The campaign aimed to position New Murabba as “Tomorrow’s Greatest Place” by leveraging TIME’s trusted editorial voice and the global prestige of the “World’s Greatest Places” franchise. The strategic direction focused on aligning New Murabba’s ambitious vision with TIME’s storytelling authority to build anticipation, inspire confidence, and establish the brand as the urban center of the future.

Audience insights revealed a growing demand among TIME’s readers for transformative travel experiences that blend innovation, sustainability, and cultural heritage. TIME’s B2B data showed that audiences deeply engage with authentic, human-centered stories that bring future destinations to life. This insight guided the content approach, focusing on the human experience within New Murabba’s futuristic downtown: how people will live, work, and visit.

The sponsorship strategy centered on 100% global ownership of TIME’s “World’s Greatest Places,” integrating New Murabba’s brand seamlessly into this prestigious list. The campaign included Red Border videos featuring interviews with key figures from the New Murabba project, supported by accompanying articles that offered a behind-the-scenes look at the destination’s design and vision.

Print integrations in TIME’s issues further elevated New Murabba’s association with excellence, while the Executive Spotlight video—a candid conversation between TIME’s CEO and New Murabba’s CEO—reinforced the brand’s credibility and leadership. The combined strategy ensured that New Murabba’s story was told in a credible, authoritative, and engaging way to TIME’s influential global audience.

TIME’s content solution blended innovation and authenticity to bring New Murabba’s futuristic downtown vision to life. The creative approach centered on human storytelling, highlighting the experiences and aspirations of the people behind the development—the architects, designers, planners, and engineers who are shaping Riyadh’s skyline.

Three Red Border videos formed the campaign’s backbone, each focusing on a key theme—Live, Work, and Visit—in the new downtown. Filmed on location in Riyadh, these videos provided an authentic, firsthand perspective on what it means to be part of building the world’s next iconic destination. Each video was supported by a custom editorial article, further exploring the human narratives and vision for New Murabba.

To complement the digital experience, TIME’s editorial team designed a bespoke content hub inspired by New Murabba’s unique geometric design. This hub showcased all campaign content—articles, videos, and interactive elements—creating an immersive brand experience that mirrored the project’s innovative architecture.

In addition to digital, three Red Border print articles featured in two issues of TIME, offering another layer of credibility and reach to TIME’s influential readership. The content authentically captured the blend of tradition and modernity at the heart of New Murabba, establishing it as a destination where history meets the future.

The Executive Spotlight video extended the brand’s reach and authenticity by featuring a conversation between TIME’s CEO and New Murabba’s CEO. This high-profile interview explored New Murabba’s vision, challenges, and opportunities, reinforcing its position as a leader in urban innovation.

The creative solution emphasized engagement through visual storytelling, authentic interviews, and editorial integrity, ensuring that New Murabba’s narrative resonated deeply with audiences seeking transformative urban experiences. By anchoring the campaign in real stories and perspectives, TIME delivered a content solution that was innovative, credible, and true to New Murabba’s brand promise.

A comprehensive paid media strategy ensured maximum visibility and engagement for New Murabba’s campaign across TIME’s premium channels.

The approach combined high-impact placements, social amplification, and innovative formats to drive both reach and engagement.

Display banners, pre-roll, and “presented by” branding delivered 14 million impressions—772% above the original goal—showcasing New Murabba’s brand to TIME’s influential readers. The 728×90 ad achieved 96% clarity, ensuring the brand’s message was clear and instantly recognizable. The 970×250 creative showed strong immediate engagement, with readers connecting with the New Murabba brand within seconds. Display viewability reached 83.5%, exceeding DV’s benchmark by 17.6%.

Social amplification played a key role, delivering 20.7 million impressions and over 3 million engagements, with an exceptional 266% above benchmark click-through rate. The campaign targeted TIME’s highly engaged audience across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, with a focus on influential travel, business, and lifestyle segments.

Native tout placements delivered 2.5 million impressions, achieving 83% above CTR benchmarks. Touts garnered 829,000 video views, with an impressive 884% above benchmark on completed views, demonstrating exceptional audience retention. The Super Billboard format added further impact, delivering 4.5 million video views with 80%+ of impressions leading to video completion at 50%—368% above benchmark.

The Executive Spotlight video received 1.1 million views and 1.3 million social video views, further amplifying New Murabba’s leadership message. Page views on articles reached 26,200, exceeding benchmarks by 192%, with strong scroll depth at 72%, indicating deep reader engagement.

The paid media strategy integrated seamlessly with TIME’s editorial and custom content, ensuring a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints. Each media placement was selected for its ability to connect New Murabba’s vision with audiences actively seeking transformative travel and business opportunities. By combining high-impact formats with strategic targeting, the amplification solution delivered exceptional reach, engagement, and brand impact.

The campaign exceeded expectations across all key metrics, firmly establishing New Murabba as “Tomorrow’s Greatest Place” and elevating its profile among global audiences.

Digital performance was exceptional: 29.8 million impressions delivered—211% above goal—with native touts achieving 2.5 million impressions and 829,000 video views. Video tout impressions leading to completed views surpassed benchmarks by 884%, totaling 164,000 completed video views. The Super Billboard video placements delivered 4.5 million views, with 80%+ of impressions achieving 50% view time—368% above benchmark.
Social media delivered over 20.7 million impressions and more than 3 million engagements, with a click-through rate 266% above TIME’s benchmark, demonstrating strong interest and action from audiences.

The World’s Greatest Places sponsorship delivered 14 million impressions—772% above goal—and 65% above benchmark CTR. Display viewability reached 83.5%, exceeding industry standards and ensuring that New Murabba’s message landed with clarity and impact.
The Executive Spotlight video delivered 1.1 million views and 1.3 million social video views, reinforcing New Murabba’s leadership position and commitment to innovation.

Beyond metrics, the campaign achieved its core objective: positioning New Murabba as a visionary urban destination with global relevance. The authentic, human-centered content showcased the brand’s commitment to creating a vibrant downtown that seamlessly blends culture, innovation, and community.

Audience feedback indicated strong brand recall and positive perceptions of New Murabba as a transformative destination, aligning perfectly with the campaign’s goal of establishing credibility and inspiring future visitors.

This integrated, multi-platform approach not only delivered outstanding media performance but also drove meaningful engagement and positioned New Murabba as a leading voice in the conversation about the future of cities.

Executive Spotlight, CEO-CEO discussion.

Campaign summary and overview

Commercial Hub