INSITE OOH Media Platform

The UAE’s Out-of-Home (OOH) landscape remained highly active throughout October 2025, as brands across multiple industries competed for attention using a blend of traditional and digital formats. Recent tracking shows that Real Estate continued to lead the market, activating 16 campaigns across billboards, digital screens, and large-format sites. This sustained presence underscores the sector’s long-standing reliance on OOH to promote new developments, strengthen visibility, and stand out in an increasingly competitive environment.

These insights are drawn from in-depth monitoring of Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman—key markets where traffic dynamics, urban vitality, and strategic media locations play a decisive role in shaping audience engagement. By integrating on-ground observation with digital tracking, we measured not only campaign presence and frequency but also the impact generated. Layering this data with mobility and demographic insights, and rigorously validating the findings, enabled us to convert raw observations into a clear and reliable view of brand activity and market trends across these three dynamic emirates.

Sector Highlights

Close behind Real Estate, which led the market with 16 campaigns, Fashion Wear followed strongly with 14 campaigns, leveraging seasonal launches and lifestyle-driven visuals across prime urban locations and mall-based OOH assets. The sector’s activity underlined its reliance on outdoor media to sustain visibility and brand relevance.

Automotive ranked next with 10 campaigns, as both luxury and mass-market brands continued to use OOH’s scale and impact to position vehicles as aspirational lifestyle choices. Mobile Apps also recorded notable momentum with 9 campaigns, reflecting the growing confidence of digital-first brands in outdoor media for mass awareness and user acquisition.

Events & Exhibitions activated 8 campaigns, highlighting the role of OOH in driving attendance and awareness for large-scale experiences. Cosmetics & Personal Care followed with 6 campaigns, reinforcing consistent consumer engagement, while Mobile Devices and Entertainment contributed 5 campaigns each, signaling steady investment from tech and leisure-driven brands.

Further down the mix, Transportation delivered 4 campaigns, Telecommunication recorded 3 campaigns, and Retail Shopping along with Hospitality & Tourism added 2 campaigns each. Smaller yet notable activity came from Marketing & Advertising, Education, and Sports, each accounting for 1 campaign.

Collectively, these figures illustrate a diverse and well-rounded OOH ecosystem in the UAE, where dominant sectors drive scale while a wide range of industries continue to leverage outdoor media to maintain visibility and competitive presence.

First-Timers on the OOH Stage

October welcomed a new wave of advertisers making their debut on the UAE’s OOH scene. Atfx Mena, Holo, Keeta, MH Markets, Funky Souq, and Maison Margiela Paris stepped into the spotlight, signaling the continued attractiveness of outdoor media for both emerging local players and expanding international brands.

From lifestyle and luxury names testing the impact of high-visibility campaigns to digital and retail players establishing their presence, these newcomers underscore OOH’s role as a powerful platform for generating awareness, building credibility, and making a strong first impression in one of the region’s most competitive advertising markets.

Emirates Snapshot

In October, Dubai once again dominated the UAE’s OOH landscape, registering 83 campaign appearances across its busiest roads and key districts. From Sheikh Zayed Road to Downtown, the city reaffirmed its position as the hub of OOH activity, providing brands with unparalleled reach and frequency.

Sharjah followed with 22 campaigns, highlighting the emirate’s rising significance in the media mix. Its growing residential and commercial areas continue to draw advertisers aiming to connect with both local audiences and daily commuters.

Ajman accounted for 7 campaigns, maintaining its steady role as a complementary market that helps extend brand visibility along the northern corridor.

Formats in Focus

In terms of formats, Digital Screens led the way with 48 placements (33.33%), highlighting their role as a versatile medium for dynamic messaging and creative sequencing.

Hoardings closely followed with 49 placements (34.03%), continuing to provide large-scale canvases for impactful brand storytelling across key locations.

Other formats played a supporting yet significant role: Uni-Poles accounted for 22 placements (15.28%), Lampposts contributed 14 placements (9.72%), and Bridge Billboards added 10 placements (6.94%), all reinforcing frequency and reach in high-traffic areas.

Niche formats such as Mega-Com (8 placements, 5.56%) and Wall Wrapping (2 placements, 1.39%) rounded out the mix, demonstrating how brands are strategically leveraging a variety of formats to maximize visibility, engagement, and overall impact in the UAE’s OOH landscape.

Key Takeaways

Real Estate led the way with 16 campaigns, reinforcing its position as the top OOH investor in the UAE and continuing to leverage outdoor media for maximum visibility and brand presence.

Fashion Wear followed closely with 14 campaigns, showcasing seasonal collections and lifestyle-driven messaging, while Automotive secured 10 campaigns, underlining the sector’s reliance on OOH to position vehicles as aspirational choices. Mobile Apps contributed 9 campaigns, reflecting the growing confidence of digital-first brands in outdoor media, and Events & Exhibitions recorded 8 campaigns, emphasizing the role of OOH in driving awareness for experiences and large-scale initiatives.

Other notable contributors included Cosmetics & Personal Care with 6 campaigns, Entertainment and Mobile Devices with 5 campaigns each, and Transportation with 4 campaigns, all adding depth and variety to the OOH landscape. Smaller yet meaningful activity came from Retail Shopping (2 campaigns), Telecommunication (3 campaigns), Marketing & Advertising (1 campaign), and Education (1 campaign), highlighting the broad diversity of sectors actively using OOH to reach audiences in August.

Together, these figures paint a picture of a vibrant and multi-faceted OOH market, where both dominant and niche sectors strategically leverage outdoor media to engage, influence, and maintain visibility across the UAE.

Conclusion

In conclusion, October 2025 showcased the UAE’s OOH market as a dynamic and strategically vital channel for brands across industries. Dominant sectors such as Real Estate, Fashion Wear, and Automotive continued to invest heavily in outdoor media to strengthen visibility, drive engagement, and reinforce brand positioning, while emerging advertisers made their mark, demonstrating OOH’s appeal as a platform for first-time impact. The diverse use of formats—from high-impact hoardings and digital screens to niche installations like Mega-Com and wall wraps—illustrates how brands are thoughtfully leveraging creative solutions to maximize reach and engagement. Across Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman, this vibrant ecosystem highlights OOH’s enduring role in shaping consumer awareness, influencing behavior, and sustaining competitive presence in one of the region’s most dynamic advertising landscapes.