Musk’s X or Zuckerberg’s Meta: who’s winning advertising dollars?

In July, Musk admitted that Twitter revenue was down 50 percent. (AFP)
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Updated 15 September 2023
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Musk’s X or Zuckerberg’s Meta: who’s winning advertising dollars?

  • Agency experts weigh in on the battle between the various social media platforms

DUBAI: There has recently been a flurry of activity in the social media industry with acquisitions, rebrands and new launches — with much debate on who will eventually emerge the victor or at least the dominant force in the market.

Most notable among this activity was Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tumultuous takeover of Twitter in October 2022, followed by the platform’s rebrand to X this year.

Meta dropped its brand-new social platform, Threads, built by the Instagram team, bearing a marked resemblance to X in the same month as the rebrand.

It is not just the platforms that are battling it out; the tech titans are too with Musk inviting Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to a mixed-martial arts bout, which now seems unlikely to take place.

Meanwhile, other platforms including Snapchat and Instagram are maintaining their edge with new offerings — such as integrating social commerce — to win advertisers, while TikTok, the youngest kid on the block, continues to surge in popularity and revenue.  

“Brands are constantly adapting to the evolving nature of customer behavior, and the recent movements by X and Meta are examples of how the platforms are constantly looking to create new ways to capture and retain a higher share of people’s time, attention, and demand,” Pedro Goncalves, head of digital media at PHD, told Arab News.

The constant changes in the social media space come as advertising budgets recover from pandemic levels, making it ever more important for companies to invest their ad dollars wisely.

Many advertisers left the platform soon after Musk’s takeover with 50 of the top 100 advertisers announcing they would stop advertising on X, according to a report by media watchdog Media Matters.

These advertisers accounted for nearly $2 billion in spending on the platform since 2020, and over $750 million in advertising in 2022 alone.

In July, Musk admitted that Twitter revenue was down 50 percent.

It seems clear that Meta’s family of apps is leading the way when it comes to advertising revenue, while TikTok is also a popular choice.

“TikTok and Meta are certainly getting the lion’s share of the spend as platforms,” said Mazher Abidi, head of strategy and insights at advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi.

The others are not too far behind with Snapchat, for example, being an outlier in Saudi Arabia.

It is important to note that its proposition differs from other social media platforms making it a bit niche, and although Snapchat does not boast the same scale as the TikTok and Meta apps, it “does still have a place in the heart of audiences in our region, certainly in Saudi Arabia,” Abidi told Arab News.

PHD’s Goncalves said: “We observe a natural tendency and well-established role for each one, with Meta currently ahead in direct response KPIs (key performance indicators); X and Snapchat quite balanced in terms of engagement and traffic, and TikTok increasingly delivering more in terms of ad recall and attention.”

Meta remains one of the largest platforms for advertisers, according to Aneesa Rashid, social and influencer lead at media agency UM MENAT, because its apps Facebook and Instagram “combined provide cost efficiencies, mass reach and strong lower funnel capabilities.”

TikTok and Snapchat, on the other hand, “play a bigger part in producing authentic and unique content experiences, fueled by creators, whilst also diving in further to the social commerce space,” she said.

The former “has emerged as a major player in the social media landscape, surprisingly not just with younger audiences, (but) as momentum grows amongst older demographics,” and the latter has been a “key pioneer platform in the region, especially in markets such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt,” Rashid added.

While X seems to be trailing behind in terms of advertising revenue, Abidi said: “If you take a step back and look at the direction of travel of advertising on X, it has been going down for a while.”

The reasons range from geopolitical concerns to polarizing content on the platform, but “brands have been finding alternatives for a while, shifting spends to other established competitors, such as the Meta platforms, and even TikTok,” he added.

X did not rank in consumers’ or advertisers’ top five platforms for ads, according to the latest Media Reactions report by analytics firm Kantar.

Moreover, among marketers, its receptivity was in the negative with more marketers claiming they will decrease spend on X in 2024 than increase it, the study found.

Despite headlines about X’s declining revenues, the Middle East is seeing a different story playing out.

“In the Middle East, we did initially witness a reduction of ad spends on the platform as a precautionary measure,” said Rashid.

However, “X’s recent launch of performance driven products including mobile and website conversions ads, has helped optimize campaign performance, and since we’ve seen brand interest shift back,” she added.

She also predicts that the company’s developments “will see advertisers coming back to the platform in anticipation as they plan for 2024 social strategies.”

