Back-to-school in the Middle East has evolved far beyond the days of stationery discounts and uniform sales. Now it’s an important shopping time for families, with purchases ranging from school supplies and laptops to smart devices, clothes, and sports gear. Secondly, with a projected growth of $17.97 billion by 2030 at a steady 3.7 per cent CAGR, this is one of the most lucrative seasonal opportunities of the year for advertisers. But in a fragmented media environment, relying on traditional approaches means your message gets overlooked.
In this competitive season, brands that utilise CTV and rich media creatively can stand out not just for what they sell, but also for how they connect. Whether it’s a CTV spot capturing first-day jitters followed by an interactive checklist rich media ad or a shoppable story helping a family get classroom-ready in minutes, this is advertising as an experience. The rich media storytelling here helps convey powerful messages that truly resonate with viewers by reflecting their local culture, dialects, and shopping habits. With mobile-first formats like gamified banners, interactive videos, and dynamic storytelling driven by real-time data, brands gain the flexibility to tailor ads on the fly and invite participation through shoppable links or calls to action that fit naturally into the user’s journey. Moreover, reports justify that users spend 2x to 3x more time on pages with interactive videos. This approach turns fleeting attention into meaningful interaction that boosts brand recall and ultimately drives measurable outcomes.
While rich media brings adaptability and interaction to the table, Connected TV takes precision targeting and context to a whole new level with a 95 per cent completion rate. Advanced contextual intelligence in CTV lets advertisers move beyond broad demographics and cookie-based signals to align their messages with the exact tone, mood, and themes of the content viewers are streaming. Thanks to frame-by-frame video analysis, campaigns can sync with the emotions of a season finale or the playful vibe of a holiday sitcom, making ads feel like a natural part of the viewing experience.
In the back-to-school context, this precision is amplified by CTV’s unique ability to capture co-viewing moments within families, those rare windows when parents and kids watch together, discuss choices, and make purchase decisions collectively. In fact, 60 per cent of viewers in the UAE report watching YouTube and other streaming content on CTV alongside friends, family, or others, highlighting how shared viewing drives collective engagement. By tapping into the post-school hours, pre-dinner gatherings, or relaxed pre-bedtime slots through predictive data, advertisers can craft narratives that resonate during moments of shared focus. When executed thoughtfully, CTV campaigns can break through the seasonal noise and help brands become a part of household conversations during this pivotal buying period.
The real shift, however, lies in what comes next. We’re moving towards a future where ads don’t feel like ads at all but like personalised guidance woven into the family experience. The convergence of CTV, Rich Media, and AI will transform back-to-school campaigns into adaptive, real-time experiences shaped by viewing habits, shopping behaviours, and even moods. Get ready for storytelling that evolves in the moment-dynamic, relevant, and respectful of attention.
This isn’t about selling harder. It’s about creating micro-experiences that add value, spark curiosity, and feel like they belong. As AI advances, households in the MENA region will see advertising that speaks directly to their needs-tailored creative, personalised messaging, and meaningful calls-to-action, all delivered seamlessly across screens.
Back-to-school advertising is no longer just about products in baskets; it’s about building experiences that live across platforms and stay with families well beyond the season. The brands that embrace this vision early won’t just capture attention; they’ll help redefine how advertising is experienced in daily life.
The future of back-to-school advertising isn’t about selling; it’s about shaping moments that matter, across every screen, for every family.
By Gagan Uppal, Country Head MENA, Xapads Media.
