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Twitter tracks users’ apps for ad targeting

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Twitter has begun collecting information about apps installed on individual users’ devices as a way to improve its advertising and content targeting. By default, the social network’s tracking is switched on to collect data on the mobile apps that its users have downloaded, but users can opt out of having the information collected at any time.

In a statement issued on Twitter’s help centre, Twitter will be using the information collected to build a more tailored experience on Twitter, including:

  • Improved ‘who to follow’ suggestions that share similar interests.
  • Adding Tweets, accounts, or other content to your timeline that Twitter thinks you will find interesting.
  • Showing you more relevant promoted content.

Twitter is currently only collecting the list of applications that an individual has installed, and will not be collecting any data within the applications.

OMD launches study to explore ‘Future of the UAE’

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OMD has launched a study to explore future behaviours of UAE consumers. The survey, called ‘The Future of the UAE’, aims to assess the impact of changes to the country’s population and socio-demographics on lifestyles, shopping, technology and media consumption. It will also explore consumers’ expectations and attitudes towards life in the UAE and the country’s role globally.

The fieldwork for OMD’s study on the future state of the consumer society in the UAE is already underway, including face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of 2,000 residents in the country.

OMD UAE is partnering with Integral-OMG, the research and consultancy arm of Omnicom Media Group MENA, to conduct in-depth qualitative and quantitative research, exploring consumer values and attitudes in the UAE today, as well as the changes in the modern household and their impact on decision-making and media consumption.

As well as dealing with societal issues, ‘The Future of the UAE’ study will delve into consumers’ attitudes towards technology, including smartphones, mobile and e-commerce platforms, media consumption and technological advances, as well as their expectations from brands, key sentiments and values that resonate with them, and their lifestyle aspirations for the future. Based on this intelligence, brands can derive affirmative conclusions on how to better communicate with their consumers in the face of change.

“Technology is constantly transforming our industry worldwide, and in the UAE that velocity is much higher given consumers’ seamless adoption of anything new,” says Nadim Samara, Managing Director, OMD UAE & Lower Gulf. “Catalysed by both the government’s pursuit of technology, along with a higher average purchasing power parity by the UAE residents, these future behavioural habits of consumers are an area of vast interest for brands and one that is particularly hard to predict. This is why we have decided to undertake this study, with the goal of gaining valuable insights on the future for us to make more effective and impacting decisions for our stakeholders; our intimate knowledge of ‘where we are heading’ is paramount to navigating the consumer pivots successfully.”

‘The Future of the UAE’ is part of a global research initiative by OMD, with some 15 studies either already completed or currently underway. Based on a consistent model, they allow for international comparisons, making the project relevant for both local and international marketers.

Exponential announces results of mobile research

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Digital advertising intelligence company Exponential Interactive has revealed its results of the research conducted into what people in the Middle East’s choice of mobile phone brand says about them, and how this can be used for marketing and advertising techniques.

Exponential Interactive conducted an analysis of the anonymous online behaviour of 1.1 million people in the Middle East and North Africa during the third quarter of 2014, researching mobile phones to compare the strongest – or most ‘over-indexing’ – interests across topics which include film, cars, travel and shopping.

Of the five brands measured, the results of the research found that Apple is the only one more likely to appeal to women, while Samsung, BlackBerry, Nokia and LG are all more likely to be of interest to men. Geographically, Abu Dhabi residents are the most likely to be interested in Apple, whilst Dubai residents are the most likely to be interested in BlackBerry.

As confidence in e-commerce increases across the region, LG owners are leading the way as the most likely to make purchases on a mobile phone, while Apple owners are the least likely.

“The research throws up challenges to stereotypes and interesting reinforcements about the type of people who own different phone brands,” says Amer Attyeh, Regional Business Head for the Middle East and North Africa, Exponential Interactive. “For instance, iPhone owners were perceived as the young trendsetters but they’re actually the most likely to be into golf, fishing and looking at home insurance – things generally associated with older demographics. More practically, this type of data helps companies advertise more effectively. For instance, it shows Apple would do well to use rap and hip hop music in marketing activity. Meanwhile, sponsoring BMW-related events could pay dividends for Nokia. As The Hunger Games scores highly among people interested in LG, the brand might consider using star Jennifer Lawrence in marketing activity.”