Abidi echoed the sentiment, saying: “I think X has quite a unique position in our part of the world particularly in Saudi Arabia, where it has been an outlier in terms of popularity; Saudis use and love Twitter with more passion and use it more actively than most other markets around the world.”

Musk’s rebrand of Twitter seemed sudden as many users woke up to see the iconic Twitter bird being lifted with a crane and gradually being replaced by X.

However, contrary to public perception, the rebrand could well be a calculated move, part of Musk’s ambition to turn X into an “everything app,” points out Abidi.

“It’s surprising to most, but I think the real interesting story starts now,” he said.

Rashid and Abidi remain optimistic about Musk’s long-term goals as more ‘super apps’ or ‘everything apps’ crop up.

X plans to “expand beyond just social media networking to include banking, shopping and most recently a feature for video and audio calls without the need for a phone number, effectively building a global address book, so this may just be the beginning of an impressive comeback,” said Rashid.

WeChat in China or Careem in the Middle East are good examples of apps that integrate various services into one app. The “user behavior and audience receptiveness” already exist in the region, and “if some of those X features do come our way, I believe we’ll find quite a receptive audience,” said Abidi.

“The idea of a global super app is certainly ambitious, but if anybody has got the ambition and ability to pull that off, Elon Musk is one of the few,” he added.


Algerian TV channel suspended for racism against African migrants

Echorouk News TV. (X @echoroukonline)
Updated 03 May 2025
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Algerian TV channel suspended for racism against African migrants

  • Since the start of April, Algeria has expelled some 5,000 Africans to neighbouring Niger, according to state television. About half were from Niger

ALGIERS: Algerian authorities on Friday suspended broadcasts by a television news channel for 10 days after it used a racist word on social media to describe African migrants.
Echorouk News TV used the derogatory word in a Facebook post after police raids in which migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were detained.
The ANIRA broadcasting authority called the publication "extremely serious".
The report contained "a racist and discriminatory term, an attack on human dignity, conveying hate speech against a category of people because of their race," said ANIRA which demanded that the channel's management make an official apology.
Tens of thousands of undocumented African migrants have used Algeria as a staging post to attempt to get to Europe. Many have sought jobs in the North African country.
Since the start of April, Algeria has expelled some 5,000 Africans to neighbouring Niger, according to state television. About half were from Niger.
 

 


Eurovision lifts ban on Palestinian flags as scrutiny of Israel’s participation grows

Updated 02 May 2025
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Eurovision lifts ban on Palestinian flags as scrutiny of Israel’s participation grows

  • Fans will now be allowed to bring and display any flag that does not contain racist content, hate symbols
  • Iceland, Spain and Slovenia have all raised concerns about Israel’s participation at this year’s contest

LONDON: Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have lifted a ban on Palestinian flags for audience members, but maintained restrictions for participating artists, as pressure over Israel’s inclusion in this year’s event increased.

The change, confirmed by Danish broadcaster DR, marks a shift from the European Broadcasting Union’s longstanding rule prohibiting flags from non-competing countries and territories. That policy led to Palestinian flags being banned in previous years.

According to updated guidelines obtained by DR, fans will now be allowed to bring and display any flag that does not contain “racist and/or discriminatory content,” or symbols thought to incite hatred, violence, or linked to banned organizations.

In a statement to CNN, the EBU said the update seeks to “strike a balance to ensure that our audiences and artists can express their enthusiasm and identities,” while offering greater clarity for national delegations.

However, the relaxed policy applies only to the audience. Participating artists will still be restricted to displaying official national flags in all official Eurovision spaces, including the stage, green room, and Eurovision Village. Artists may show only the flag of the country they represent.

The revised policy comes amid growing criticism of Israel’s participation in this year’s contest to be held in Basel, Switzerland, with semifinals on May 13 and 15 and the final on May 17.

Officials in countries including Slovenia, Spain and Iceland have questioned Israel’s inclusion.

Icelandic Foreign Minister Porgerour Katrin Gunnarsdottir told a local outlet she found it “strange and actually unnatural that Israel is allowed to participate,” accusing the country of committing “war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza.

Despite these objections, the EBU has confirmed that Israel’s entry meets the competition’s rules. As with last year, large-scale protests are expected in Basel against Israel’s participation.

