Following over 42 years of success in offering out-of-home (OOH) advertising solutions in Saudi Arabia, where it is now one of the largest and most prominent companies in the world in terms of revenue and digital transformation, Al Arabia continues its expansion in the Middle East region.
Al Arabia chose Dubai as its next major market with a powerful and innovative entry, introducing the largest and most widespread digital network in the city, equipped with cutting-edge technology to provide accurate viewership data. Given that Dubai is one of the region’s most significant advertising hubs with numerous local companies, Al Arabia sought to stand out with a distinctive campaign aimed at engaging the Emirati community.
For its launch, Al Arabia collaborated with one of the UAE’s most inspiring success stories: the Emirati entrepreneur behind the popular Salt restaurant chain, which was celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Al Arabia gave Salt, a local restaurant famous for offering burgers on par with global brands, a unique opportunity for a joint campaign. The teaser phase started with an intriguing message across Al Arabia’s prominent digital billboards in key Dubai locations, reading: “Something salty is on coming… To be seen by everyone.” This teaser instantly captured attention, making the campaign the most viewed in the city.
The campaign later revealed that the teaser was promoting Salt’s new burger for just AED 10, in celebration of its 10th anniversary. However, this campaign was more than just a regular ad, it was a clever showcase of the power and influence of outdoor advertising.
In an unexpected twist, Al Arabia also rented billboard space from its competitors, without revealing its involvement, to advertise the same teaser but with a different, witty message. Instead of “To be seen by everyone” the message on competitors’ billboards read: “To be seen by [specific location],” highlighting the limited coverage of those networks compared to Al Arabia’s widespread presence, and utilising each competitor’s brand colour for the teaser, along with a witty tag line. This smart move delivered a subtle message to the advertising and marketing community, underscoring Al Arabia’s superior network and reach.
Salt’s new AED 10 burger campaign was enhanced by Al-Arabia’s widespread network of screens and visibility. It cleverly compared Al Arabia’s strategic digital billboard locations with the traditional static ones, emphasising the importance of targeted promotional campaigns aimed at reaching the widest audience.
The campaign wasn’t limited to outdoor ads. Salt showed its appreciation by changing all its packaging during the campaign to Al Arabia’s colours and the tagline “Seen By Everyone.” Additionally, 1,000 burgers were distributed to top marketing and advertising agencies, each packaged with Al Arabia’s branding, reinforcing the company’s presence and highlighting its role in connecting brands with their target audience.
This campaign served as a unique model for community engagement, sharing positive success stories in a creative way.
“This campaign embodies what Al Arabia does best, ensuring brands are seen by the right people, in the right places, at the right time,” said Fai Bin Masoud, Business Development Director at Al Arabia. “We didn’t just introduce ourselves to Dubai, we made sure everyone saw us. And in doing so, we helped a beloved local brand make an even bigger impact.”
This wasn’t just a celebration of Salt’s 10th anniversary. It was also a bold statement announcing Al Arabia’s entry into Dubai, showcasing its distinction and challenging other players in a highly competitive market. With the rapid growth of social media, the campaign reinforced the strength of digital outdoor advertising, truly seen by everyone.
