every major sector from retail and ride-hailing to property and car purchasing. Benefits such as lower transaction costs, ease of selection of various products while sitting at home, wider selection range, opportunity for making informed purchase decisions based on online reviews and on-time delivery process are the main sources of attraction for consumers, paving the way for the industry to flourish.

Leading online businesses in Pakistan in retail are Daraz, Yayvo and HumMart, whereas ride-hailing services have been overtaken mostly by the global and regional giants Uber and Careem.

Additionally, PakWheels and Zameen are the largest online marketplaces for car and property shoppers and sellers in Pakistan. Among food delivery service providers, FoodPanda is most popular.

The industry has not only helped major players in expanding their businesses, it is also an effective tool for small- and medium-sized enterprises due to low costs and increased accessibility of sellers to customers.

In its efforts to increase the growth and development of the industry, the federal government has recently framed a draft e-commerce policy aimed at achieving higher export growth through enhanced activities from e-commerce platforms, promoting small e-businesses and creating employment opportunities.

The main goal of the policy is to augment the e-commerce industry's growth to make it one of the key drivers of Pakistan's economy.

Though data shows a steady rise in digital transactions and the number of registered vendors, the country's successful e-commerce entrepreneurs believe that Pakistan can learn much from China to further boost the industry, which is still in its infancy, as the latter has an immense knowledge base, experience and advanced technology in this field.

In a conversation with the Xinhua News Agency, Adam Dawood, head of Yayvo, one of Pakistan's largest online retailers, said that China is the world's biggest e-commerce market with annual online sales worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

As a neighboring country, China is eyeing the huge untapped potential in Pakistan, with Chinese e-commerce player AliExpress, part of tech giant Alibaba, recently acquiring Daraz.

"Apart from investment in Pakistan, China has such a big market for products that we could increase our product assortment overnight," Dawood said, adding that there is a lot of learning required in terms of product-market fit, legislation, and route to market that would help Pakistan increase not just the online shopping base, but also the internet penetration rate.

Talking about the challenges the e-commerce industry is facing, Dawood said that Pakistan needs to focus on optimizing overall service delivery and customer experience aspects.

"Our logistics and payments systems need to evolve to be better suited; it behooves the government to pass legislations and cooperate and collaborate with regional players including China to further support and actively promote the digital businesses."

Pakistan needs to encourage Chinese enterprises to explore opportunities in the Pakistani e-commerce industry and join with local start-ups for new business ventures, said Shehryar Hydri, secretary general of the Pakistan Software Houses Association, a trade body promoting and developing software and services industry in Pakistan.

Riaz Haq said…
Returning to Pakistan after 30 years, the three-day AdAsia Lahore 2019 will start at Alhamra Arts Council here on Tuesday.


https://www.dawn.com/news/1520089/adasia-lahore-starts-today

AdAsia is Asia’s largest and most prestigious ad congress held every two years under the auspices of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA). Its theme is ‘Celebrasian: Celebration of Advertising and Creativity in Asia’.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar will open the AdAsia 2019, the 31st Advertising Congress.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is also expected to attend the event.

Pakistan is celebrating advertising and communications by bringing the most inspirational figures to AdAsia with more than 25 speakers travelling from all over the world that will help promote Pakistan’s soft image in the world.

Some 750 delegates around the globe are expected to attend the event. The speakers include William Dalrymple (historian and author), Randi Zuckerberg (Founder & CEO, Zuckerberg Media), Lord William Hague (former secretary of state UK), Tay Guan Hin (Creative Change Catalyst, APAC Global Advisory), Richard Quest (chief business correspondent CNN), Tasuharu Sasaki (Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Network), Atifa Silk (Brand Director, Campaign — Asia), Musharaf Hai (Managing Director, L’Oreal), Javed Jabbar (media expert), Seema Kamil (President and CEO, UBL), Taher Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communi­cations), Ali Rez (Regional CD, Middle East & Pakistan, BBDO Worldwide), Shazia Syed (CEO, Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited) and Dr Zeelaf Munir (MD & CEO, EBM).