Integral-OMG publishes paper on mobile devices

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Integral-OMG, the research arm of Omnicom Media Group MENA, has partnered with specialist digital marketing agency Resolution and Google to produce a comprehensive mobile white paper, ‘Upward Mobility: Reflecting on the Growth of Mobile in MENA.’

Integral-OMG’s research shows that an average smartphone user in the region currently spends upwards of four hours per day on these devices. Google reports that consumers in the UAE have an average of three internet-enabled devices and that mobile devices account for 50 percent of YouTube viewership in Saudi Arabia. Advertisers are regarding it more and more as a valuable medium with plans for greater investments; by 2020, Omnicom Media Group estimates that 58 percent of all digital investments in the region will be on mobile.

‘Upward Mobility’ provides further insights on consumer behavior around the device, the emergence of the second screen in television consumption and the rise of the mobile transactions in the region. While there is a lag, both globally and regionally, between users’ adoption of the medium and that of advertisers and publishers, this gap is being bridged over time. The paper outlines what changes need to take place for all parties to realise the full potential of this ubiquitous platform.

“Our latest white paper takes a closer look at the state of mobile in the region and analyses the implications on the communications industry,” says Ziad Skaff, Regional Executive Director – Research and Insights, Omnicom Media Group MENA. “It not only goes beyond the top-line penetration and usage figures, but also explores the behaviours of users, advertisers and publishers. Mobile devices will continue to transform the way we target and communicate with consumers. In order to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the media, the mindset of the industry has to similarly evolve.”

Wassim Kabbara, Head of E-commerce, Retail and Local at Google MENA adds, “The region has one of the highest number of smartphone users in the world. With more than half of search queries and YouTube views coming from mobile, and 90 percent of users who are online daily on their devices, the opportunities are endless. One of our top priorities in MENA is to help businesses become mobile leaders in their own right, offer best practices and help them innovate through this medium beyond just advertising.”

Yahoo integrates access to Flurry’s video inventory

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Yahoo is integrating Flurry’s in-app video inventory into its ad platforms. Having acquired the mobile analytics and advertising company in July, the integration will allow advertisers to buy mobile video inventory on Flurry’s app network – which can be purchased at 15, 30 or 60 second interstitial ads – through Yahoo Ad Manager Plus. This encompasses display, stream ads, mobile, search video and display ad inventory.

With Flurry video ad supply now available alongside Yahoo and third-party marketplaces on Yahoo Ad Manager Plus, the Yahoo platform has become the largest provider of video ad inventory in the industry, according to an official blog post. Yahoo continues to focus on video in its strategy to reviving its ad business.

CNC and Capital MSL to merge

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CNC – Communications and Network Consulting – and Capital MSL, have announced their intention to merge. The combined consultancy will adopt the CNC name and offer clients a stronger international network and broader advisory capabilities. This step will considerably strengthen the overall group offering, as well as add a prominent Middle East and emerging markets presence – including offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – to CNC’s network.

The new CNC will begin operations on January 1, 2015, with 11 offices in eight countries working on more than 200 mandates globally. It will continue to offer a broad range of integrated strategic communications services, including financial and corporate communications, reputation management, crisis and issues management, internal and change communications and public affairs. As part of the MSLGROUP network, the combined operation will leverage the skills of strategic and financial communications sister consultancies, such as Kekst & Company in the US and JKL in the Nordic region, in addition to expanding its presence in Asia and Latin America.

Richard Campbell, Founder and CEO of Capital MSL and Roland Klein, currently Managing Partner of CNC London, will be joint Managing Partners in London as well as overseeing the growth in the Middle East. Claire Maloney and Nick Bastin, both shareholders and Managing Director’s of Capital MSL, will become Partners in the new firm, alongside the existing 10 Partners in the CNC Group.

