SRMG unveils new advertising arm ‘SMS’ to boost data-driven campaigns

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The launch of SMS comes at a time when the market is experiencing significant growth. (Supplied/File)
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The launch of SMS comes at a time when the market is experiencing significant growth. (Supplied/File)
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Updated 08 April 2025
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SRMG unveils new advertising arm ‘SMS’ to boost data-driven campaigns

  • SMS empowers brands to connect with over 170 million users worldwide through innovative, AI-powered media solutions, SRMG says
  • Company will represent Asharq Al-Awsat, Asharq News, Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Al Eqtisadiah, Akhbaar24, Arab News, Hia, Sayidaty, Billboard Arabia, Manga Arabia and Thmanyah

RIYADH: SRMG, the MENA region’s largest integrated media group, announced Tuesday the launch of SRMG Media Solutions (SMS), a next generation, data-driven media solutions company designed to deliver innovative, results focused advertising strategies.

Building on the 35-year legacy of Al Khaleejiah, a pioneer in driving revenue growth and fostering strategic partnerships, SMS empowers brands to connect with over 170 million users worldwide through cutting-edge digital, social, TV, audio, and print channels. 

As the exclusive media sales representative of SRMG’s extensive brand portfolio, SMS leverages the group’s position as the MENA region’s leading integrated media powerhouse. SMS will represent prestigious brands such as  Asharq Al-Awsat, Asharq News, Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Al Eqtisadiah, Akhbaar24, Arab News, Hia, Sayidaty, Billboard Arabia, Manga Arabia and Thmanyah, offering advertisers access to a diverse mix of digital, social, TV, audio, print platforms, industry-leading advertising models, immersive storytelling, branded content, and experiential IPs such as the Billboard Arabia Music Awards and Hia Hub.

With a global reach of over 170 million users, SMS provides brands and advertisers with unparalleled opportunities to engage audiences worldwide. By leveraging proprietary first-party data, the latest AdTech solutions and AI-driven audience segmentation, SMS delivers personalized, results-oriented campaigns that drive growth, innovation, and profitability. Advanced analytics and multi-platform activation ensure precise audience targeting, enabling brands to connect with the right consumers at scale.

Jomana R. Alrashid, CEO of SRMG, commented, “The launch of SMS represents a pivotal moment for both SRMG and the media industry. I take great pride in the legacy built with Al Khaleejiah, and I’m excited to see how it will evolve with SMS to better meet the needs of modern digital audiences. In an era where data is reshaping how brands connect with audiences, SMS provides advertisers with the tools they need to navigate this dynamic landscape. Our strategic approach, combining SRMG’s unrivaled reach with data-driven precision, ensures that SMS is not just another media sales house, but a game-changer in the advertising space. As the industry moves towards AI-driven marketing and targeted content strategies, SMS will play a crucial role in shaping the future of advertising in the MENA region and beyond.” 

Ziad Moussa, Managing Director at SMS, added: “SMS is transforming advertising through AI-driven audience segmentation, real-time analytics, and first-party data insights. By integrating digital, audio, TV, print, and experiential platforms, we empower brands to execute seamless, high-impact campaigns. As we innovate with advanced ad products and immersive storytelling, SMS is setting new benchmarks for targeted, performance-driven advertising in the MENA region.”

The launch of SMS comes at a time when the market is experiencing significant growth. According to IAB MENA, the MENA digital ad spend market saw a remarkable 13.6 percent increase, surpassing $6 billion for the first time. This surge highlights MENA as one of the fastest-growing media markets, driven by a 15 percent rise in video consumption. Key factors fueling this growth include greater internet and mobile penetration, a large youth demographic, high social media engagement, a booming e-commerce sector, and increasing video content consumption. Leading the charge are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the broader GCC region.


Paris exhibition marks 200 years of Le Figaro and the enduring power of the press

Updated 17 January 2026
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Paris exhibition marks 200 years of Le Figaro and the enduring power of the press

  • The exhibition celebrated the bicentennial of Le Figaro, offering visitors a rare opportunity to step inside the newspaper’s vast historical archive

PARIS: One of France’s most influential newspapers marked a major milestone this month with a landmark exhibition beneath the soaring glass nave of the Grand Palais, tracing two centuries of journalism, literature and political debate.
Titled 1826–2026: 200 years of freedom, the exhibition celebrated the bicentennial of Le Figaro, offering visitors a rare opportunity to step inside the newspaper’s vast historical archive. Held over three days in mid-January, the free exhibition drew large crowds eager to explore how the title has both chronicled and shaped modern French history.
More than 300 original items were displayed, including historic front pages, photographs, illustrations and handwritten manuscripts. Together, they charted Le Figaro’s evolution from a 19th-century satirical publication into a leading national daily, reflecting eras of revolution, war, cultural change and technological disruption.
The exhibition unfolded across a series of thematic spaces, guiding visitors through defining moments in the paper’s past — from its literary golden age to its role in political debate and its transition into the digital era. Particular attention was paid to the newspaper’s long association with prominent writers and intellectuals, underscoring the close relationship between journalism and cultural life in France.
Beyond the displays, the program extended into live journalism. Public editorial meetings, panel discussions and film screenings invited audiences to engage directly with editors, writers and media figures, turning the exhibition into a forum for debate about the future of the press and freedom of expression.
Hosted at the Grand Palais, the setting itself reinforced the exhibition’s ambition: to place journalism firmly within the country’s cultural heritage. While the exhibition has now concluded, the bicentennial celebrations continue through special publications and broadcasts, reaffirming Le Figaro’s place in France’s public life — and the enduring relevance of a free and questioning press in an age of rapid change.