This will be a seminal event for Pakistan’s advertising industry and it is hoped that the fraternity will gear up and send as many young delegates as possible.
Riaz Haq said…
AdAsia Comes to Pakistan After 30 years: Logo & Creative Identity Unveiled
By Press Release - Jan 27, 2019 0
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adasia 2019


https://www.brandsynario.com/adasia-comes-to-pakistan-after-30-years-logo-creative-identity-unveiled/

The logo unveiling ceremony of AdAsia 2019 —Asian Advertising Congress, was held at Faletti’s Hotel, Lahore, on Sunday.

Cadbury Dairy Milk
AdAsia is the largest and most prestigious advertising congress in Asia, organized bi-annually by the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA).

Started off in 1958, AdAsia 2019 is the 31st advertising congress that is being hosted by Pakistan in Lahore from December 2-5 this year. It is the second AdAsia to be held in Pakistan. In 1989 Pakistan hosted the 16th AdAsia which was a roaring success.


The logo which has been designed by well known Pakistani communication practitioner Shahzad Nawaz was unveiled by the AdAsia Organizing Committee and Pakistan Advertising Association (PAA) to the creative & marketing communication industry of the country.

“It is an honor for Pakistan to host AdAsia 2019 after 30 years,” said Sarmad Ali, Chairman Organizing Committee, AdAsia 2019 Lahore. “We have had a tremendous event 30 years ago which is still talked about in the advertising circles and we hope to bring the same magic back but in a bigger and better way.”

AdAsia 2019 will be a motivating and stimulating Congress with diverse topics and speakers from all walks of life, each sharing their experiences and helping others to learn from those.


Sharing his views about the Congress, Chairman, PAA, Ali Mandviwalla said “AdAsia Lahore will focus on technology and communication in the new world. It will serve as a platform for global leaders to share the practices that lead industries in their regions so that we can benefit from it and help them in areas of our strengths. The congress will be a great learning experience for not just the creative industry but for all.”

Speaking at the event, Shahzad Nawaz, termed AdAsia to be a dream project, “It is a matter of great honor for me to be selected for this exciting opportunity and I can’t wait to showcase Pakistan to the world.”

The theme for the Congress is ‘Celebrasian: Celebration of Advertising and Creativity in Asia’, and the communication has been designed keeping the theme and design elements from Pakistan in mind.


Brandsynario
@brandsynario
AdAsia 2019 will be a motivating and stimulating Congress with diverse topics and speakers from all walks of life, each sharing their experiences and helping others to learn from those. #karachi #lahore #islamabad

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The logo unveiled sets the tone of the entire communication of AdAsia 2019 in Lahore, which is vibrant, fresh yet culturally embedded taking elements from our region of Asia.


‏علینہ 🇵🇰
@aleenarathore
The best part about the logo is that it's in اردو language
This is for the first time Ad Asia logo is in a regional language. It clearly shares the Pakistani values and culture 💕#ADAsiaLahore #ADAsiaPakistan

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For the AdAsia Lahore this year, Pakistan is set to celebrate advertising and communications by bringing the most inspirational speakers to Lahore. The Congress is expected to feature more than 1000 participants from advertising and creative communications from around the world, majorly Asia and more particularly South Asia.

Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan, has been invited to inaugurate the event. While, the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Mr. Asad Umar, has also been invited as Guest Speaker. International speakers like Peter Draper, Former Marketing Director of Manchester United and Richard Quest, CNN Chief Business Correspondent, have already agreed to speak at the Congress.
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan Ad Revenue 2018...Digital ad revenue increased by Rs. 2.5 billion (46%)


Total Ad spend (revenue) decreased by Rs 6.1 billion (7%) to Rs. 81.6 billion


The percentage share of TV has decreased by 2%.

https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1143364


Riaz Haq said…
BIGO Ads partners with RMI to launch its #advertising business in #Pakistan.BIGO uses machine learning technology, powerful #ArtificialIntelligence algorithms and #BigData to support #branding and targeted advertising solutions. #Media https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bigo-ads-partners-rmi-launch-104000958.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw via @YahooFinance

KARACHI, Pakistan, April 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile marketing platform BIGO Ads announces Rich Media Inc ("RMI") as the authorized reseller in Pakistan.

