ExchangeWire on MENA Digital Advertising, Google Vs. CMA, and UK Ad Exports

Why It Matters

MENA’s rapid ad‑spend growth creates fresh investment opportunities, while the UK’s AI regulations could reshape publisher revenue and visibility, forcing marketers and tech firms to adapt their strategies.

Key Takeaways

• MENA digital ad spend projected $8.185B in 2025, 17.8% YoY growth.
• Retail, especially super‑app integrations, is fastest‑growing ad category in MENA.
• CTV growth driven by YouTube; only 10% watch ad‑supported streaming.
• UK CMA mandates new AI controls, giving publishers opt‑out rights.
• Google testing link controls, but opt‑out may reduce publisher visibility.

Summary

The MadTech Podcast episode tackles three headline stories: the explosive growth of the MENA digital advertising market, the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s new AI‑related rules for publishers, and Google’s response to those regulations.\n\nIAB MENA data projects $8.185 billion in ad spend for 2025, a 17.8% year‑on‑year increase. Retail leads the surge, with super‑app‑driven campaigns up roughly 40.5% YoY, while connected‑TV budgets rose 31% but remain dominated by YouTube; only 10% of regional viewers use ad‑supported streaming versus 80% in the United States. Egypt is singled out as a high‑growth market resembling early‑stage India.\n\nThe CMA now requires publishers to control AI‑generated use of their content, receive clearer performance metrics, and opt out of training data for large‑language models. Google says it is testing new link‑control tools and AI‑search safeguards, but critics warn that opting out could diminish a site’s visibility in emerging AI overviews. The discussion also touches on Google’s Gemini LLM gaining traction alongside ChatGPT and Claude.\n\nFor advertisers, the MENA boom signals a shift toward super‑app ecosystems and first‑party data strategies, while UK publishers must balance AI visibility against brand safety and potential traffic loss. Google’s evolving controls will likely influence traffic flows and the competitive dynamics among LLMs, making regulatory and technology monitoring essential for marketers and media owners.

Original Description

In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire's head of marketing, Grainne Reid, is joined by COO Lindsay Rowntree and John Still, head of content.

The first story this week is MENA becoming the world's fastest-growing digital advertising market. The team discuss the biggest categories in the region and their expectations for future growth. The second covers the CMA imposing new measures on Google search, and whether this affords publishers greater protection in the AI era.

Finally, UK ad exports recorded a £19.4bn milestone in 2025. Is the UK proud enough of its advertising industry, and what's being done to further promote it?

•••

July 8th, Sands Expo & Convention Centre. ATS Singapore 2026. This year marks fifteen years of ExchangeWire bringing together the people who actually run this industry in APAC. We’ve got some great speakers lined up, including Index Exchange CEO Andrew Casale, on stage in conversation with Ciaran O’Kane.

That's before you factor in the rest of the people on stage and in the room: senior buyers, sellers, traders, and decision-makers. This is where the industry figures out what it's going to do next, and you need to be in the room.

Secure your ticket now → https://events.exchangewire.com/ATSSingapore2026

•••

0:00 Introduction

0:53 MENA digital advertising spend hits $8.185bn

6:35 Maturity of MENA ecosystem vs. other markets

9:05 CMA imposes conduct requirement on Google

18:16 Is Google being made an example of?

21:07 UK ad exports hit £19.4bn

#adtech #media #digitaladvertising #google #podcast