By Jalaja Ramanunni
The potential reach of OOH advertising has expanded significantly in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi has experienced a noticeable increase in mobility on the roads in the first quarter of 2023, states a recent study titled Streach Abu Dhabi Mobility.
This growth is set to have a significant impact on Out of Home (OOH) advertising. “The increase in mobility means that the OOH audience is growing in Abu Dhabi. People are spending more time on the roads and visiting more places. Accordingly, the potential reach of OOH advertising has expanded significantly in the city,” states Maud Moawad, CEO & Co-founder, Seventh Decimal, a UAE-based OOH measurement and research company that initiated the study.
Some of the busiest roads in Abu Dhabi such as Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, Hazza Bin Zayed Road and Corniche Road were considered for the study. The average time spent on the road per day by Abu Dhabi residents increased from 45 minutes to 1 hour this quarter. People are spending more time on the road and visiting more places in a day. Meanwhile, there was a 59 per cent rise in vehicles on the road, and a 45.5 per cent increase in frequency of vehicles in Q1, 2023. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road saw the highest increase in mobility as it spiked up by 90 per cent.
Besides, the number of visitors at shopping malls across the Emirate has increased as well, which contributed to the rise in mobility on the road. The number of visitors at Yas Mall has gone up by about four times. The study also notes that the number of places people visit per day also shot up from 2.4 places last year to 5.7 this year.
Recently, BackLite Media announced its expansion into the OOH media market in Abu Dhabi. It is launching a range of digital screens at Al Qana, the capital’s waterfront destination. Their new offerings include The Curve, the first Forced Perspective 3D screen in Abu Dhabi. The Curve aims to offer viewers a unique and immersive experience.
Last year, Viola Communications, one of the largest communications companies in Abu Dhabi, introduced a digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising platform in the UAE Capital. The move offers brands greater choice in creative executions of their marketing campaigns.
