2024-01-05 07:19:22
Dubai’s Burj Khalifa Celebrates 14th Anniversary as the World’s Tallest Billboard
Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa turned 14 on Thursday, marking another year as the tallest man-made building and the world’s tallest billboard. Developed by Emaar Properties, the skyscraper stands at 829.8m, overtaking Taipei 101 to take the top spot as the tallest structure ever built.
The construction of the Burj Khalifa started in 2004 and was completed in 2009. The building was officially opened on January 4, 2010, and has since become a symbol of Dubai’s transformation from an oil-based economy to one focused on business, tourism, and luxury.
Originally named Burj Dubai, the building was renamed in honor of the then President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa, who financed the project amid financial difficulties faced by Emaar Properties.
In addition to being a symbol of architectural excellence, the Burj Khalifa also serves as the world’s tallest advertising platform. From the elevators to the exterior of the building, it offers exclusive and expensive advertising spaces. According to Arabian Business, the cost of running an ad on the front page starts at approximately 250,000 dirhams (or about $70,000) for three minutes on weekdays, and can reach up to 350,000 dirhams (approximately $100,000) on weekends.
Over the years, the Burj Khalifa has been used for high-profile campaigns for companies such as Noon.com, Cartier, Huawei, and Walt Disney to promote The Lion King and Avengers: Endgame.
The skyscraper is equipped with 1.2 million pixels on its southern facade, turning it into the world’s largest electronic display. These LEDs allow the Burj Khalifa to function like any other electronic screen, with visuals being sent to a main server, which then tells the LEDs to display a specific color, creating a composite image of the scene when viewed from a distance.
However, the impressive display comes with a hefty electricity bill. At full capacity, the display consumes 790 kilowatt hours of power, despite the lights being typically set to just 40 percent brightness.
As the Burj Khalifa continues to attract visitors from around the world, it remains an iconic symbol of Dubai’s prosperity and modernity, while also serving as a lucrative advertising platform for businesses to showcase their products and messages to a global audience.
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