BIGO Ads, from BIGO Technology, is an ads platform, providing mobile marketing solutions globally. Covering more than 150 countries, BIGO Ads integrates mobile marketing solutions into imo, the video and audio calling app with global monthly active users (MAU) of 210 million, and Likee, a short video creation platform with global MAU of 115 million. With its strong user base and high-quality content, BIGO Ads enriches the user portrait system and provides marketing solutions for advertisers and partners in different scenarios.

BIGO Ads utilizes cutting-edge machine learning technology, powerful Artificial Intelligence algorithms, comprehensive big data analysis, and processing capabilities to support branding and performance advertising solutions for advertisers. With various advertising formats, such as Banner, Native, Video and different cooperation models like Programmatic buying,

Reserved branding Ads and Auction Bidding Ads, BIGO Ads provides a one-stop integrated marketing solutions for advertisers to reach the targeted audience, increase brand awareness and maximize return of investment (ROI).

RMI is an exclusive partner of Sizmek by Amazon, and Control Shift in Pakistan since 2008 and 2019 respectively. Recently RMI inked the agreement with BIGO to sell media properties of imo and Likee to local media agencies and advertisers to drive higher return on ad spend. RMI holds a major percent market share of digital ad serving business in Pakistan. RMI is playing a digital consultancy role in the market to facilitate the local agencies and advertisers about new innovative ad formats, ads execution strategies and ideas. We are known for strategic digital advertising solutions.

BIGO Ads is glad to partner with RMI. With RMI's in-depth understanding of the market and excellent relationship in Pakistan, as well as the rich and efficient marketing solutions of BIGO Ads, we will provide advertisers with a better service and achieve marketing objectives.

Riaz Haq said…
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-apac/country/insights-pakistan/what-pakistan-searching-insights-brands/

Google's “Insights for Brands” in #Pakistan. Searches are surging for #COVID19, "healthy diets", "fast delivery", "gym at home", "Intermittent fasting", "climate change", "electric cars", "clean air", 7 in 10 Pakistanis using YouTube every month. #Lockdown https://nation.com.pk/20-Jun-2020/google-releases-pakistan-s-search-insights-for-brands


“Pakistanis and their smartphones are inseparable -- always on the lookout for the best experiences and deals within their vicinity and at the same time seeking authoritative information during these trying times,” said Faraz Azhar, Industry Head for South Asia, Google Asia Pacific. “Our research found rising levels of consumer sophistication, interest in more sustainable products and services, and a move towards a healthier lifestyle as some of the biggest drivers of behavior in the last 12 months. Also, digital video continues to boom with local content on YouTube representing Pakistan’s favorite online destination.”

In the newly released report, Google outlined five key trends that are shaping how Pakistanis search as well as their curiosity on the impact of reduced human mobility on the environment:

1. Increasingly sophisticated consumers

Consumers expect Search to understand the intent behind what they need and deliver the best, most helpful answers. They want high-quality products that are available with a convenient digital experience. 4 in 5 Pakistani consumers research products online before a purchase, and they switch between online search and video. They also want quick access to products and services: 138% growth in “near me” searches and 1.5X increase in “same day delivery” queries between 2018 to 2019. ‘Fast delivery’ searches increased by 1300% and online grocery delivery searches increased by 300% when the pandemic began.

