2IFC Once Displayed the World's Largest Skyscraper Advertisement

When it was completed on October 18, 2003, 2 International Finance Centre, more commonly referred to as 2IFC, was the third tallest building in the world, standing 415 metres (1,361.5 feet) tall. Since then, and as of 2026, it has dropped to the 39th position in the ranking of the world's tallest buildings. Although nearly half the size of Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, 2IFC set a world record that it still holds to this day.

On October 22, 2003, four days after the opening of 2IFC, an advertisement for the Financial Times newspaper covered a total area of 19,125.48 square metres (205,865 square feet). It wrapped around the northern and eastern facades of the building and could be seen from the Kowloon side of Hong Kong across Victoria Harbour, as well as from the financial district on Hong Kong Island.

In total, 50 of the 88 floors of 2IFC were covered by the advertisement, which, to this day, remains the largest advertisement ever displayed on a building in the world. On November 10, 2003, only three weeks after it was installed, the advertisement was removed. The marketing stunt has never been attempted again since.