World’s biggest new ad contract awarded

The world’s biggest new advertising contract of 2008 has just been signed in Dubai. The contract – worth 3 billion dirham (around $1.2bn Aussie dollars) – to provide advertising throughout the city’s new Metro rail service has gone to a consortium of three companies.

While the contract is a huge one for any part of the world, such deals are usually renewals or repitching of existing media properties. In this case though the Dubai Metro is an entirely new scheme, which will be the world’s longest driverless train network when it opens next year, making the size of the advertising deal probably unique.  

Dubai has experienced a media boom the last decade, with rocketing media spend. But the city, part of the United Arab Emirates, still remains an unpredictable place to do business. Today the country’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed, ordered the cancellation of all New Year celebrations to show solidarity with Palestinians.

Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.

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topics Advertising Dubai Media outdoor

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