Augustus February Newsletter 2025

This tribute captures all things media, thought leadership, content and business development. Keep track of Augustus Media brands; Lovin Dubai, Lovin Saudi, Smashi and ODEUM. Let’s take a deep dive into content & campaign highlights, along with our current commercial updates.

Message From The CEO

Podcasting Boom in MENA: Streaming Giants, Rising Investments & Growing Demand

A major trend this year is streaming services embracing podcasters. Why? They have loyal audiences and are cheaper than original shows. Shahid has onboarded many, as has OSN. In the US, Tubi (FOX) acquired Red Seat, producers of big independent podcasts like Tucker Carlson’s. At the recent Web Summit Qatar, iHeartRadio brought creators for workshops and signed a podcast partnership deal with the Government Communications Office to host more events and workshops in Qatar—a smart move.

There’s room for growth in this region. Top podcasters could multiply their reach tenfold by doubling down. Streaming services, both audio and video, will invest more through exclusive deals and acquisitions. Podcast agencies will expand—not just in production but also sales, like Next Broadcast Media, and Pod Partnerships, recently relocated from the UK. Poddster’s four studios, with 600 monthly bookings, are at capacity, signaling demand for more. This shift will tap into the UAE’s $70 million radio ad market—where ARN holds 90%—and connect to broader streaming ad trends on connected TV devices. Once brands can measure performance (as in the US), investment will surge, mirroring social media’s past growth.

We’ve avoided competing with weekly “drop” episode creators, focusing instead on higher frequency and regional content. We now have 35 podcasts and 1.5 million monthly downloads on the Podeo platform, with ads running pre-, mid-, and post-roll. Our shows are host led, chat shows usually without guests, giving timely on demand news daily, across Lovin' cities and Smashi' content verticals. We are already seeing increased advertiser demand. Podcasting is having a moment in the MENA region and the future is bright. 

Richard Fitzgerald
CEO & Founder

📱 All Things Content

February was a month of milestones, exciting launches, and record-breaking numbers. We debuted Lovin Life in Saudi with Coach Kaiser and featured him on the Lovin Riyadh Podcast, while The Lovin Dubai Show welcomed notable guests, including a heroic doctor who served in Gaza, Sarah Al Hafi, Yazann Al Bawab, and Christian Maxion. On the numbers front, Lovin Saudi TikTok hit 24 million views, Lovin Riyadh Instagram crossed 230K followers with 13 million views, and Lovin Dubai Instagram reached 128.4 million people, while The Lovin Dubai Show Podcast now averages 25,000 monthly listeners. We also wrapped major brand collaborations with Islamic Arts Biennale, Riyadh Art, Lipton, Anghami, Starbucks, SHEIN, Disney, and ŠKODA, and rolled out a fresh carousel style for a more eye-catching feed. Plus, our Big Ramadan Lists for Suhoor and Iftar are now live. With momentum on our side, we’re gearing up for an even bigger March!. 

Saima Iqbal
Senior Content Director

👀 Into Business Performance

February was another excellent month commercially, with the group achieving over 100% of the revenue target. Momentum remains strong across the region, with Lovin KSA, Lovin Cairo, Lovin Doha, and Smashi Business all exceeding their revenue goals for the month.

Several major campaigns were successfully executed, including:

• SHEIN Influencer Ramadan Series

• Websummit Logo and Grid Takeover

• AlUla Moments

• Diriyah Season

• L'Oreal x LEAP

Beyond commercial wins, February was a standout month in terms of marketing and brand exposure:

Successfully hosted the 2nd edition of our industry event “Local Influence Regional Impact” Ramadan Edition - Which welcomed 200+ industry professionals covering the evolution of Ramadan campaign planning and storytelling.

We took over the skies with the Lovin Dubai Turns 10 drone show

Had a major presence at key events:

• Lovin on ground activation at the Dubai Canal Run

• Smashi Show Booth at Step Conference

• Smashi Booth at the Affiliate World Conference

Lovin Cairo logo appeared on a high-profile billboard on 26th July Road

We also completed speaking engagements at LEAP Conference and hosted 3 Panels at Web Summit Qatar.

With Ramadan in full swing, brands are actively engaging in seasonal campaigns, focusing on storytelling, cultural relevance, and high-impact media placements. Augustus Media is well positioned to capitalize on this demand, offering a mix of creative branded content, high-reach digital advertising, and on-ground event activations. With creative ideas and an established track record of successful Ramadan campaigns, we continue to be a go-to media partner for brands looking to make an impact during this important season.

Mayowa Tola-Voss
Senior Commercial Director