'Because we Can't Track its ROI' - Middle East Brand Managers Claim Reason for Slow Adoption of Digital Marketing

DUBAI, UAE, May 11, 2011 - As the number of social media users in the Middle East reaches 30
million, more digital marketers are recognising the potential this new medium
of communication has to drive up business.

According to research by the International Quality & Productivity Centre,
31% of respondents from a detailed survey in February 2011 had accounts on 4
different social media platforms, with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and
MySpace being the favourites. The statistic underscores the reality that a
growing segment of the populations in the Middle East are increasingly
spending more time on social networks.

The most telling result of the survey is the two biggest reasons stopping
brands and companies from adopting digital and social media marketing into
their mix: a lack of ways to measure Return on Investment (ROI) and the lack
of understanding of this new channel by senior management (24% and 14%
respectively). Given the growth in this channel in markets such as the US,
Europe, India and even parts of the Far East, it is indeed surprising that
the Middle East region - with the recent involvement of social media in
helping the revolution in Egypt and Tunisia bearing fruit - is still facing a
slow adoption rate due to these reasons.

At a meeting this June in Dubai called Click 5.0 - The Digital Marketing
Event for the Middle East, marketing leaders who have seen this medium grow
from its infancy in the region and have worked with the biggest brands will
address these and other issues and will provide the knowledge required to
overcome these concerns. A key figure leading these discussions is Ali
Hussein, Head of Digital Media at MTV India and Viacom 18 who will use his
expertise on monetising social media to bring to light strategies on
measuring ROI and converting a fan base.

Joining Ali are Yousef Tuqan Tuqan, CEO of Flip Media, Donald Steel,
Chief Communications Advisor, BBC, UK, Said Baaghil, Brand Marketing Strategy
Consultant, Baaghil Marketing, KSA and Dan Stuart, CEO of GoNabit, UAE. The
meeting takes place from 26-29 June at the Arjaan by Rotana. All information
is available at www.clickmarketingsummit.com

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    For more information, please contact
    Eileen Grace Espelita
    Marketing Manager
    IQPC Middle East
    +971-4-364-2975
    enquiry@iqpc.ae

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