Despite pressure from pro-Israel organizations, Swiss authorities said demonstrations are permitted in principle, including those opposing Israel’s presence, provided they comply with public safety regulations.


Spotify, EA Sports test in-game music integration in Saudi Arabia

Updated 01 May 2025
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Spotify, EA Sports test in-game music integration in Saudi Arabia

  • Players in Kingdom can now link their account directly with video game

LONDON: Spotify and EA Sports have launched a pilot project that allows players to link their Spotify accounts directly with the EA Sports FC 25 video game.

The feature is being rolled out in Saudi Arabia and selected other markets.

The project, which was announced on Thursday, enables Spotify Premium users to log in via a new tab in the main game menu and control music playback during gameplay, including during team selection or from the pause menu.

The Swedish music platform said the partnership aimed at offering players more control over their in-game audio.

It said: “Long seen as the perfect companion to gaming, music boosts focus, amplifies adrenaline, and heightens the emotional highs of every match.

“Through this collaboration, players can now curate their perfect in-game soundtrack, listening to the artists they love.”

Podcast access and curated playlists will also be available.

The feature is currently accessible to Premium users playing EA Sports FC 25 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Saudi Arabia and Australia.

The Kingdom has become a growing market for gaming and electronic sports, driven by a young and tech-savvy population.

Gaming now plays a prominent role in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification strategy, with plans for the sector to contribute more than $13 billion to the economy and create tens of thousands of jobs, according to Savvy Games Group.

Riyadh hosted the inaugural Esports World Cup last summer, a large-scale tournament featuring 23 events across major titles including Fortnite, Call of Duty, and EA Sports FC, with a record-setting prize pool of $62.5 million.


Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution

Updated 01 May 2025
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Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution

  • The session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production

RIYADH: The eighth session of the Digital Communication Conference, titled “Anime in the Digital Space,” explored the transformation of Japanese anime over the past two decades, highlighting the impact of digital innovation and the internet.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production.

Streaming giants such as Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation were highlighted as pivotal players in the transition, offering translated or dubbed episodes immediately upon release and funding original series such as “Devilman Crybaby” and “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.”

Speakers in the session, including Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary, said that social media and online forums have opened the door to unprecedented engagement among fans, as well as community and cultural interaction, since audiences now take part in evaluating episodes.

Concerns were raised that heavy dependence on technology could erode the handcrafted aesthetic that defines traditional anime.

Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning interest in manga and anime, which dates back to the 1970s, is helping to usher in a revolution in cultural production.

Japanese art forms have captivated audiences of all ages, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Their ability to combine entertainment, culture and education has made them of great interest to Saudi society.

To support this interest, the General Entertainment Authority has hosted events like the Saudi Anime Expo, drawing international visitors.

In line with these efforts, the ministries of culture and education launched the Manga Education program to nurture student talent, as well as integrate arts and culture into public education.
 


Israel arrests veteran Palestinian journalist in West Bank

Updated 30 April 2025
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Israel arrests veteran Palestinian journalist in West Bank

  • Ali Al-Samoudi’s family denies claims of links to Islamic Jihad
  • Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemns reporter’s arrest

DUBAI: Israeli forces arrested prominent Palestinian journalist Ali Al-Samoudi during an overnight raid on Tuesday in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, according to media reports.

Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Al-Samoudi, 58, was detained after the Israeli military raided and searched up his home in Al-Zahraa neighborhood, destroying “some of its contents”.

According to the military, he is accused of having ties with the militant Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization and transferring funds to the group. However, the military did not provide evidence to support the claim.

After he was interrogated at a disclosed location, Al-Samoudi was transferred to an Israeli hospital due to his health deteriorating, his son Mohammed told the BBC.

His family, who denies the accusations, was not informed of the name of the hospital where he was being treated, or any other details.

Al-Samoudi previously survived an attack by Israeli forces in 2022, the same assault that killed prominent Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, who was a correspondent for Al-Jazeera.

Al-Samoudi was shot and wounded in his back.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned Al-Samoudi’s arrest in a statement on Tuesday.

As of April 30, 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists has documented 79 arrests of journalists by Israel in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza since Oct. 7 war began, in addition to five other arrests by the Palestinian authorities.

Forty-nine of these journalists, including the five held by Palestinian authorities, have since been released, while 35 remain under arrest.

The CPJ’s preliminary investigations also showed at least 176 journalists and media staff were killed during Israel’s war on Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon, marking the deadliest period for journalists in the region.