Created by Cheil London in partnership with production company Firecracker, "The Abu Dhabi 48-hour stopover challenge" aims to showcase Abu Dhabi as a multi-faceted destination, rather than just a stopover.
The three-and-a-half minute film sees the Kaiser Chiefs frontman riding the world’s fastest rollercoaster, surfing the sand dunes and stopping for a spot of afternoon tea.
Sam Wrench, who directed the film, said: "The brand and agency were really keen to do this challenge for real. We wanted to pull from the natural energy that comes from a challenge and give the film the feel of a TV programme as opposed to a storyboarded commercial.
"This meant we used a limited script and the presenter was a key factor. Ricky ended up bringing so much to the table in terms of his energy and natural talent."
Cheil picked up Etihad's global advertising account last November, having already held its digital and social business, after the airline split with M&C Saatchi. Etihad released its first ad by Cheil on Boxing Day 2016.
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