“Since Publicis Groupe’s acquisition of CNC in 2012, it was clear that not only did we advise clients around similar issues, but that we also had the same vision for the future,” says Richard Campbell, Founder and CEO, Capital MSL. “It makes strong strategic sense to combine the two networks to create an impressive international organisation of real scale, serving our clients as their most trusted advisor. After a successful and highly enjoyable thirteen years of growth as Capital MSL, we are convinced that this is the right step for our colleagues and clients, helping them to realise their own ambitions on a more international stage and in a more complex communications environment.”

Al Jazeera to build global media cloud

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Al Jazeera Media Network has secured a deal with telecommunications provider Ooredoo to build a global media cloud which will connect its international bureaus. Signed at Al Jazeera’s Doha headquarters, the cloud will allow the network to connect with its main hubs in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia and Africa, as well as linking with its 70 bureaus around the world. The media cloud will enable Al Jazeera to share videos, reports and breaking news with its editorial teams instantly, aiding preparation for broadcast on the network’s news channels.

“One of Al Jazeera Media Network’s objectives is to become a world class network operation,”  says Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, Chairperson, Al Jazeera. “This global media cloud project and initiative will help the network achieve this goal by bringing the journalists and editorial workforce on a common communication platform. This partnership with Ooredoo will leverage the news capabilities of the channel and enhance user experience.”

Ooredoo Chairperson, Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani adds, “Al Jazeera is a globally-recognised brand, and Ooredoo is proud to be building infrastructure that will enable the company to take its coverage to the next level. In winning this competitive bid against some of the world’s largest technology companies, we are showing that Ooredoo is a world-class provider of cutting-edge business solutions.”

New Facebook platform to rival LinkedIn

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Facebook is rumoured to be working on the development of a new product called Facebook at Work, which will allow users to keep their personal and work profiles separate. While the layout is expected to be very similar to the traditional Facebook interface – including a newsfeed and groups – Facebook at Work will be entirely separate from personal accounts, with no information from a user’s social profile appearing on an individual’s professional page and vice versa.

Facebook’s new platform will include collaborative tools for work, allowing users to chat with colleagues, connect with professional contacts and collaborate over documents. With this in mind, the new enterprise-focused product is set to compete directly with professional social networks LinkedIn and Google Drive.

In order for the venture to be successful, Facebook will need to win the trust of corporate IT chiefs, guaranteeing that professional information will not fall into the hands of rival businesses. It is understood that some development of Facebook at Work is taking place in London.

Facebook to reduce promotional content

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Facebook has released plans to reduce the number of promotional posts appearing in newsfeeds. As of January 2015, Facebook users will see less promotional content including posts which ask users to purchase a product or app, posts that encourage people to enter promotions or sweepstakes, and posts which reuse exact content from ads.

This change comes after the social network’s ongoing survey asked the public how they felt about the content in their newsfeed. It was found that people would prefer to see a greater number of stories from friends and pages that they care about and far less promotional content.

Facebook’s blog post stated, “Beginning in January 2015, people will see less of this type of content in their newsfeed. As we’ve said before, newsfeed is already a competitive place – as more people and Pages are posting content, competition to appear in newsfeed has increased. All of this means that Pages that post promotional creative should expect their organic distribution to fall significantly over time.”

CNN audiences to select ME’s #Influencer2014

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CNN Arabic and Connect the World with Becky Anderson are inviting audiences in the region and beyond to help identify the person who has most influenced the Middle East in 2014. By analysing audience data from the CNN Arabic website across the year, CNN has identified ten key figures that have made the biggest impact on the region.

The ten figures range from political leaders to inspirational one-offs, as well as emblems of mass movements that are altering the region’s socio-political landscape:

  • Abdel Fattah al Sisi, President of Egypt
  • King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
  • Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, self-proclaimed Caliph of the ‘Islamic State’
  • Barack Obama, President of the United States of America
  • Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel
  • The Foreign Extremist Fighter
  • Hassan Roubani, President of Iran
  • Marian Al Mansouri, First Emirati female fighter pilot
  • The Middle Eastern Refugee
  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey

CNN audiences can visit www.cnnarabic.com/influencer2014 to select the three names from the list that they believe most warrant the title of #Influencer2014, and the survey will run until November 25, 2014. The results will then be debated during a special CNN Arabic and Connect the World Town Hall event in the UAE, which will be broadcast in early December on CNN International.