Mansoor Al Sabahi, CEO of Mada MediaI recently met with leaders of three of the largest global investment groups spanning advertising, communications, and marketing, to take stock of the latest developments in Dubai’s out-of-home (OOH) advertising sector. These meetings revealed strong investor confidence in the country’s economic stability and resilience, built on the solid foundations our wise leadership has long established.
The discussions between myself and the CEOs of Publicis Groupe, Omnicom Group, and WPP Group covered Mada Media’s growth plans with its partners, the growing interest from major global brands in Dubai’s OOH market, and initiatives to drive digital transformation, particularly programmatic OOH advertising and its role in helping advertisers reach target audiences more effectively.
Attendees expressed eagerness to advance their investment plans, with some looking to use the current period of relative calm to develop their businesses plans and expand their presence in the Emirate.
Digital transformation and programmatic OOH
Our visions were also closely aligned regarding the plans developed by Mada Media to enhance programmatic OOH advertising and elevate it to world-class standards, positioning Dubai at the forefront of digital OOH regionally and internationally.
This aligns with the global surge in advertising investment, strengthening our resolve to secure a larger share for the OOH market. The UAE is already well ahead, OOH accounts for 20–25% of total ad spend here, compared to a global average below 10%.
Regulation, urban harmony
This growth reinforces the need to embed these ambitions within sound regulatory frameworks and precise technical standards, balancing expansion of strategic advertising assets with public safety, urban aesthetics, and sustainability, in line with the Emirate’s visual identity, the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, and broader sustainable development efforts.
Market access via governance
On governance, we discussed the need for fair pricing mechanisms that value assets by size and location, and procedural frameworks that foster transparency and healthy competition. Unifying technical and commercial standards to prevent monopolistic practices and ensure equal access to investment opportunities was equally emphasised. Attendees praised Mada Media for its use of public tenders to promote investment opportunities, which continue to draw strong interest from local and regional players.
On demand balance across the Emirate’s key streets and areas, we converged on the importance of steering investor attention towards Dubai’s emerging strategic districts, shifting conventional perceptions and unlocking the market’s full potential. This would improve asset management, support expansion into new urban areas, widen the investment landscape, foster harmony across diverse urban zones, and accelerate the adoption of digital screens for greater efficiency and returns.
AI, data, and the road ahead
All of this points to a transformational phase ahead, defined by cutting-edge digital technologies, especially programmatic advertising, and the seamless integration of advertising assets within the urban environment. Central to this transformation is a theme that resonated throughout these meetings: harnessing artificial intelligence and providing investors with the accurate, reliable data they need for sound, evidence-based decisions. Establishing a unified OOH data source emerged as one of the most pressing shared priorities, and will drive Mada Media to accelerate development of a dedicated data hub for the sector.
The data and insights from these meetings underscore the immense potential ahead for OOH advertising investment, a sector that continues to attract high-calibre investors and significant capital. This deepens our ambition to build a more structured, innovative, and sustainable OOH sector; one that delivers consistent growth, drives economic development, and preserves the beauty, elegance, and harmony of Dubai’s urban landscape in a manner befitting its global standing, fully aligned with our renewed strategic vision and our expanding ambitions across regional and international markets
By Mansoor Al Sabahi, CEO of Mada Media.
