We created unscripted mini travel documentaries about the real people of Dubai and their exciting experiences of what Dubai has to offer. These mini documentaries were broadcast to a global audience using key international TV stations and online portals.

Post documentary production, we were left with over 80 hrs of unused compelling footage. Here we saw an opportunity to seed this content over to our International TV partners to see if they could integrate it into their programming. In addition, the stations shot and produced their own content to complement our footage at no additional cost to Emirates.

Online we offered longer formats of each documentary to the user and gave them a chance to comment, interact and share their own experience through platforms such as a dedicated YouTube channel, Hulu & Twitter. We also partnered with NY Times to create a travel journal nanosite which allowed users to interact with exclusive content.

• 127% lift in very favourable opinion of Dubai • 225% lift in likelihood to visit • Despite only 3-second logo attribution out of a 2-minute clip, 86% recalled Emirates • Ultimately, we managed to do what other major destinations failed to do in 2009 – increase visitor levels. Traffic through Dubai Airport was up 9.2% vs. 2008 while Heathrow (-2.8%) and JFK (-9.2%) declined.

• Seeded content delivered free broadcast exposure worth US$23.5m – 8x our original investment (Sources: CNN/Continental Research Study; Airports Council International; CAA; US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Double Click, Dynamic Logic)