Pakistani student spends 'golden, happy' days in China amid pandemic

2. Towards sustainability and conscious consumption

A combination of the state of the world and an overall rise in awareness has seen the rise of the environmentally conscious consumer. Over a one year period these searches have risen sharply across Pakistan: “climate change” by 1.5X, “electric cars” by 1.5X, “reusable” by 1.3X, and “cimate change” by 1.5X. Users were also curious about the visible impact on air quality and pollution levels, with searches for ‘clear skies’ increasing by 300%; ‘clean air’ by 225%; and ‘clear water’ by 217%.

3. Digital video continues to boom

Video streaming and sharing platforms are where Pakistanis get their fix of information, entertainment, news, and sports. The primary drivers are a combination of affordable data combined with the proliferation of devices and now platforms. 7 in 10 Pakistanis use YouTube every month, with searches related to “with me” increasing 150%, “teeli” by 108% and “vilage food secrets” by 168%.

4. The healthy lifestyle choice

While Pakistan has a rich and diverse culinary tradition, there has been a rise in searches for alternate diets and meal plans predicated around well-being. Searches for “daily exercise” are up 1.6X. Searches for “vegetarian cuisine”, “healthy supplements” and “intermittent fasting” have risen 1.5X. Meanwhile searches for “super food” are up by a whopping 767% and “HIIT” by 600%.

5. COVID-19 implications

With COVID-19 restricting the movement of people outdoors, Pakistanis have started looking for ways to start (or continue) their usual physical routines indoors with ‘HIIT workout’ YouTube searches growing by 600%, ‘gym at home’ by 125%, and ‘home workouts’ by 80%. With more people confined indoors, interest in mental health and well-being has also become an important factor for Pakistanis, with a surge in searches for ‘meditation’ (+56%) in March this year.
Riaz Haq said…
Mondelez becomes 'first company in Pakistan' to run campaign using Google DV 360 and Oracle Bluekai

https://www.dawn.com/news/1626010/mondelez-becomes-first-company-in-pakistan-to-run-campaign-using-google-dv-360-and-oracle-bluekai


Mondelez — a snacks company whose products include Cadbury Dairy Milk — has become the "first company in Pakistan" to run a campaign using a mixture of Google's Display & Video 360 (DV 360) and Oracle Bluekai. The campaign was executed by communications agency Brainchild.

In a statement, Brainchild shared that the tools were used for Mondelez's "Teachers Ko Salaam" campaign which, while paying tribute to them for "ensuring that life goes on" during the Covid-19 pandemic, also encouraged students to leave heartfelt messages for their teachers at the Cadbury Generosity website and order a personalised Cadbury Dairy Milk gift box for them.

The data-backed targeting methodology used by BrainChild for the campaign resulted in 15 per cent of the engaged audience clicking through to the landing page, the statement said.

"In order to reach high-affinity data sets of students, the team at Brainchild leveraged a second party database — a first for any advertiser or agency in Pakistan — to provide an audience with high-affinity student data sets, delivering highly relevant audiences. Using DV 360 for all the programmatic display buying, the team at Brainchild was able to analyse, adjust, and pivot the overall process," the agency shared.

Ghouse, said the agency used first-party data from the Cadbury Generosity website and complemented it with second-party data taken from Hamariweb and Urdupoint along with DV 360 and Facebook pixels captured.

"The data was then sent to Oracle Bluekai for integration and then back to both DV 360 and Facebook as media channels," he added.

"Tapping the programmatic team at Brainchild, Mondelez becomes the first company in Pakistan to dabble with a blend of DV 360 and Oracle Bluekai in order to activate the power of programmatic media buying coupled with the precision of a data management platform," the statement said.

Google's Country Director, South Asian Frontier, Farhan Qureshi, while reacting to the development said: "It is exciting to see Mondelez Pakistan leverage a mix of first-party and second-party data to create a campaign that is relevant and impactful in the current times.

"As we move towards a more privacy-first advertising ecosystem, first-party data coupled with automation and ML will play a critical role in ensuring that advertisers can focus on privacy while continuing to deliver on business results," he added.
Riaz Haq said…
Over 10 million advertisers contribute 98% of #Facebook revenue. In the 3 months ending in June 30, it pulled in an average of $78 million in #ad sales every 6 hours, much of it from small companies, organizations & individuals. #digitaladvertising

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/05/business/media/facebook-outage-advertisers.html

For more than five hours on Monday, while Facebook and Instagram were dark, David Herrmann fretted about ads.

