Regional industry leaders show how resilience became strategy in the GCC

Since the war started, the safety, well-being, and peace of mind of our people became our highest and most immediate priority. We knew that beyond the headlines and events unfolding around us, many of our employees were facing anxiety, disruption, and deeply personal challenges affecting their families and daily lives.

We immediately activated our remote working policy, ensuring that every member of our team could continue their work in the safest way possible. This flexibility remains in place today. For those who found themselves unexpectedly abroad, we encouraged them to remain where they felt safest and supported them in continuing their work remotely, wherever in the world that needed to be.

At the same time, we remained fully present for our clients, whom we truly consider an extension of our team and our family. We worked tirelessly to ensure continuity, reassurance, and support for them as well. 

Even in remote locations, we kept our people safe and mobilised additional external support where necessary to guarantee that every client experienced the same sense of stability, reliability, and peace of mind through their partnership with us.

The GCC’s media and advertising industry has learned to remain measured during periods of regional tension. Demand across most categories continues to remain strong, reflecting the resilience of both businesses and consumers across the region. This resilience is also supported by the swift and reassuring response of governments across the GCC, which plays an important role in maintaining stability and confidence. While it is understandable that some verticals are more directly impacted, consumer behavior in many sectors tends to shift rather than stop, with more time spent at home and increased migration to online retail. For brands, maintaining visibility remains important to protect the salience they have spent years building.

Our role has been to guide clients toward a balanced response: stay calm, stay active, but ensure brand integrity. In practice, that means reviewing messaging, being thoughtful about tone, and recalibrating media placements where needed. Channels such as television continue to provide trusted reach, while digital activity requires close collaboration with media and platform partners to ensure brands appear in safe and suitable environments.

One important shift has been the way campaigns are managed during sensitive periods. We closely monitor campaign performance and its impact on business outcomes, often reviewing analytics daily and sometimes hourly. This allows brands to adjust investment, messaging and placements in real time. The lesson is clear: resilience comes from staying present, while managing activity with greater precision, awareness and accountability.

Market resilience
Despite the uncertainty, the region’s communications industry showed remarkable resilience—teams shifted seamlessly to remote operations while creativity and delivery never slowed. What we’re seeing across the GCC is clients leaning in rather than stepping back, driven by strong confidence in the region’s leadership and its ability to safeguard economic momentum.

What we did differently
Our immediate focus was people first, ensuring the well-being, flexibility, and support our teams needed to operate confidently in a difficult moment. At the same time, we stayed closely embedded with our clients, helping them navigate the situation with clarity, responsiveness, and steady counsel.

One initiative that worked
No specific campaign comes to mind, but what’s working today are campaigns rooted in purposeful, culturally relevant storytelling. Work that reflects resilience, community, and optimism across the region. In moments like these, communications that capture the collective spirit of the market resonate far more deeply and drive meaningful engagement.

In moments of uncertainty, leadership sets the tone. Across the GCC we have seen calm, empathy, and a clear commitment to both safety and continuity. For brands, the responsibility is to stay close to communities, communicate with sensitivity and protect long term trust.

Periods of uncertainty reveal how prepared organisations really are. In the GCC, what we have seen is not businesses retreating but adapting, adjusting tone, media choices and messaging in real time while remaining sensitive to the broader environment.
For brands, the instinct to go silent can sometimes feel like the safest option. In reality, silence often creates more uncertainty for consumers. The stronger approach is to stay present but communicate with clarity and care.
What we have learnt from previous challenges is that disciplined scenario planning works well. Brands that already have frameworks for monitoring consumer sentiment, shifting media strategy and protecting brand reputation are able to respond calmly rather than reactively.
Resilience in marketing is not about responding to a single moment of disruption. It is about building the strategic capability that allows brands to navigate challenging periods, remain trusted and be ready to move forward when stability returns.

How this city showed resilience… During the recent escalation in the Middle East, Dubai’s advertising, marketing, and media industry showed resilience by adjusting its tone in line with the broader sentiment of the community. Rather than pushing forward with business as usual, many brands chose to pause, soften messaging, or shift toward more thoughtful and supportive communication. In many ways, the industry mirrored the behavior of society itself—prioritizing empathy, awareness, and responsibility. This response also reflected the spirit behind the UAE’s “Year of Family” announced for 2026, where unity, care, and collective responsibility are central values. Agencies, media partners, and brands operated with that same mindset, ensuring that communication remained sensitive to what people across the region were experiencing. It created a sense that the industry was not operating separately from society, but as part of it.

