The Opulence – the Largest Outdoor LED Screen in the Middle East, Europe and Africa – commences operations, ready to dominate the city's advertising scene.

Abu Dhabi. IT BEGINS. Branded as the largest LED Screen this side of the world, the Opulence was unveiled on 1 December 2008, and is now ready to dominate the city's advertising scene. Sitting on top of the Fotouh Al Khair Shopping Center (Marks & Spencer), on Airport Road, the Opulence shines forth its digital technology, beaming colossal images and advertisements across the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Opulence measures 28 by 8 meters (length by height), or 224 square meters. With its 16.7 million-color display, it can house both static and full motion advertisements visible even from a kilometer distance. The Opulence is built to withstand all weather conditions and programmed to function for as long as 20 hours daily.

With all the latest technology packed in the Opulence, it is easy to pass judgment of how costly it is to be seen on it. But its low rates are just as startling and jaw-dropping as its size.

For an estimated 300 000 AED, an advertisement is guaranteed to be seen 600 times a day for a duration of one month. That's a whopping 18 000 times in one month!

For roughly the same amount of money, advertisers will only be able to get one or two non-prime time spots on a local television channel; or a mere four to five insertions on the prime pages of a well-known newspaper.

"The more we sail through rough economic waters, the more we should be compelled to look for safe shores," says Fahad Al Absi, Managing Director of Synaxis Media, the company behind this masterpiece. "That's where the Opulence promises to take you. It begins with allowing advertisers to stretch their smaller budgets while still attaining a wider reach and creating a larger impact. In the long run, we foresee an active advertising arena that no instability can shackle."

Asked if the Opulence, like the New York Times Square digital billboards, is open to personal advertisements such as wedding proposals, birthday greetings, and whatnot, Al Absi answers, "Absolutely! We will allot slots for personal greetings. And we will make sure that the cost for this is within the buying powers of interested individuals. Synaxis Media wants to be a part of UAE citizens' celebrations and contribute to make them even more special and memorable."

The Opulence is a milestone set by Abu Dhabi-based Synaxis Media, the largest Out-of-Home media company in the Gulf. It is the company's way of contributing to the 2030 economic vision of the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED) of transforming the Emirates into an international economic hub.

The Era of Opulence is right, here right now.