FIX Dessert Chocolatier has become one of Dubai’s most recognisable homegrown brands, known for nostalgic flavours, viral drops and a distinctive storytelling style rooted in regional culture. In this interview with Communicate, Executive Business Manager Darin Dabasay explains how FIX uses authenticity, exclusivity and community-driven marketing to build a global-ready dessert brand.
FIX is known globally as a “Dubai chocolate” brand. How do you leverage Dubai’s cultural identity in your marketing and brand storytelling?
Dubai isn’t just where FIX was born — the city’s creativity, pace, and multicultural spirit naturally influence how we build every campaign. A lot of our thinking at FIX is shaped by growing up between influences, so it feels natural to mix nostalgia from this region with modern details that appeal everywhere. When we tell stories, we lean into flavours and feelings that take people back to a moment and elevate them in a way that feels universal.
The Rahash Hour and Mahalabi Or Not To Be bars are limited editions exclusive to the Careem App. How does exclusivity influence your marketing strategy and audience engagement?
In the beginning, FIX was a very small operation. Everything was handmade, production was limited, and drops were naturally scarce because that’s genuinely all that could be produced. Exclusivity wasn’t something we engineered — it was simply where we were at the time. Even as we’ve grown, we’ve kept that same mindset of being intentional, not flooding the market for the sake of scale. That intentionality is present in everything we do at FIX, whether it’s our flavours, our pop-ups, our designs, or our social media. It’s a core part of how we create and how we connect with our community.
Social media buzz is critical for food trends today. How do you approach digital and influencer marketing to make these launches go viral?
Every person who bought a bar, filmed a reaction, told a friend, shared a story, liked a post, sent us a message or commented… they are part of the FIX journey. Social media is incredibly powerful, but only if the product can carry the conversation. For us, the focus has always been on creating moments that feel fun, nostalgic, and shareable — without manufacturing the narrative. UGC and micro-creators have always been a big part of our story because the most meaningful reactions come from real people sharing genuine experiences. Our approach is simply to give people something they feel connected to and want to share.
How do you balance creating campaigns that feel culturally authentic while appealing to a global audience?
Authenticity is the baseline — if something doesn’t feel true to FIX, it doesn’t move forward. At the same time, nostalgia is universal. Even if someone hasn’t grown up with certain flavours, everyone understands the feeling of being reminded of home, family, or childhood. A lot of our flavours are shaped by Sarah and Yezen’s Arab roots and their upbringing in the UK, and that blend of cultures naturally comes through in FIX. We stay true to that story and those inspirations.
In a crowded dessert market, what marketing and advertising strategies have proven most effective for FIX?
For us, the most effective strategies have always been the ones rooted in emotion. People connect with FIX because it reminds them of something. Beyond that, it’s been a mix of intentionality, strong visual identity, and creating moments through pop-ups and in-person experiences where people can interact with the brand in a more personal way. We’ve also seen how powerful genuine reactions and community-driven content can be. When people share FIX in their own voice and through their own lens, it resonates far more than anything overly polished or scripted. At its core, what works for us is staying true to who we are — creating with sincerity and ensuring the product and storytelling always go hand in hand.
How do collaborations with platforms like Careem influence your overall brand positioning and creative campaigns?
Partnering with Careem feels natural — we’re both homegrown brands that have grown alongside the communities we serve. There’s something special about collaborating with a platform that’s part of people’s everyday routines. These partnerships don’t shift our identity; they open new avenues to connect with people in the spaces they’re already active in.
What creative campaigns are coming up that show how FIX is experimenting with marketing in the Middle East?
The Middle East is such a diverse, expressive, and creatively inspiring region. We’re exploring ideas that remain very true to who we are. It’s an exciting phase for us. I can’t share too much yet, but there are a few campaigns on the horizon that we’re really proud of. Watch this space and keep an eye on our socials — that’s where everything drops first.