In moments of uncertainty, Dubai demonstrated not only operational resilience, but also a shared sense of family, stability, and responsibility that defines the country.

What did you do differently…  At the agency level, our first priority was the safety and wellbeing of our people. We ensured teams had the flexibility to work remotely, stay close to their families, and prioritize their mental health during a tense period in the region. Creating a sense of security for our employees came before anything else.

At the same time, we worked closely with clients to review ongoing campaigns and adjust tone where needed—softening messaging, pausing certain executions, and in some cases postponing launches when it felt more appropriate to the moment. This approach allowed us to remain sensitive to the broader context, while still supporting brands in staying responsibly present in the market.

One example  that worked… One powerful example came from the communication of the UAE leadership during the escalation, which consistently reassured residents while emphasizing unity, stability, and care for the community. The messaging was calm, clear, and responsible—focused on safety, preparedness, and collective wellbeing rather than amplifying fear or uncertainty. This tone created confidence across the country and reinforced a strong sense of trust between leadership and the community.

For brands, there is an important lesson in this approach: in moments of uncertainty, clarity, calmness, and empathy matter more than volume or visibility. Communication should prioritize reassurance, responsibility, and relevance to people’s lives and mindset. The UAE’s example showed that when messaging is grounded in trust and community values, it can strengthen confidence rather than add to the noise.

How has the UAE demonstrated resilience in marketing and media?

One of the things the UAE does extremely well is its ability to adapt quickly while maintaining stability. The marketing and media ecosystem here is very mature—brands, institutions, and media outlets understand that communication doesn’t happen in isolation and must reflect the broader context.

During sensitive periods, messaging naturally shifts away from highly promotional campaigns toward more responsible and community-focused communication. It becomes less about selling and more about showing presence, reassurance, and empathy.

What stands out is how quickly that shift happens. Brands are able to adjust their tone while remaining present and relevant, which helps maintain trust with audiences.

That ability to stay present, adapt responsibly, and keep communication balanced is a key reason why the UAE’s marketing and media environment continues to set a regional benchmark for resilience, maturity, and responsible communication, even in challenging times.

How has talabat adapted to remain sensitive yet effective?

At talabat, our approach has been guided by one principle: people first.

From the outset, we adapted our communications to focus on safety, transparency, and community reassurance. Rather than business-as-usual messaging, we prioritized updates around operational adjustments, rider safety protocols, and how we were supporting customers and partners during the situation.

Internally, communication was just as important. We ensured teams across our markets had clear, consistent guidance, while also recognizing the efforts of the riders and operations teams who continue to support communities every day.

This approach allowed us to remain present and responsible in the public conversation, while respecting the seriousness of the moment.

One example that stood out

One initiative that stood out was the collective appreciation for delivery riders across the region. During this period, we encouraged customers to show their support through tips in the app, with 100 percent of tips going directly to riders. In several markets, talabat also matched customer tips, effectively doubling the support for riders working on the ground.

At the same time, we continued investing in rider well-being through stronger operational support on the ground and enhanced safety monitoring, ensuring riders had the resources they needed while serving communities.

In Qatar and the UAE, we also launched “Hero Meals”, allowing customers to donate meals to riders directly through the talabat app. Through a dedicated section in the app, customers can add a donated meal to their order in just a few taps. The meals are then distributed to riders across the city—offering a simple but meaningful way for the community to show appreciation for those who help keep daily life moving.

Together, these initiatives reflect a broader commitment to supporting the people who keep our platforms running and the communities we serve.

A key lesson or takeaway for other brands

Moments of uncertainty are often when a brand’s credibility is truly tested. The lesson is simple: authenticity and responsibility matter far more than visibility.

Brands do not need to dominate the conversation, but they do need to show up in the right way—listening to communities, adjusting their tone, and putting people ahead of promotion.

Across the region, we have seen that when organizations communicate with clarity, empathy, and accountability, they can continue to support the communities they serve while strengthening long-term trust.

Abu Dhabi and the UAE have shown a steady resilience during this period. Brands here largely chose presence over silence, and community over commerce. Across the market, you saw companies pivot quickly to reassurance-led messaging, keeping communication honest and grounded rather than promotional. At Al Masaood, we followed that same instinct — redirecting our focus toward staying genuinely connected to our customers and our people.

