As part of its efforts to extend its reach and exposure, the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) has signed an agreement with Snap Inc. to tap into new audiences. Under the terms of the deal, SBA is investing on the platform and, in return, Snap Inc. will provide the Authority with creative support in the form of video and augmented reality (AR) services.

Commenting on the agreement, Fatima Bin Sandal,Governmental Communications & Marketing Manager said: “The Sharjah Broadcasting Authority is on a mission to reach a new younger audience. With Snapchat being one of the most popular platforms for young people, this agreement allows us to address this demographic in a platform they are familiar with.”

Faisal Shams, Sales Manager – Government & Telco for Snap Inc. in the Middle East said: “We are honored to be partnering with the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority. The agreement shows our growing popularity with broadcasters and publishers in the MENA region. Our ability to optimize video for a younger audience has proven to be popular with content creators everywhere.”

Snapchat is accelerating rapidly across MENA, where the monthly addressable reach grew by 33% to 75 million unique Snapchatters year-on-year in 2021. The platform offers regional content creators one of the most effective ways to engage with a large, growing, and unique Millennial and Gen Z audience.

The Snapchat audience is highly engaged, with consumption rates in MENA often higher than the global average. In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, Snapchatters spent 77 mins daily on the app during Ramadan 2020, a 20% increase y-o-y on average.