Currently, Saudi Arabia is experiencing unprecedented progress, development and increased market competitiveness due to the goals outlined by Vision 2030 and its effective implementation in various sectors.
This transformative change has ushered in a multitude of reforms, which have significantly impacted residents, tourists and investors, and have helped pave the way for greater opportunities and economic growth.
With a market value that will exceed SAR 3 billion, the outdoor advertising sector is an example of a growing beneficiary year after year of such reforms.
By repeatedly demonstrating its communicative effectiveness for public and private entities, the outdoors within the kingdom has become enormously complementary to rapid urban expansion, population growth, social changes and increased reliance on mobility.
Certainly advantageous, its sustained growth also depends on the short and long-term investments made by the sector. By demonstrating your ingenuity, you cannot undermine the impact that outdoor advertising has had on communication.
That said, for more than three decades Saudi Signs Media has played a fundamentally active role in creating unique advertising opportunities and implementing large formats of great prestige and recognition by stakeholders throughout the region that serve both tactical and equity campaigns.
The company’s commitment to raising market standards over the years through exceptional product options, customer service and flexibility has positively supported brands in their quest to raise awareness and deliver notable results.
With highly digitized inventory, it has become increasingly evident that brands are adopting tactics such as day splitting, rotating multiple ad texts, and proximity mapping to deliver more contextualized communication that ensures greater audience attention and engagement.
Naturally, these approaches will be further strengthened by the growing role of AI within the industry from the agility of messaging and the inevitable in-depth analysis of traffic patterns and measurements that will result in greater investment efficiency.
Among the various products offered by Saudi Signs Media, there are two that have had an undeniable impact on the local market: Riyadh’s Digital Bridges and Jeddah’s Digital Steel Bridges, which will remain under the company’s management until the end of 2025 and 2035 respectively.
Both mediums are responsible for breaking the decades-old communication approach that was previously practiced and that provided novelty in the market. The presence in any of them has been widely recognized and has given brands a powerful channel to promote their services and products in the direct line of sight of motorists, distributed along highly congested roads and allowed for creative range due to the significant sizes of LED screens.
However, as developments of all kinds reshape the landscape, changes are coming that will serve local and international partners well.
Looking ahead, Saudi Signs Media will introduce several new formats to the market. This includes digital screens in Dammam and Khobar (April 2024) measuring 8m x 8m. Located predominantly at high-traffic intersections, the digital displays will be the latest addition to the Eastern Province’s OOH landscape.
Additionally, advertisers will have access to a wide range of new indoor and outdoor formats of various sizes and types in the heart of Riyadh. This new project that is being carried out will allow brands for the first time to enjoy a reinforced association and presence in one of the most exclusive developing areas of the city.
In the past there has been no attempt to reach audience segments that fit the profile of this area; details of which will be announced later.
Additionally, in 2023 a major partnership was signed between Saudi Signs Media and Rotana Media Services which together saw the establishment of a new entity called Rotana Signs. Based in the capital, Rotana Signs will operate and manage the recently awarded digital tower facades in Riyadh and Dammam.
With a total of 24 facades, these premiere and highly anticipated formats are designed to not only redefine the brand experience within the kingdom’s outdoor space, but also to raise industry standards and set a new precedent.
Overall, the outdoor advertising sector in Saudi Arabia is rapidly transforming into a dynamic market that can accommodate new suppliers, offer a wider range of formats and provide diverse placement opportunities.
In the coming period, advertisers will have a variety of options to choose from to reach new and existing audiences, and this is particularly important given the significant social and market changes currently taking place.
As such, Saudi Signs Media remains committed to advancing the industry through continuous innovation of its products and services to meet the changing communication needs of tomorrow.
With these developments and more to come, the future of the industry within the kingdom according to Saudi Signs Media promises to be dynamic and highly impactful.
By Hasan Zaini, Deputy CEO of Saudi Signs Media