Published: 2026-08-11
Hills Advertising, one of the largest out-of-home media operators in the UAE, will invest up to AED 1 billion in digitising its outdoor advertising network in Dubai. The centrepiece of the programme, announced on 10 August 2026, is the conversion of 20 flagship bridge advertising structures into digital platforms in partnership with Mada Media, the entity that organises, develops and manages the out-of-home sector in the emirate. After the upgrade, the operator’s network of 94 bridges across Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Airport Road and other high-traffic corridors will include 22 digital bridges. The underlying agreements were signed in the first quarter of 2026 for terms of five to seven years and rank among the largest single digital out-of-home investments in the region to date.
What exactly was announced
Hills Advertising has operated in Dubai’s outdoor advertising market for more than 20 years and controls some of the most visible large-format inventory in the city: advertising structures mounted on road bridges above the emirate’s busiest highways. On 10 August 2026 the company’s founder and CEO Sami Al Mufleh announced a transformation programme worth up to AED 1 billion. The money goes into converting the network’s flagship assets from static formats to digital platforms, starting with 20 bridge structures on Dubai’s key corridors.
Al Mufleh framed the move as a long-term bet rather than a routine upgrade: “This investment is our way of building for the next decade, not just the next campaign cycle.” The strategic logic behind the programme is the industry-wide shift from static awareness formats towards performance-driven communications, where campaigns are dynamic, responsive and measurable alongside traditional reach metrics.
The partnership with Mada Media
The digitisation programme rests on a long-term agreement with Mada Media, the organisation responsible for organising, developing and managing Dubai’s out-of-home advertising sector and the media concessionaire of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The signing was announced through the official Dubai Media Office in April 2026, which makes this one of the formally confirmed landmark deals in the emirate’s media infrastructure this year.
Key parameters of the arrangement:
- Hills Advertising renewed its long-term agreement with Mada Media and secured its network of 94 bridges across Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Airport Road and other key corridors;
- the agreements were signed in the first quarter of 2026 and span five to seven year terms;
- as part of the renewal, the network grows to 22 digital bridges, 20 of which are newly digitised;
- the combined commitment approaches AED 1 billion, one of the largest single digital out-of-home investments in the region.
From static boards to digital platforms
The difference between a static bridge banner and a digital platform is bigger than screen technology. A static structure carries one advertiser for weeks; a digital one can rotate multiple brands, change creative by time of day, react to traffic conditions and launch a campaign within hours instead of weeks. For advertisers this means shorter booking cycles, flexible budgets and measurable outcomes; for the operator, higher yield per structure and a product that competes with online channels for performance budgets rather than only for brand awareness spending.
That is why the shift matters beyond the advertising industry itself. Digital out-of-home turns physical infrastructure into a data-driven media product, and Dubai’s highway bridges are among the most valuable positions in the market: hundreds of thousands of vehicles pass under them daily on Sheikh Zayed Road alone. The city keeps investing in those corridors as well: Sheikh Zayed Road was recently widened to seven lanes near Burj Khalifa, raising capacity on the exact stretch where much of this premium inventory stands.
Private capital and Dubai’s smart city agenda
The Hills Advertising programme is a private investment, not a government project, and that is precisely its significance. An operator committing up to AED 1 billion of its own capital to city infrastructure signals confidence in Dubai’s advertising market and in the emirate’s long-term growth. The deal reinforces Dubai’s position as a global hub for media and advertising: the sector is regulated and centrally organised through Mada Media, the infrastructure is being digitised, and international brands get a transparent, structured way to buy premium visibility in one of the world’s most trafficked urban environments.
For the wider economy the announcement fits a clear pattern of 2026: capital flows into smart urban infrastructure, from transport integration to digital media. Advertising screens on bridges may look like a niche asset class, but they sit at the intersection of real estate, technology and media, three sectors where Dubai actively courts private investment.
What it means for businesses in the UAE
For companies that market products and services in the Emirates, the practical consequences are straightforward:
- more premium digital inventory in 2026-2027: 20 newly digitised bridges on the city’s main corridors will enter the market during the contract period;
- lower entry barriers: digital slots can be booked for shorter periods and smaller budgets than long static commitments, which opens top-tier locations to mid-sized brands, not only global advertisers;
- faster campaigns: creative can be changed remotely, so product launches, seasonal offers and event promotions can go live on a highway screen within days;
- better accountability: digital platforms support measurement and performance reporting, making outdoor spending easier to justify alongside online channels.
For businesses entering the UAE market, this is also a reminder that Dubai’s marketing landscape is professionalising quickly. A market where outdoor media is centrally managed, digitised and measurable rewards companies that plan their visibility strategically rather than tactically.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital helps entrepreneurs build and grow companies in the UAE. If you are launching a brand that needs visibility in Dubai, we support the full journey: company registration in mainland and free zones, corporate bank accounts, residence visas, and marketing and web presence services to make your entry into the market effective from day one. We work with the practical side of the UAE economy daily and track infrastructure news like this one so our clients understand where the market is heading.
The AED 1 billion commitment by Hills Advertising is a strong signal: outdoor advertising in Dubai is becoming a digital, data-driven industry, and the city’s most visible media real estate is being rebuilt for the next decade. Brands planning their UAE marketing for 2026-2027 should factor the new digital inventory into their media strategies now, before demand for the upgraded locations catches up.
FAQ
How much is Hills Advertising investing and in what?
The company is investing up to AED 1 billion in digitising its outdoor advertising network in Dubai. The programme converts 20 flagship bridge advertising structures into digital platforms, bringing the number of digital bridges in its 94-bridge network to 22.
Who is Mada Media and what is its role?
Mada Media is the entity responsible for organising, developing and managing the out-of-home advertising sector in Dubai and acts as the media concessionaire of the Roads and Transport Authority. Its agreement with Hills Advertising was announced through the official Dubai Media Office in April 2026, with contracts signed in the first quarter of 2026 for five to seven year terms.
Which roads are covered by the digitised network?
The network of 94 bridges spans Dubai’s busiest corridors: Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Airport Road and other high-traffic routes. The 20 newly digitised bridges are located on these flagship positions.
What does the digitisation mean for advertisers in Dubai?
Digital bridge platforms allow multiple advertisers per structure, remote creative changes and campaign launches within days instead of weeks. Booking becomes more flexible and measurable, which opens premium highway locations to mid-sized brands and makes outdoor advertising easier to combine with performance marketing.