Mr. Herrmann, a freelance media buyer, said that everyone he worked with relied heavily on the platforms, which soak up the bulk of the $80 million to $100 million in ad spending he manages each year.

One company that advertises exclusively on Facebook watched its revenue plunge 70 percent during the outage from the same period a week earlier, Mr. Herrmann said. Sales slipped 30 percent at another company, which spends $40,000 a day on ads.

“I was more or less checking Facebook consistently throughout the day, hoping it would come back,” he said. “But without clear direction from Facebook, we just had to wait.”


The outage was an unpleasant reminder to many advertisers of Facebook’s powerful influence on their ability to do business.

Ads fuel Facebook, with more than 10 million advertisers contributing more than 98 percent of its revenue. In the three months ending in June 30, it pulled in an average of $78 million in ad sales every six hours, much of it from small companies, organizations and individuals.

But a deluge of criticism has caused many of Facebook’s customers to sour on the company. Frances Haugen, a former project manager for Facebook turned whistle-blower, testified before senators on Tuesday that the company was aware of the harms caused by its services, such as Instagram’s negative effects on teenage girls. Facebook has also faced advertiser outcry over its handling of hate speech, misinformation, privacy and more.

Graham Mudd, Facebook’s vice president for ads and business product marketing, wrote on Twitter on Monday that the outage affected Facebook’s ad platform and apologized “for the disruption this creates for our customers.” Facebook said later in the day that “advertisers were not and will not be billed for ads during the outage.”

Media buyers noted that Facebook went dark at the beginning of the most important period for many advertisers, as they begin holiday campaigns during a season that is expected to be complicated this year by supply chain struggles and pandemic restrictions.

Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan: Newspapers fight for survival as sales plunge
Jamila Achakzai Islamabad
11/22/2022November 22, 2022
Print journalism subscriptions and readership have been plummeting as people increasingly get their information from digital sources.

https://www.dw.com/en/pakistans-newspapers-fight-for-survival-as-sales-plunge/a-63845118


Mujahid Hussain, a news hawker in Islamabad, says he is afraid of losing his job amid a downturn in newspaper sales in Pakistan, where people are increasingly getting their information from digital and social media platforms.

"My employer often talks about a slump in newspaper sales and a possible business shutdown. So even if he doesn't close shop, my job is definitely on the line," the 42-year-old father of three told DW.

Hussain pointed out he has already experienced massive pay cuts over the past three years and that his family is struggling to make ends meet.

Many other news vendors in the South Asian country share similar woes.

It was not always like this, however.

Even until a decade ago, the newspaper industry thrived in the country. Daily newspapers, weeklies and magazines used to be a must in offices, living rooms and cafes.

But print publications were first eclipsed by the dozens of private TV news channels that were launched during the presidency of General Pervez Musharraf between 2001 and 2008.

Then came affordable smartphones, social media networks and widespread internet connectivity, which further dented newspaper sales as more and more people began to consume news on online platforms.


Hawkers' lives hit hard
Since the downturn in the newspaper industry has particularly affected hawkers, who mostly work part-time for meager wages, these low-paid workers are taking on other informal jobs to make ends meet.

"Successive governments haven't taken interest in the welfare of newspaper hawkers, so they are generally disheartened, insecure and always on the lookout for better options to make money," said Aqeel Abbasi, the general-secretary of the Newspaper Hawkers Union.

He explained that before Musharraf's government liberalized the broadcast media and telecom sector, Rawalpindi had around 1,600 newspaper vendors and Islamabad 700.

But with the plunge in sales, the number of vendors has dropped to 900 and 480 respectively, he said, stressing that the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic crisis had accelerated the trend.

