Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Category: Corporate Communication;
Advertiser: EMAAR PROPERTIES;
Product/Service: BURJ KHALIFA.

Make the tower’s story interesting over its five-year development; run a marathon, not a sprint. Maintain media interest in the months prior to opening. Position the tower for its global iconic status, mixed-use nature, diverse components and engineering ingenuity, not just as the world’s tallest building. Link it to the city as a new symbol of achievement, dynamism and ambition.

Create a ‘mystery’ around the tower’s USP (its height) keeping this and number of storeys under wraps until opening. A complementary strategy focused on global collaboration; over 100 contractors and consultants associated and over 12,000 professionals and skilled workers employed on site at the peak of construction.

Highlight the ‘world firsts’ — from piling operations to cladding, emphasising how the Burj was pushing the frontiers of architectural, construction and engineering excellence. The tower is now a reference point for all future skyscrapers, and this aspect was underscored in the strategy.