Advertising atop Dubai’s Burj Khalifa – aka the world’s tallest building – comes with a pretty hefty price tag.
According to MullenLowe MENA, the marketing agency that handles promotions for the building, prices of a single three-minute display on its top floor LED screen start at a whopping 250,000 dirhams ($68,073).
Prices differ depending on what time the ads are displayed and on whether they are put on during weekdays vs. weekends.
If a promotion is to be displayed between 8 and 10 p.m. on weekends, the cost rises to 350,000 dirhams ($95,285). The cost goes further up to 1 million dirhams ($272, 245) on any night between 7 and midnight for five three-minute displays.
These numbers reveal that Burj Khalifa’s ad prices are among the highest in the world.
Speaking to StepFeed, Ahmed, a Saudi-based advertiser, said that when compared to regional prices, it costs more to advertise atop the emirate’s iconic building than any other monument.
“While prices are high for high-rise buildings in Riyadh and Jeddah, they do not quite compare to the recently-revealed prices of advertising on Burj Khalifa,” he said.
The ad expert also explained that such numbers are more comparable to more widely popular international areas and buildings. For example, advertising on a billboard in New York’s Times Square “can range in cost from $3,000 for a 1 day program to well over $50,000″ — a closer number to the UAE skyscraper’s ad cost. The minimum amount of money required to promote something in NYC’s top attraction for one to three days ranges between $3,000 and $10,000. This all depends on which building the ad placement would be promoted on and for how long. Prices could reach $3 million a month in some cases.
It takes more than money to advertise on the skyscraper
If you’re looking to advertise on top of Burj Khalifa, you won’t only be required to pay up. You’ll have to send in your ad content to the agency handling the skyscraper’s displays four weeks before the planned live date. This is due to the fact that all ads must be approved by the tower’s owner, Emaar Properties. In addition to that, your full payment must be made in advance.
Burj Khalifa is considered one of the most sought-after ad spots in the UAE. It has previously been used by companies including Cartier, Huawei, and Noon.com.
Films including Walt Disney’s live action Lion King and the Avengers: Endgame were also promoted atop the building.