Another problem compounding the woes of newspapers is their reliance on government advertizing for economic survival.Outlets that are critical of government and military policies have had a tough time generating enough advertizing revenue in recent years.

Will they survive?
News hawker Hussain warned that if the fall in sales did not stop, the print media would have no other option but to get rid of most of its workforce.

Some senior journalists share a similar view.

Salim Bokhari, who once edited the leading English-language newspapers The News and The Nation and currently heads the digital media team at the City News broadcast network, said that "no one wanted to spend time reading through newspaper columns" given "the ocean of information available on mobile phones."

He said newspapers might disappear if the trend continued, although he did not believe that this would happen that soon.

"The electronic media era will ultimately make newspapers' doom. The advertizers have diverted their money to TV channels and even the government prefers electronic media for advertisements," he pointed out.

Hassan Gillani, a media development professional, was more optimistic.

"Newspaper readership might have declined after the emergence and development of electronic media but it's unfair to suggest that print media could soon become a thing of the past," he said.


Riaz Haq said…
Ad revenue in Pakistan


https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1144596#:~:text=OOH%20ad%20revenue%20increased%20by,Rs%200.07%20billion%20(5%25).


Total Ad Revenue Rs. 88.73 billion in 2021-22

Total ad spend (revenue) has increased by Rs 13.09 (17%); in FY 2020-21, it increased by 17.04 (29%).


---------


In FY 2020-21, the combined revenues of Facebook, Google and YouTube accounted for 85% of the total ad spend on digital; this year, they account for 87%.

----------

TV ad revenue increased by Rs 4.64 billion (14%).
Digital ad revenue increased by Rs 3.15 billion (19%).
Print ad revenue increased by Rs 0.21 billion (2%).
OOH ad revenue increased by Rs 3.7 billion (44%).
Brand Activation/POP ad revenue increased by Rs 1.26 billion (50%).
Radio ad revenue increased by Rs 0.07 billion (5%).
Cinema ad revenue increased by Rs 0.06 billion (60%).

TV percentage share decreased by 1.4.
Digital percentage share increased by 0.27.
Print percentage share decreased by 2.19.
OOH percentage share increased by 2.51.
Brand Activation/POP percentage share increased by 0.93.
Radio percentage share decreased by 0.17.
Cinema percentage share increased by 0.05.

------

TV percentage share decreased by 1.4.
Digital percentage share increased by 0.27.
Print percentage share decreased by 2.19.
OOH percentage share increased by 2.51.
Brand Activation/POP percentage share increased by 0.93.
Radio percentage share decreased by 0.17.
Cinema percentage share increased by 0.05.

-----------------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of the Top Three newspapers remain the same.
Most newspapers have registered slight increases in their revenues.

-------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the Top Five channels have retained their positions.
In FY 2020-21, Radio Awaz Network was #7; this year it is #9.
In FY 2020-21, FM 105 was #9; this year it is #7.

-----------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of the Top Seven channels remain unchanged.
In FY 2020-21, PTV Home was #8 and Samaa was #9. This year, their positions are inverted.
In FY 2020-21, PTV Sports was #14. This year, it is #10.


-------

In FY 2020-21, the combined revenues of Facebook, Google and YouTube accounted for 85% of the total ad spend on digital; this year, they account for 87%.

-------------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of Lahore (#1), Karachi (#2) and Hyderabad (#8) remain the same.
In FY 2020-21, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad and Multan were #3, #4, #5, #6 and #7, respectively. This year, they are #4, #5, #7, #3 and #6.

---------

Product categories that were introduced this year are Real Estate (#1) and Retail/Online (#5).
In FY 2020-21, Beverages, FMCGs and Telecoms were #1, #2 and #3, respectively. This year they are #2, #3 and #4.
In FY 2020-21, Fashion and Electronic Appliances were #4 and #5 respectively. This year, they are #6 and #7.

----------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of all the elements remain the same.

