Louvre Abu Dhabi: Highway Gallery [Supporting Images] 9

Credits & Description:

Brand LOUVRE ABU DHABI
TBWA\RAAD Dubai, United Arab Emirates Entrant Company
TBWA\RAAD Dubai, United Arab Emirates Idea Creation
HERTZ RADIO Makati City, The Philippines Production
RAMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Dubai, United Arab Emirates Production
ABU DHABI MEDIA COMPANY Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Media Placement
Walid Kanaan TBWA\RAAD Chief Creative Officer
Fouad Abdel Malak TBWA\RAAD Executive Creative Director
Brittany Sinde TBWA\RAAD Copywriter
Clayton Needham TBWA\RAAD Art Director
Alex Pineda TBWA\RAAD Associate Creative Director
Joe Lahham TBWA\RAAD Head of Client Services
Angie Deliva TBWA\RAAD Account Director
Albane Valtier TBWA\RAAD Account Executive
Remie Nehme TBWA\RAAD Strategic Planning Director
Rouba Asmar TBWA\RAAD Head of Production
Mohammad Alkawas TBWA\RAAD Design Finalizer
Camilo Rojas TBWA\RAAD Motion Designer
Hazem Atieh TBWA\RAAD Creative Services Managers
Ezzat Habra TBWA\RAAD Creative Services Managers
Tony Hertz HERTZ Radio Audio and Sound Design Specialist
Sagar Mirchandani Rama International Project Director
Wafa Tajdin Rama International Video Case Producer
Amirah Tajdin Rama International Video Case Director
James Addey Rama International Director of Photography
Ameya Gupta Rama International Editor
Abdullah Dayem Rama International Radio Technical Lead
Mickdad Abbas Rama International Road Safety Specialist
Saad Khan Rama International Deployment lead
Chris Garbutt TBWA\Worldwide Global Chief Creative Officer

Synopsis
Museum culture is not part of UAE culture. Even when UAE citizens travel to museum cities like Paris, London or New York, they’re not motivated to visit these cities acclaimed art collections.

Because of its novelty, and it’s ‘first in the region’ appeal, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s grand opening successfully attracted visitors. But soon after, the museum became another landmark for tourists to visit, not a place for residents to continuously return for inspiration or entertainment.

How could we convince local audiences/non-museum-goers that art and museums are far from outdated and boring, they’re actually fascinating and full of stories everyone can enjoy?

We set out to prove Louvre Abu Dhabi isn’t a traditional – or predictable – museum.

Strategy
We decided to create interest by offering a sneak peek into all that’s being missed. We wanted to disprove false assumptions about museums and give everyone a reason to care about, and visit, this 21st-century museum.

We developed the first ever radio-guided 'Highway Gallery', or the world-most-innovative and interesting museum esplanade. As commuters approached 9-meter-high billboards displaying masterpieces from the museum’s collection, their radios immediately broadcast 30-second stories about each artwork, proving just how interesting – and accessible – art really is.

Relevancy
They say billboards are dead. They say radio is dead. But, they also say an average of 12,000 people commute every day between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They all pay attention to the landscape, and most of them listen to the radio. A perfect opportunity for media disruption.

Coupling creativity with technology, we merged billboards and radio – two ‘outdated’ media –into one innovative experience: the 'Highway Gallery'.

As commuters drove down the E11, they encountered Louvre Abu Dhabi’s masterpieces like never before: on 9-meter-high billboards outside their windows and through 30-second stories of each artwork on their radios.

Outcome
+160,000 Visitors in one month

12,000 cars reached (daily average)

100+ km of highway from Dubai to Abu Dhabi covered with art

More than 900 square meters of art printed

1,180% increase in mentions volume

Louvre Abu Dhabi Social Impressions went from 330,000 15 days prior to the Highway Gallery installation to over 31 million (15 days after).

The tech has Road Safety usages that can save lives and become a meteorological warning system, currently under consideration by government bodies in the quest to improve road safety and provide live traffic and safety alerts to drivers.

Execution
Creative process and Presentation of the Idea: February 2017.

Launching of the Museum: November 11, 2017.

Billboard blueprints approval: October 2017.

Abu Dhabi Municipality Approval: December 2017.

Building of the billboards: From January 14 to February 14, 2018.

Billboard Size: 9x6 meters

In partnership with the Top 3 radio stations of the UAE:

ClassicFM 91.6 FM, Radio One 100.5 FM, Emarat FM 95..8 FM

Launching date of the campaign: February 15, 2018.

Campaign Description
Knowing that more than 12,000 people drive the Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway every day, listening to their radios but without much to look at, we decided to use the highway and the radio to provide a surprising first-look into the museum, in a way that would reflect its nature: contemporary; creative; a new perspective on art and humanity.

The museum’s iconic masterpieces were reproduced in giant frames and placed along the highway leading from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

Next, each artwork was fitted with a solar-powered FM transmitter that synchronized the frequencies of the UAE’s top three radio stations’ with the museum audio guide.
And anyone who wanted to engage had the choice to tune in.
When approaching each artwork’s’ perimeter, drivers and passengers experienced the masterpieces like never before: right outside their windows, but also through an engaging story instantly broadcast through their car speakers.