Global media and brand Dubai

Abstract

In the past two decades, Dubai has built a globally resonant place brand image out of an unknown location in the context of often negative regional associations. This case study addressed global news outlets’ role in mediating Dubai's global image and Dubai's long-term ability to capture headlines in Singapore, New York and London. It also examined the various sources shaping professionals’ images of Dubai in these three cities. Finally, the study identified professionals’ specific familiarity with recent Dubai headlines. Results indicated that Dubai has experienced tremendous growth in global media coverage. News media served as a source of substantial but varying importance to the surveyed professionals. Participants from all three cities held Dubai images consistent with prominent newspaper headlines about the city. The findings discourage the use of aggregated global data for marketing decisions and tempers assumed universality of Dubai's image. It urges tying specific media channels to the location of the target audience and using former visitors of a place as effective information sources.