Saudi Marketing Conference seeks to highlight sector’s vast potential

Layan Damanhouri JEDDAH – The marketing sector is considered undermined in the local market, according to marketing practitioners and experts at a press conference on the sidelines of the two-day Saudi Marketing Conference that concluded on Thursday. The conference noted that the advertising spending in the Middle East and North Africa amounted to $5.42 billion this year. Despite Saudi Arabia has a high consumption power and large geographical space, the average ad spending per capita in the Kingdom is merely $59 compared to $540 in the United States, $342 in Australia and $316 in Japan. “The marketing sector is undermined in the Kingdom because it’s been generally limited to sales or advertising,” said Dr. Ghada Aldrees, marketing professional and academic at Princess Noura University in Riyadh. “This conference, in its fourth year, is a positive attempt to change the old-fashioned perception of marketing.” The specialty is yet to mature, she adds. “The concept of marketing is changing. More students are studying it and there are initiatives to show marketing campaigns in social responsibility and other aspects. There is growing awareness.” The conference hosted some 800 marketing experts, academics, consultants, and practitioners from digital marketing, advertising, as well as international and local marketing agencies. Dr. Obaid Alabdali, pioneer in marketing, said the marketing industry witnessed a shift from buyers to consumers leading the market. However, the sector needs more research and studies to be able to develop marketing in the Kingdom that is currently facing several challenges, he said. On the decline of the marketing sector this year, there are no official studies or research been made to target marketing in all sectors. “Many companies cut marketing budgets during crises,” said Dr. Abdulhai Megdad, CEO of Mega Consult. “It’s important that leaders recognize marketing as an investment that will benefit business in the long term. The marketing industry is affected because we’re not putting enough importance on it. It should be one of the top priorities on the national agenda.” The marketer is an investor for a company or organization, according to said Majed Al-Bahiti, marketing general manager at Tawuniya. “People in general don’t know what marketing really is, mistaking it for sales or advertising only. The marketer is involved in much more and can work in any sector. The marketing department is capable of leading an organization and increase its productivity.” In addition, he adds, research is led by marketing experts. He said, “We still need to spread more awareness to young people and graduates about marketing. This conference is an important platform to do so.