Inside Media Planning in Mena

How do you build a media plan for a region where social usage is among the highest in the world? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠Will Francis⁠ speaks with ⁠Ibrahim Jabri⁠, Client Solutions at Meta and host of the Below the Fold podcast, about what makes media planning across MENA so distinct right now. Ibrahim breaks down how the region has vastly increased its digital budget allocations, which platforms dominate, and why Out of Home still delivers serious impact in Saudi Arabia. He also shares the biggest performance killer he sees in paid media: running the wrong creative in the wrong placement: like static, text-heavy direct response ads in video placement and what he expects to surge in 2026.Ibrahim’s Top 3 Tips for MarketersMatch creative to the placement – Great ideas fail when formats don’t suit the channel or user mindsetDon’t sacrifice long-term brand equity for short-term ROAS – Balance the funnel or risk stalling growthShare your expertise publicly – Podcasts and content build networks, credibility, and unexpected opportunitiesThe Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!