Riaz Haq said…
TV Viewership Trends
FY 2021-22

https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1144667/tv-vieweship-trends-fy-2022-23

Compared to the previous fiscal year, the average number of viewership hours decreased by 14%.

Viewership ranges between 3.3 and 2.7 hours a day; it is highest in Karachi (3.3 hours) and lowest in Non-Metro Punjab and Urban Balochistan (2.7 hours).

Compared to the previous fiscal year, viewership has decreased across Pakistan, except in Non-Metro Sindh.


Entertainment channels (40%), unmatched channels (26%), and news channels (19%) have the highest market share. Last year, unmatched channels had the highest share (40%), followed by entertainment channels (36%) and news channels (14%), respectively.

All Genres:

Viewership has decreased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has decreased by 13%.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 12%.
SEC C: Viewership has decreased by 9%.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 15%.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 19%.
Viewership is highest in SEC E; this was the case last year.

Entertainment Channels:

Viewership has increased or decreased among most SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has increased by 2%.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 3%.
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 1%.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 9%.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 9%.
Viewership is highest in SEC C; last year it was highest in SEC E.

Unmatched Channels:

Viewership has decreased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has decreased by 49%.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 47%.
SEC C: Viewership has decreased by 38%.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 45%.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 41%.
Viewership is highest in SEC E; this was the case last year.

News Channels:

Viewership has increased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has increased by 15%.
SEC B: Viewership has increased by 17%.
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 17%.
SEC D: Viewership has increased by 35%.
SEC E: Viewership has increased by 11%.
Viewership is highest in SEC B; this was the case last year.

Children's channels:

Viewership has increased or stayed the same among most SECs:
SEC A: No change
SEC B: No change
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 22%
SEC D: Viewership has increased by 12%
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 8%
Viewership is highest in SEC E; this was the case last year.

Sports Channels:


l Viewership has increased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has increased by 167%.
SEC B: Viewership has increased by 120%.
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 100%.
SEC D: Viewership has increased by 150%.
SEC E: Viewership has increased by 125%.
l Viewership is highest in SEC B; last year it was the highest in
SECs B and C.


Movie Channels:


Viewership has stayed the same among most SECs:
SEC A: No change.
SEC B: No change.
SEC C: No change.
SEC D: No change.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 33%.
Viewership is highest in SECs B, C, D and E; last year it was the highest in SEC E.


Regional Channels:

Viewership has decreased or stayed the same among all SECs:
SEC A: No change.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 50%.
SEC C: No change.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 50%.
SEC E: No change.
Viewership is highest in SEC E; Last year, it was the highest
in SECs C, D and E.


Cooking Channels:

Viewership has stayed the same compared to the previous year.


Music Channels:

Viewership has decreased or stayed the same among
most SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has decreased by 33%.
SEC B: No change.
SEC C: No change.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 50%.
SEC E: No change.
Viewership is highest in SEC A; this was the case last year.


Religious Channels:

Viewership has decreased in all SECs by 100%.

NB:

Figures in this section are based on data collected from Medialogic’s Hybrid Panel which covers 100+ cities and towns and 3,000+ reported households.

Cable penetration in Pakistan’s urban areas stands at 97%.

The data is primarily based on urban regions in Pakistan, and the target audience is limited to C&S individuals only

Numbers have been rounded up in certain instances.*
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan Tech Firm, Marketer for P&G and Colgate Plans IPO

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-08/pakistani-digital-marketer-for-p-g-colgate-palmolive-plans-ipo#xj4y7vzkg

Symmetry Group plans share sale, expand international business
Firm help client targets nation’s 124 million internet users

(Bloomberg) -- Symmetry Group Ltd., a Pakistani technology company founded back when most of the country’s internet users were on dial-up connections, plans an initial public offering in March that could raise about 430 million rupees ($1.6 million).
Most Read from Bloomberg
The Karachi-based company, which specializes in digital services including marketing and whose clients include the local units of Procter & Gamble Co. and Colgate-Palmolive Co., will sell 78 million shares at a fixed price of 5.5 rupees a share, according to Chief Executive Officer Syed Sarocsh Ahmed. The offering will include 71% new stock, and the rest will consist of existing shares sold by the founders.
Symmetry was started in 2003 by Ahmed and his brother, Executive Director Syed Adil Ahmed, with an investment of 150,000 rupees — equivalent to about $2,580 at the time. They sold ads on websites and gave free consultations to Pakistan’s largest media houses, which were not geared for digital marketing.

