Smiles Fits Dubai E-Bike Delivery Fleet With Mobile DooH Screens
2026-09-11 · via invidis
Smiles, e & UAE's lifestyle and rewards app, is equipping its Dubai e-bike delivery fleet with connected digital ad screens supplied by Flyby, an adtech company that specialises in turning delivery fleets into mobile out-of-home advertising space. It is the first time Smiles has embedded advertising technology into its own vehicle fleet, and the deal gives operators and advertisers another data point on how mobile DooH is finding its way into last-mile logistics.
The hardware, which Flyby calls Smart Delivery Boxes, is IoT-connected and displays ads based on each e-bike's real-time location. For Smiles, the same boxes double as fleet tracking tools, letting the company monitor its riders as they move through the city. That dual use case, advertising revenue plus operational tracking, is likely part of the pitch to other delivery and logistics operators considering similar installs.
Campaigns on the network can be geofenced and scheduled by time of day, giving advertisers a level of targeting closer to what buyers expect from static DooH networks rather than traditional vehicle wraps. According to Flyby, campaigns can go live within 24 hours of booking, compared with four to six weeks for a fixed out-of-home format. The company says advertisers get real-time reporting on runs, impressions and locations, though the announcement does not specify what measurement methodology sits behind those numbers or which third parties, if any, verify them.
The rollout starts in Dubai, with Flyby and Smiles saying other emirates will follow. No timeline is given for that expansion, and the release does not say how many bikes are currently fitted with the boxes or what the eventual fleet-wide number will be.
Flyby CEO Cheyenne Kamran framed the deal as a step toward a broader ambition. "We built Flyby to bring value into that ecosystem with a new business model: moving digital boxes," she said, adding that the company wants thousands of boxes on the road within 24 months. She called the Smiles partnership a major step toward that goal.
For digital signage and DooH operators, the deal is another sign that delivery and gig-economy vehicles are becoming a serious inventory category alongside taxis, buses and static street furniture. The pitch is speed to market and granular targeting rather than screen size or resolution. What is missing from the announcement is any detail on screen specifications, brightness, durability for outdoor two-wheel use, or the commercial terms of the Flyby-Smiles arrangement. Also unclear is how ad inventory on the boxes will be sold, whether through Flyby directly, a programmatic exchange, or local media sales houses in the UAE.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
With Flyby as technology partner, Smiles turns its Dubai delivery fleet into a mobile advertising platform. Campaigns can be targeted by location and time of day.
Smiles, the e & UAE’s lifestyle and rewards app, is fitting its Dubai e-bike fleet with connected advertising boxes. The technology comes from Flyby, an adtech company that turns delivery fleets into mobile DooH space.
The Smart Delivery Boxes are IoT-connected digital screens that display ads based on each e-bike’s location. For Smiles, the boxes also provide real-time tracking of its delivery fleet.
The rollout begins in Dubai, with other emirates to follow. It marks Smiles’ first move into embedded advertising technology on its own fleet.
Campaigns can be geofenced and scheduled by time of day. According to Flyby, they go live within 24 hours. A fixed format takes four to six weeks, by comparison. Advertisers receive real-time data on runs, impressions and locations.
“We built Flyby to bring value into that ecosystem with a new business model: moving digital boxes,” said Cheyenne Kamran, CEO of Flyby. She said the goal is thousands of boxes on the road within 24 months. The partnership with Smiles marks a major step in that direction, she said.