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Lack of Awareness in Digital Marketing a Major Barrier to Middle East Businesses

Industry Leaders Provide Essential Insights at Brand New GITEX Digital Marketing Initiative

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 01 October 2011: Digital marketing is capturing the imagination of Middle Eastern businesses, revolutionising client engagement and unlocking increasingly innovative ways to boost the bottom line. But according to research published this week by Dubai based research company Real Opinions, 37% of businesses say their organisation's use of digital marketing is poor and a further 30% claim that effective and accurate assessment of return on investment is inadequate.

In a separate study by digital marketing experts Econsultancy, entitled 'The State of Digital in MENA', while investment is increasing, a lack of knowledge is becoming a major barrier to online marketing. According to the report, 58% of businesses in the region are increasing their digital budgets this year, and 53% doing the same for mobile marketing.

Social media is also thriving, with 56% of Middle Eastern companies currently using social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter to attract business - but nearly 39% of the marketing professionals surveyed said that a lack of understanding was holding back digital marketing that was effective and influential.

A sentiment that is backed by some of the region's - and the world's - most influential digital marketeers: "As the Internet continues to evolve as a creative platform for marketers, it is developing into a digital canvas which offers marketers a medium that in many ways rivals the impact of broadcast and print advertising. But in order to unlock the full potential of this online channel, we need to create more awareness about the possibilities that the digital world offers," said Ahmed Nassef, Vice President and Managing Director, Yahoo! Middle East.

GITEX Digital Marketing delves into this exciting new development, providing attendees of GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK with a unique opportunity to assess, evaluate and realise the full potential of what is rapidly becoming an essential business tool.

"GITEX Digital Marketing is a great platform to provide such essential insights to marketers and business leaders," added Nassef.

Key areas of focus include the increasing importance and adoption of Search Engine Optimisation, web analytics, bulk email providers, as well as internet payment gateways and online shopping.

With sponsors including Yahoo Maktoob (Pearl Sponsor), Ikoo (Emerald Sponsor), ICANN (Opal Sponsor) and Khellan and TkXel among the exhibitors, Gitex Digital Marketing will be strongly attended by experts hailing from digital creative agencies, email software companies and mobile advertising, among others.

Trixee Loh, SVP, Dubai World Trade Centre , organiser of GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK, said: "GITEX Digital Marketing will be an important segment at the event and will offer an excellent opportunity to assess the benefits of what is potentially one of the most lucrative advertising arenas in a relatively untapped Middle East market.

"The future for digital media and marketing in this region is extremely bright and there is a very real need for some practical advice and insights on how to optimise these opportunities. Gitex Digital Marketing will provide that."

Baher Esmat, ICANN Manager of Regional Relations, Middle East, added: "GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK's new Digital Marketing feature is a great opportunity for brand owners and business leaders to learn more about the new generic top-line domains (gTLDs) Program. ICANN's session on new gTLDs will be an opportunity to share information, and to inform GITEX participants on the application process and the way forward."

Following three decades of continued modernisation, GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK will this year further expand, providing new features which reflect growing regional and global trends, offering new highlights to exhibitors and attendees alike.

GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK 2011, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 9 - 13 October, is introducing brand new elements to reinforce its position as the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region's to further cement its position as the leading 'finger on the pulse' technology event. Other new features for 2011 include GITEX Digital Marketing, and Cybersecurity@GITEX, two of the most relevant ICT sectors to the business community today.

As one of the three largest ICT exhibitions in the world, the show connects more than 136,000 industry professionals from five continents with over 3,500 suppliers, and is one of the most influential and high-profile events in the global ICT sector today.

-Ends-

About GITEX Technology Week 2011
Redefine the Future:

GITEX Technology Week delivers the ultimate platform for the international ICT industry to meet and conduct business. The event is a definitive gateway not just to the Middle East market but to the wider region.

GITEX Technology Week hosts thousands of key suppliers and market innovators across three core disciplines:

GITEX Business Solutions: The leading international ICT trade event for enterprise solutions and SMBs for the MENASA region.

GULFCOMMS: The largest international telecommunications trade event for mobile, fixed IP and satellite.

Consumer Technology: The MENASA region's premier international trade event for consumer technology, entertainment, IT systems, components and peripherals.

New to 2011 - GITEX Card Technology:

GITEX expands its portfolio to incorporate this rapidly emerging sector as the Middle East embraces the latest trends, challenges and related products and services in this sector.

New to 2011 - GITEX Digital Marketing:

GITEX Digital Media and Marketing embraces the world of the digital era by bringing together a combination of e-commerce, social marketing and e-marketing in an innovative, multi-dimensional platform, focused on bringing digital opportunities to the forefront.

New to 2011 - CyberSecurity @ GITEX

CyberSecurity @ GITEX edutainment will offer presentations on cybercrime awareness and how to avoid falling into traps including web phishing site, mobile phones credit card scanning and cloning, and identity theft among many more.

About Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)
Website: www.dwtc.com

As the organiser of GITEX Technology Week, Dubai World Trade Centre offers more than 32 years' experience of delivering world-class events in the Middle East, providing local, regional and international exhibitors with unmatched expertise and in-depth market knowledge.

Our team organises 18 of the largest and most successful international and regional shows in Middle East, providing an ideal platform for business development in the region. Our commitment to ongoing innovation within the exhibition industry has supported the rapid growth and development of a wide range of business-to-business and business-to-consumer shows, and delivered consistent satisfaction to exhibitors and visitors.

For more information, please contact:
Wallis Marketing Consultants
Tel: +971 (0)4390 1950
Gitex@wallis-mc.com

Kurt Parry
PR Manager
Dubai World Trade Centre
Tel: (+9714) 308 6124
Kurt.parry@dwtc.com

© Press Release 2011