DUBAI, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) topped the list of Gulf cooperation council (GCC) countries in advertising spending in the first quarter of 2017, UAE state news agency WAM reported here on Thursday.
The spending reached 1.5 billion dirhams (408.71 million U.S. dollars), accounting for 46 percent of the total advertising expenditure across the Gulf region.
Citing TBWA Worldwide, a global advertising network, the report said there was a 14 percent decline in digital ad spending in the UAE in January 2017. Nevertheless, the category still managed to come up with a 21 percent increase for the first 11 months of 2016 year on year.
Digital ad spends have been rising "well above the overall ad industry average since 2012" in this market, said the report.
The UAE, as the biggest ad market in the Gulf Arab region, harbors several special media zones like Dubai Media City and Abu Dhabi-based Twofour54, with both being home of dozens of local and international advertising firms.
