A new study on digital advertising growth in Saudi Arabia reveals a gap between marketing investments and e-commerce outcomes. Snap Inc. and Kearney MEA released the Saudi Digital Ad Maturity Framework to help brands address this challenge. Consequently, the framework provides a benchmark for marketing effectiveness in the Kingdom.
Analyzing Digital Advertising Growth
The study notes that digital advertising growth reached 23.5% year-on-year in 2024, making it the fastest rate in the Middle East and North Africa. However, e-commerce growth lagged behind this expansion by 8 percentage points. This difference between digital advertising growth and sales performance is described as the Saudi performance tension.
To address this issue, the new framework targets large local enterprises, global businesses, and government entities. Meanwhile, it offers tailored recommendations based on organizational needs and market objectives. This initiative supports the expanding economy of Saudi Arabia.
The Four Pillars of Marketing Maturity
The framework evaluates advertisers across four key pillars: Strategy & Organization; Creative & Localization; Experience & Activation; and Data, Tech & Measurement. Specifically, these pillars help brands build customer-centric and measurable marketing strategies. Furthermore, research shows that nearly 70% of platform-driven impact is linked to cross-channel effects.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies, and brands today need more than increased media investment to capture that opportunity. They need fit-for-market strategies grounded in local audiences, behaviours, and platforms.”
Julie Caironi, Head of Marketing, Snap Inc. MENA & APAC
Addressing the Cultural Relevance Gap
Localization remains a significant challenge for brands operating in the Saudi market. Notably, more than 30% of Saudi consumers believe advertising from local brands lacks cultural relevance. Therefore, the framework emphasizes the importance of deeper audience understanding to improve campaign effectiveness on social media platforms.
“Together with Snap, we developed this framework to help advertisers identify the gaps limiting performance, prioritize where to focus, and define a clear path toward stronger and more sustainable results.”
Hadi Hammoud, Partner, Kearney
Future Outlook for Saudi Advertisers
Advertisers can access the framework through a detailed whitepaper and assessment tool. As a result, organizations can evaluate their current capabilities and identify opportunities for improvement. This tool aims to help businesses build effective marketing strategies for long-term growth in the digital apps and services sector.
