Even in an age of endless feeds, a good billboard still stops you. I’ve seen it happen too many times
to doubt it. There’s something uniquely public about out-of-home (OOH) campaigns. Ideas are tested in the open, shared by strangers in traffic, at junctions, and on the school run. And maybe that’s why it still matters in 2025. When so much of our attention lives behind a screen, OOH remains one of the few spaces that belongs to everyone.
In the Middle East, where skylines seem to change overnight and audiences are more connected yet more fragmented than ever, OOH remains one of the most human ways to reach people where life actually happens.
But it’s also becoming one of the most technologically advanced. Across the region, traditional billboards are giving way to digital displays, interactive screens, and even augmented reality murals.
The UAE and the wider Middle East are leading this transformation, with combined OOH investments exceeding AED 1.396bn annually and digital growth rates of 16-23 per cent – well above global averages. It’s a shift that reimagines how brands can connect in one of the world’s most digitally ambitious regions.
What’s changed is the job OOH is being asked to do. It’s no longer just about size or frequency. Today, it’s about presence – showing up in a way that feels relevant, respectful and real. The best work is built on empathy, made for context and designed to spark conversation, not simply to deliver a message at scale.
OOH has always thrived on understanding everyday life and turning it into moments of recognition. Some of the most memorable work by IKEA in the region captures this spirit.
Proudly Second Best, for instance, flipped traditional advertising logic on its head by celebrating parents rather than products. It acknowledged that while a brand can offer every cot, stool and highchair a young family might need, nothing compares to the warmth of mum or dad.
The images of babies sleeping, eating and playing on their parents instead of the furniture designed for those very tasks delivered a tender, humorous reminder that family always comes first.
In a region where family sits at the heart of identity, that honesty felt deeply relatable, turning OOH from a mere announcement into a quiet tribute to caregiving.
Another IKEA example, Guilty Pets, spoke to a different kind of everyday truth: the funny, familiar chaos that comes with sharing a home with animals. A cat beside a broken mug, a dog caught red-pawed next to a shredded cushion: each scene made passers-by smile before they even read the line, ‘Don’t worry, you can
afford it’.
The idea transformed everyday mishaps into reassurance, reminding people that homes are meant to be lived in, not preserved in perfection. In just a single frame, OOH became both relatable and comforting; a shared wink between brand and audience.
These campaigns continue to live because they weren’t built around products or promotions. They were built around people. They worked because they reflected life as it really is: imperfect, emotional, and shared. They understood that a billboard, when done right, connects rather than sells.
In a market as diverse as the UAE and the wider GCC, that kind of connection matters. We live in a region where more than 200 nationalities drive the same roads, read the same signs, and interpret them through different experiences. That’s both a challenge and a creative gift.
From the fast-moving traffic of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to the slower commutes across the Northern Emirates, each environment demands a creative that’s legible, warm, and true in the few seconds people have to engage.
The creativity really lies in matching message to moment. A heartfelt parenting line near a school or a playful pet confession along a residential route feels naturally placed; part of the landscape, not pasted
on to it. As OOH evolves with digital formats, that contextual sensitivity will only deepen. Digital OOH campaigns in the region are already achieving engagement rates up to six times higher than static billboards, while augmented reality-enhanced activations in premium locations see interaction rates surpassing 30 per cent.
Today, unipoles, hoardings, lampposts, and digital screens – formats IKEA has explored across the UAE – allow brands to shift creative by time of day or neighbourhood, giving storytelling a new kind of agility. Whether it’s a striking unipole along a major highway, a series of lampposts lining community streets, or digital screens inside malls and urban centres, each format serves a different purpose, creating continuity between high-traffic and hyper-local spaces and ensuring IKEA’s message meets people wherever they are.
Most recently, this has been brought to life through IKEA’s Price Lowered campaign, a nationwide outdoor campaign reminding audiences that good design can also be affordable. With its simple message of ‘Quality
at better prices’, the campaign connects with people in the flow of everyday life, from highways to neighbourhood streets. It reinforces IKEA’s ongoing commitment to making quality products and improved living accessible to all.
But beyond technology, the heart of OOH hasn’t changed. It’s still about belonging. When brands speak with honesty, humour or warmth, public space turns into social space. A place for recognition, laughter and even empathy. People don’t just see the ad; they see themselves in it.
And maybe that’s why OOH has never felt more alive than it does today. As the region’s cities continue to grow and diversify, the power of OOH will lie in that balance between visibility and humanity.
The most memorable work will keep doing what these OOH campaigns do so well: meet people where they are, say something real, and leave them feeling understood.
By Carla Klumpenaar, GM Marketing, Communication, HF & Retail Design IKEA (Al-Futtaim)
