BPA Middle East Chair Calls On Advertisers To Switch Media Spend Into Audited Titles

The chair of the Middle East Advisory Board of global media audit organisation, BPA Worldwide, has called on advertisers to move their advertising dollars from unaudited titles to audited titles, including Akhbar Al Arab, which has become the first daily Arabic newspaper in the UAE to publish independently-audited circulation data.

[ClickPress, Fri Mar 07 2008] The chair of the Middle East Advisory Board of global media audit organisation, BPA Worldwide, has called on advertisers to move their advertising dollars from unaudited titles to audited titles, including Akhbar Al Arab, which has become the first daily Arabic newspaper in the UAE to publish independently-audited circulation data.

The audit showed that the mainly free Akhbar Al Arab had a ‘public place’ circulation of 50,325 in Abu Dhabi for the weekday edition and 40,166 for the weekend edition. The majority of these copies were circulated through public place distribution at retail, public and private locations, though 3,040 copies had an audited distribution through street boxes in Abu Dhabi.

Margie Gilbride, who is also marketing communications manager for Beiersdorf Middle East , a leading manufacturer of branded consumer products for skin and beauty care, commented:

“Akhbar Al Arab is the first Arabic newspaper in the UAE to publish BPA-audited circulation data and I would encourage advertisers to take full advantage of this publisher's commitment to transparency in its circulation. I hope this sets a positive example and is an encouragement to other Arabic newspapers to also be pioneers in circulation transparency in the region.”

“The BPA audit is our way of differentiating Akhbar Al Arab in the market and assuring advertisers, whether they be regional or international, that we are working to a globally-recognised audit standard,” explains Akhbar Al Arab’s General Manager, Abdulrahman Shemiry.

Akhbar Al Arab is not the only Arabic newspaper in BPA membership. The audit organisation is also working closely with the Oman-based weekly Al Isbou’a.

Ends.



Press Information:

Joe Palmer or Howard Robinson

CoCo Communications

T: 00 44 207 754 3551

E: joe@cococommunications.com or howard@cococommunications.com



About BPA Worldwide



BPA Worldwide is the only global media auditor. It is the world’s largest independent, not-for-profit auditor of business to business media offering uniformly applied standards around the world. Now in its 75th year, BPA Worldwide has more than 2600 advertisers and media buyers within its worldwide membership. It audits more than 2500 media properties across 25 countries, including more than 2000 business to business publications.



BPA audits enable media owners to compete successfully for advertising spend by providing media buyers and advertisers with independently audited data. Media buyers and advertisers, in turn, demand such independent metrics as a way of informing their buying decisions and protecting their interests. Third party audits represent the buyer’s only reliable assurance against misleading, exaggerated or even fraudulent claims.



BPA specialises in multimedia audit, including consumer press, newspapers, expos, website, email newsletters, database and other media containing advertising. This includes media circulation on an international or global basis by a publisher in another territory. This ensures comparability for advertisers and media buyers of media across national boundaries.



BPA Worldwide is a founder member of the IFABC.

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