In a regional first, OMD Digital, a company of the Omnicom Media Group, has successfully launched an in-game advertising campaign targeting the highly sought-after youth market in Saudi Arabia. This new offering from OMD Digital is the latest in its rapidly expanding portfolio of digital advertising services.

Thanks to the ground-breaking initiative, companies now have the opportunity to promote their brands in popular games through pre-defined billboards, such as virtual banners, street signs and other outdoor advertising spaces, adding a touch of reality to virtual worlds.

For its initial project, OMD Digital bought 250,000 impressions over two months in Saudi homes, across major X-Box and PC titles, including Burnout (X-Box 360), Guitar Hero (PC and X-Box 360), Tony Hawk’s Wasteland (PC and X Box 360), NFS Pro Street (PC and X-Box 360), Pro Evolution Soccer (PC and X-Box 360). The ads are downloaded onto new-generation game consoles and PCs linked to the Internet.

This is the first time this technology has been deployed in the region and in doing so, OMD Digital has created a welcome new revenue stream for game developers who face high levels of piracy in the Middle East.

“This is a hugely exciting new adventure,” commented Dimitri Metaxas, group director of OMD Digital. “Gaming is a very significant hobby for the Saudi youth, both males and females, and as such presents vast opportunities for brands to play a role in this activity and capitalize on their target audience’s interest. We are thrilled to be the first agency to develop such an operation in the Arab world.” He added that in-gaming also provides a great platform for clients who want to differentiate themselves from their competition.

Another part of the new offering is mobile advertising.  With record-high penetration levels and a large proportion of handsets in the region featuring the latest technologies, mobile phones are a valuable media channel for advertisers. OMD Digital is working on services covering mobile search, mobile social networking and location-based services.

To manage this foray into in-gaming and mobile advertising, OMD Digital has recruited Philip Schilling as Director of Planning. He has worked in Japan, USA, Belgium, Germany and Dubai, bringing with him a valuable online and digital business experience. Demonstrating his innovation credentials, Schilling co-founded a company in Munich, the first online music download store before iTunes was set up.

“Philip adds yet another string to our bow,” Metaxas explained. “Both on the personal and technical level, he fits very well with our team and our client portfolio. He also comes at a time when Web 2.0 is seriously taking hold in the region with advertisers looking for more and more innovative solutions.”

“There can be no doubt that the future is digital and that the region is set on an exciting course,” added Schilling. “The Middle East is fast closing the gap with the West and it’s a privilege to be a part of this. I’m particularly looking forward to working with the team at OMD Digital, who have amply demonstrated their ability to innovate and raise the bar here.”

This couldn’t have more fully illustrated than by OMD Digital’s success at the recent Dubai Lynx Awards, winning two awards, including one gold, for its work on the Barclays Bank and Pepsi accounts in the Best Use of the Internet/New Media category.

During the last year, the Omnicom Media Group not only developed its offering at a rapid pace but also maintained the momentum acquired in 2005, retaining its leadership position.

The latest monitoring figures for 2006 indicate that the group, which comprises the networks OMD and PHD, led the market with $700 million in gross billings for the GCC and the Levant.

The report also shows that OMD, together with its regional affiliates, was the most significant investor in media even as a single brand, with $633 million. This is the result of sustained organic growth from existing clients as well as a number of significant account wins across the region.

PHD, launched at the end of 2005, has also witnessed a rapid progression, to rank 11th in just one year with $66 million, also according to the data released by PARC. The year was marked by a series of new assignments from existing clients, as well as several new wins. In 2006, PHD implemented etna, the network's proprietary planning process, which includes the revolutionary neuroplanning system.

Omnicom Media Group developed its service offering last year by adding several specialist units to its research and insights consultancy, Integral. These include OMD Digital, the largest digital media specialist integrated into a communication planning agency, OMD International, handling non-Middle Eastern communication requirements, and Fuse, the branded content and experiential marketing specialist unit.

Last year saw some $20 million being invested in digital media at rate card value, which represents a progression of about 30% on 2005. OMD Digital, the leading investor in digital media in 2005, repeated the performance in 2006. With an estimated 24% share of the total gross investments in online and mobile media, against 20% the year before, OMD Digital is undeniably the most significant player in the market.

'Despite a number of regional upheavals, the market performed very well last year, showing a real progression of some 15%,' commented Elie Khouri, regional managing director of Omnicom Media Group.

'We're very pleased to have exceeded this market growth and maintained our leadership position.'

Khouri added that while this is not a goal in itself, it enables the company to invest and develop not only in its own future, but also that of the industry as a whole.

'We see our role as a catalyst for change, for our clients first but also the industry at large,' he explained. 'What drives us is the ability to deliver results for our clients and promote their growth in the market. This performance allows us to grow our own staff, investing in training and technology, and develop our understanding of consumers and media, through proprietary research like 'Changing Lives', our consumer profiling and segmentation survey in Saudi Arabia last year, and our active involvement in industry initiatives such as Project Illumination and Castor. There is plenty more in store this year. We have several new developments up our sleeves and intend to work towards the implementation of global best practice in the market, again for the benefit of all.'

2007 will also see OMD celebrating its fifth anniversary in the region, an occasion to be marked through events and industry initiatives.