“We saw a gap,” said Adil, whose experience includes a stint at Yahoo Inc. “Digital marketing was happening globally, it was the next big thing. It was not happening in Pakistan at that time,” he said in an interview.

The company now focuses on the digitization of marketing, sales and other consumer-centric functions. It generated net income of 71.3 million rupees in fiscal 2022, according to a document seen by Bloomberg News. That’s an increase of 24% on the previous fiscal year, Bloomberg...
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan’s digital dynamo: Arslan Sadiq’s journey of creating a web of social impact

Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/business/pakistans-digital-dynamo-arslan-sadiqs-journey-of-creating-a-web-of-social-impact/article#ixzz86PaiwUVk

ByJon Stojan PublishedJune 29, 2023

Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.

In today’s digital age, the internet emerged as a disruptive force, irreversibly transforming how societies interact, transact, and evolve. It has become a global town square, a market, a classroom, and a platform for innovation and change. While many have leveraged the power of the digital world for personal or commercial success, others have ventured to harness this force for broader societal change. This is the tale of Arslan Sadiq, a Pakistani entrepreneur who uses the internet as a catalyst, not just to propel his own entrepreneurial journey but to drive profound social impact across Pakistan.

Arslan, an early tech adopter, saw the internet’s potential from the get-go. Beginning his journey in the digital marketing space, Arslan demonstrated exceptional acumen for the field and quickly rose through the ranks. His determination and innovative thinking led him to establish the Global Hosting Service, a leading provider of domain registration and dedicated servers, along with services in VPS, hosting resellers, shared hosting, and SEO hosting. The brand also ventured into web and software development, SMS/email, and social media marketing services, proving itself as a comprehensive solution in the digital arena. Today, the company stands tall as a Gold Channel Partner of the .PK registry and is globally recognized as the top seller of .pk domains.

As he ascended the ranks of digital influence, Arslan quickly evolved from an entrepreneur into an influencer. That’s when he discovered the immense potential of the digital world as a platform for advocacy. His transformative vision propelled him into leadership roles within more than 150 youth organizations across Pakistan, culminating in the creation of Pakistan Youth Activism. In addition to his role as CEO, Arslan serves as the Editor-in-chief of The Post Pakistan, using journalism to shed light on vital issues. His prowess in the digital sphere also led him to become a Digital Media Consultant for top-tier businesses such as Green Entertainment TV, Imarat Group, and Agency 21 International.

Beyond the corporate realm, Arslan extends his sphere of influence into other areas of social transformation. He is also the founder of Pakistan’s largest IT Group and bloggers group, assembling diverse communities into a potent force for change. His digital footprint continues to grow as he manages a vast network of pages, groups, and forums, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose among millions of followers.

Arslan’s work has always been underpinned by a profound commitment to social advocacy. This commitment finds expression in his various roles, including Patron in Chief of the Global Youth Association and Chairman of the Advisory Council of Volunteer Force Pakistan. He’s also stepped into the medical field as the Social Media Head of the Young Doctors Association, representing the voice of the healthcare sector.

With over 10 million followers on various social media platforms, Arslan’s digital influence is unquestionable. However, it’s the ability to use this influence to drive change that truly sets him apart. His efforts have demonstrated that the digital world can be more than a market or a forum—it can be a powerful tool for driving social transformation and creating lasting impact. In short, Arslan Sadiq is not just an entrepreneur or a digital influencer; he is a digital dynamo, tirelessly spinning a web of social impact across Pakistan.

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