EMEA - Region by region - Media hotspots

WESTERN EUROPE
Population: 402m
Media spend: $131,314m
(EMEA total: $165,115m)
Media % GDP: 0.73
Source: GroupM, 2007

NORWAY
Total media spend 2007: $2,786m
Media % GDP: 0.62
Media growth 2007 vs 2006: 9%
Media growth 2001-2007: 11%

GAVIN DUKE, managing partner, international, MediaCom

"While TV has been a reasonably strong growth contributor in Western Europe, what we are seeing now is a play-off between print media and the internet. The biggest challenge is how to manage that transition. Advertisers, media owners and media agencies alike are trying to work out the value and impact of the internet versus television."

IRELAND
Total media spend 2007: $2,393m
Media % GDP 2007: 0.82
Media growth 2007 vs 2006: 8%
Media growth 2001-2007: 13%
(Average across Western Europe - 3%)

MEL VARLEY, chief executive, EMEA, Mediaedge:cia
"Economically, 2008 will not be our best year as we begin to feel the impact of the credit crunch and impending global recession. We've seen budget cuts generally across our client base in the second half of the year throughout Western Europe and the US. Some markets, such as Denmark and Spain, have been hit harder than others. Some, including Asia and Central Europe, have been more buoyant."

GRAHAM DUFF, president, EMEA, Mediabrands, Interpublic
"Local knowledge and accountability are crucial. In the UK, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising's TouchPoints is state of the art, and there is a similar project now in development in Poland. There is a big difference between measuring media buy and true accountability, and digital does have the potential to increase that accountability."

EASTERN EUROPE

Population: 310m
Media spend dollars: 22,102m
Media % GDP: 0.64
Source: GroupM, 2007

RUSSIA
Total media spend 2007: $9,376m
Media % GDP: 0.68
Media growth 2007 vs 2006: 26%
Media growth 2001-2007: 40%
(Average across Eastern Europe - 25%)

DOMINIC GOOD, ad sales director, EMEA and global head of display, Financial Times
"I can sense growth and development across Central and Eastern Europe. Strong economic growth across the region is leading to increased demand for international advertising. In some countries, this is driven by the boom in commodities and in others, by EU membership and inward investment. Russia, Romania, Poland and Turkey are emerging markets on our doorstep. Eastern Europe is a growing source of advertising."

ADAM THOMAS, media research manager, Informa
"The countries of Central and Eastern Europe already offer a wide range of attractive opportunities for international TV players and investors. And this positive environment will only get better, with a period of extensive merger and acquisition activity expected over the next few years."

ROMANIA
Total media spend 2007: $658m
Media % GDP: 0.38
Media growth 2007 vs 2006: 17%
Media growth 2001-2007: 26%

NICK WATERS, chief executive, EMEA, Mindshare
"EMEA is a two- to three-speed region. The market has shifted and there are now considerable downside risks in media across Western Europe, with any growth being driven almost entirely by digital. Eastern Europe is booming: Russia and Turkey are displaying particular growth. Russia is being fuelled by spend in television and all media channels, in fact."

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
Population: 353m
Media spend: $11,699m
(EMEA total: $165,155m)
Media % GDP: 0.71
Source: GroupM, 2007

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman)
Total media spend 2007: $2,866m
Media % GDP: 0.36
Media growth 2007 vs 2006: 28%
Media growth 2001-2007: 33%
(Average across Middle East and Africa - 16%)

KARIM FAHMY, regional communications planning director, the Middle East and North Africa, Universal McCann
"The burning issues are around research. Introducing people meters continues to be an imperative for advertisers and media agencies alike but, for one reason or another, never seems to materialise. There is no accurate, dependable audience-measurement system - Ipsos and PARC are the two key available sources. Saudi consumers are also likely to say differently to what they do, so what little data there is doesn't always support reality."

HIMANSHU VASHISHTHA, managing director, United Arab Emirates, Nielsen
"The media industry in the Middle East is going through a boom. This is evident in the number of channels, print titles and also the growth of advertising revenue."

SOUTH AFRICA
Total media spend 2007: $2,828m
Media % GDP: 1.07
Media growth 2007 vs 2006: 28%
Media growth 2001-2007: 22%

NICK MAWDITT, global director of marketing and insight, Kinetic Worldwide
"Kinetic launched in South Africa this year. The market is developing fast, with a good entrepreneurial and creative approach starting to emerge among planners and media owners. Out of Home Media South Africa has been established to bring about a code of practice. An out-of-home measurement system is now in place in two regions, with expansion planned, and counters some inconsistency in the regulatory environment, which compromised media owners' ability to deliver national campaign platforms."

This article was first published on Media Week