For the second consecutive year, the United Arab Emirate is ahead Saudi Arabia in advertising spends, according to numbers provided by Ipsos, the total advertising spends in the UAE in year 2007 was almost 1.5 Billion USD, while the total advertising spends in Saudi Arabia was less than 1.1 Billion USD.

The Pan Arab media reserved the lion’s share with 43% of the total spends, leaving 10 other markets in the Middle East with 57% of the total spends that reached 8.5 Billion USD. The Pan Arab media witnessed an increase of 59% in 2007.

The GCC market, represented in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman catered almost 42% of 2007 advertising spends, which is slightly less than Pan Arab market.

The advertising scene in UAE witnessed an increase in spends that reached to 38%, leaving the country in the first position in the domestic Arabian markets. Saudi Arabia, which came second among domestic markets, scored only 10% increase in the advertising spends.

The scene in the rest of GCC countries shows a various increase in advertising spends; Kuwait, the 4th among local markets, scored less than 1% increase, reaching to 500 Million USD. The 7th local market is Bahrain, with an 85% jump that increased the total spends to 198 Million USD.

Qatar and Oman, 7th and 9th in the list, witnessed a drop of 21% and 31% accordingly, the spends in Qatar in 2007 went down to 187 Million USD, while in Oman it went down to 95 Million USD.

The report covers three Levant countries, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Lebanon came 3rd, with 567 Million USD; increasing 145% after witnessing a 14% drop in 2006 because of war. Jordan continued moving up reaching to the 6th place with a 145% increment in the total spends reaching 278 Million USD. Syria came 10th with 18 Million USD.

Egypt came 5th with 418 Million USD, with a 44% drop in the total advertising spends.

you can download the full report with numbers and percentages provided by Ipsos by clicking here, for more details please visit Ipsos.