More than 1.8billion regional and international consumers will be targeted when Phase 2 of Abu Dhabi’s global advertising campaign rolls out across key established and emerging source markets this month.
With Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the campaign driver, aiming to attract two million hotel guests to the emirate in 2011, rising to 2.3million in 2012, the 10-month campaign – a follow-up to the original push in selected=”true”, core demographic media last year – will demonstrate Abu Dhabi’s rich tapestry of cultural offerings, its natural and geographic assets, as well as its ever-expanding leisure attractions portfolio.
With a mandate to prompt a ‘call to action’ among potential travellers, the campaign aims to drive increased guest numbers to the emirate’s 18,844 hotel and hotel apartment rooms, boost sector revenues by increasing average length of stay, diversify the emirate’s non-oil related economic income and create tourism sector employment opportunities.
“This TV, print, radio and online campaign will put Abu Dhabi in front of high-end potential visitors and demonstrate the emirate’s credentials as a luxury destination with market-leading product offerings,” said Claire Micheletti, Marketing Division Director, ADTA.
“The emirate’s projected room supply is estimated to reach some 35,000 rooms by 2015 and, with 16,000 of these currently under construction, it is important to increase demand in advance of these exciting properties coming online.”
The campaign moves beyond the awareness building focus of the launch phase, to a call-to-action posing the question: ‘So You Think You’ve Done It All?’
“The Phase 1 campaign was built around the single minded proposition that Abu Dhabi offers more than initially meets the eye. The creative idea behind the Phase 2 campaign was inspired by the fact that in tourism commercials, we are always seeing other people experiencing and exploring amazing places. With our ads, we would like to motivate viewers by making them feel as though they are truly experiencing Abu Dhabi. We have done this by using a technique that allows us to showcase Abu Dhabi: a first person point of view – encouraging travellers to see and discover Abu Dhabi for themselves,” explained Micheletti.
From April to December, the campaign will run internationally through print, TV, online and outdoor mediums in Europe with emphasis on France, Italy, the UK, Germany and Russia; Asia with emphasis on India, South East Asia, Japan and Korea, as well as Australia and North America. Satellite channels being utilised including National Geographic; Discovery, Sky News, CNN, BBC World News, CNBC, MBC, TV5 Monde, Deutsche Welle and the Travel Channel UK. Print media partners include: The Times, The Telegraph Magazine and The Guardian in the UK; Bild and Der Spiegel in Germany; Le Figaro, Le Monde and Nouvel Observateur in France, Corriere Della Sera and Panorama in Italy and many other global and regional publications.
Print, online and TV advertisements are already underway throughout the GCC with an emphasis on the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatarand Kuwait.
“In Phase 2, we are also working closely with media partners such as National Geographic, BBC, Discovery Channel, MBC, Al Arabiya and CNN to deliver quality programming,” added Micheletti..
