2017 年串流音樂首度超越實體唱片營收,全球音樂產業邁入串流音樂主導的大時代。其中,Spotify 為全球市場龍頭,在全球囊括近四成的市場,並於2018年順利於美國完成IPO,以支持進一步的國際化策略。然而,在新興市場中這些國際品牌必須與強勁的本土品牌競爭,這些新興市場企業憑藉著良好的口碑與對當地市場的熟悉成功殺出一條血路,譬如中東北非市場的Anghami 便是一例。 Anghami 2012年成立於黎巴嫩,儘管當時中東北非市場基礎設施落後,市場缺乏正版音樂的消費習慣,創辦人 Elie Habib 與 Eddy Maroun 卻從中看到潛在商機。在內容方面,他們與中東北非最大的唱片公司Rotana 簽訂獨家專屬合約;技術面,透過與美國公司Dolby合作開發出特殊的音樂編碼系統解決克服當地網路環境的劣勢。在資金方面,Anghami 陸續獲得 MEVP、MBC 集團等創投與企業的投資,開發出許多特色化的功能及在地內容。對於使用者, Anghami 極度因地制宜,運用電信商網絡、在地化的定價與行銷策略累積大量用戶,成為當地市場領先者。2021年初,Anghami 更宣布將透過 SPAC 於美國 NASDAQ 掛牌上市,有望成為中東北非地區首間於美股上市的科技公司。 Anghami 的發展歷程反映出新興市場跨國企業打破傳統的國際擴張策略,相較於其他國際品牌,Anghami 更懂得如何運用連結與槓桿,為自身創造優勢,並透過在中東北非多國市場的在地學習,快速累積經驗,為下一步國際擴張作準備。這種靈活而敏捷的模式值得新興市場企業作為他山之石。
In 2017, streaming music surpassed physical record revenue; global music industry then entered a new era dominated by streaming music. Among all, Spotify is the global market leader, covering nearly 40% of the global market, and in 2018 Spotify successfully completed an IPO in U.S., supporting its further international expansion. However, in emerging markets, these international brands as Spotify invetibly have to compete with local brands. These emerging market companies have succeeded in the streaming war with their familiarity with the local market and well-eatablished good reputation. Anghami in the Middle East and North Africa market is an vivid example. Dates back to 2010s, the market infrastructure in MENA was underdeveloped, as well as the pirated music was rampant. However, Elie Habib and Eddy Maroun saw market potentials, and then Anghami was founded in Lebanon in 2012. There were three difficulties firstly urgent to solve: content, technology and capital. They signed an exclusive contract with Rotana, the largest record company among the area, and developed a special music coding system through cooperation with Dolby to overcome the disadvantages of the local network environment. Throung fund raising, Anghami successively received investments from venture capital and corporations such as MEVP and MBC Group. This did surpport the development of characteristic functions and local content for the platform. In order to atrract users, Anghami acted extremely adaptable to local conditions, leveraging telecom provider networks and localized pricing and also down-to-earth marketing strategies. By the means metioned above, Anghami become the music streaming leader in MENA. In 2021, Anghami announced that it will be listed on NASDAQ through SPAC; namely, it might become the first MENA technological company being listed on US stocks. The path of Anghami reflects that EMNE’s untradional international expansion strategies. Compared with other international brands rooted in developed countries, Anghami really knows how to establish linkage and adpot leverage strategies to create advantages for itself. Then throung local learning in the complex multinational markets, the emerging enterprise quickly accumulated both knoledge and experience which give aid to the next level of internationalization. To EMNEs, this flexible and agile mode of Anghami is worthy to take a look.