World's first live-stream ad highlights 3 Dubai spots

A screen grab from the advertisement, showing the aquarium at the Atlantis

Dubai plays a leading role in what is being billed as the world's first live-streamed advertisement.
The live advert - by Virgin Holidays - saw more than 90 production members film simultaneous scenes in 18 different locations around the globe.
The footage was then streamed back to London and stitched together at the ITN Productions' Master Control Room in central London. It was broadcast with a voice over during an airing of ITV's 'X-Factor' on Saturday.
About halfway through the 1:03 long advert, a group of people can be seen enjoying dinner in front of a large aquarium at Atlantis, not long after images of camels taken at the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, also in Dubai. A third scene set in Dubai shows people admiring the skyline of Dubai Marina from a boat.
"This is the single biggest and most ambitious brand exercise we have ever undertaken. We have looked at everything from our business purpose, to our brand platform, to what channels we use to communicate with customers," Claire Cronin, VP of Customer and Marketing at Virgin? Holidays, said.
"If you're spending your Saturday night on the couch, or trudging to work on the Underground, and we're able to show you the wonderful adventures thousands of other people are enjoying with us at that very moment, we're confident it will strike a chord."
The initiative - which urges would-be tourists to "Seize the Holiday" - also included images taken in various locations like Barbados, Thailand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Florida, California, Walt Disney World, New York City and South Africa.
"That's the world calling. So pick up! Don't let it go to voicemail. Grab your holidays by the horns and go for a ride," the voiceover urges viewers. ?"Because the world, my friends, is your playground."
Virgin Holidays offers deals to both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which it describes as "the founders of finesse". "Dubai's spectacular resorts allow you to luxuriate in five-star glamour, while still reaching the bright lights of the city," its website says. "The nearby desert is a treasure trove of falconry, sand boarding, dune bashing and magical adventures."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com