Our employees are our first customers, and we kept them continuously informed on the evolving situation, making sure they always felt supported and in the loop. On the customer side, we reached out directly via WhatsApp to let people know we were open, we were here, and they could reach us if they needed anything. We also placed small printed cards in cars being sold and serviced, with practical safety tips and a warm reminder that we’re thinking of them. It was simple, but the response told us it landed. We also arranged pick up and drop off services for customers’ cars to ensure their utmost safety and comfort.

The lesson for brands is straightforward: in uncertain times, people don’t need campaigns, they need to know you’re paying attention. Show up with something useful, keep your tone human, and make sure your teams feel as cared for as your customers do. Like many brands, we made sure that was both felt and visible, sharing messages of solidarity publicly, because as always, we stand with the UAE.

At times like these, uncertainty can weigh heavily on all of us. For a university community as internationally diverse as ours, which welcomes students, faculty members and staff from more than 100 nationalities, the effects of regional conflict are immediate and multi-layered. Our leadership’s first responsibility, before anything else, was to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, faculty members, staff and campus visitors and this continues to remain our highest priority.

The university also moved quickly to coordinate with the relevant authorities and strengthen the support structures our community depends on. We highlighted our existing (and excellent) counseling services, offering virtual confidential sessions for both students and employees. We activated the campus-wide well-being message “You Are Not Alone” through the Office of Student Experience and our communications team, sharing self-care guidance, reminding our community of available mental health resources such as Talk Campus (through which our community can reach support 24/7), and encouraged everyone to check in on friends and support those going through a difficult time. The response confirmed what we already knew: AUS is a community built on care for others.

Resilience, in the UAE context, has not meant ignoring what is happening around us. It has meant carrying on, but doing so with sensitivity and with our pastoral and care functions coming first and above all else. Every piece of content we published was measured against that standard. We asked ourselves not just whether a message was effective at this time, but whether it was compassionate.

AUS is an extremely diverse community, and, in moments like this, that diversity is our strength. Our community has always demonstrated resilience, passion and care for one another, and I am confident these qualities will continue to guide us in the days ahead.

Resilience in communication is rarely about saying more. It is about knowing what must still be said when the world feels uncertain.

In moments of regional tension, the UAE has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to maintain stability while continuing to build, invest, and operate.
For organisations and brands, this has meant balancing operational continuity with a deep awareness of the wider context.

For those of us leading marketing and communications teams, the challenge was not simply to keep campaigns running, but to recalibrate tone.
In times like these, audiences are far more sensitive to intent. The role of brands shifts from persuasion to reassurance.

At GEMS Education, we focused on clarity and continuity. Rather than pushing promotional narratives, we highlighted the quiet work happening across our schools as teachers, students, and families adapted to new ways of learning.
Sharing authentic moments of students learning from home alongside their families resonated deeply because it reflected the reality people were living.

At the same time, we were mindful of the broader regional situation and consciously chose to tone down large-scale marketing campaigns during this period.
Instead, our communications focused on supporting and reassuring the communities we serve. We used our social media channels to proactively address common concerns that students, parents, and staff may be experiencing.
We recognise that people are not always able to openly express their worries or ask questions, so we began sharing practical guidance on topics such as how parents can talk to their children about current events and how families can manage exposure to news and social media, particularly for teenagers.

This approach, supported by wellbeing-focused resources and conversations shared across our digital platforms, resonated strongly with our community as families navigated uncertainty together.

The lesson for brands is simple: resilience in communication is not about being louder. It is about being more human.

How this city showed resilience…Dubai and the wider UAE have once again role-modelled an effective and efficient communication strategy during recent regional challenges.

In a global environment where there is so much noise and potential for fake news to spread like wildfire across social media, news channels, and word of mouth, the UAE Government has continued to stress the importance of following and sourcing information from only official, reliable, and credible sources.

They have been proactive in communicating key details and providing clear and ongoing guidance, support, and direction across all relevant channels.

What we did differently… Over-communicated via all channels available, including email, WhatsApp, intranet, social media, and word of mouth, to ensure our messages had the best chance of reaching our people effectively.

One example… After immediate conversations took place at a leadership level, it was clear that there was a need to communicate as clearly and effectively as possible with our staff. People had questions, concerns, and needed clarity.

We took the decision to put together an FAQ document, comprising an exhaustive list of questions that employees may be thinking about or wanting to ask. We engaged representatives across the business at various levels of seniority to help provide suggestions on what these questions could be.

We made an executive decision to include questions that people may not feel comfortable asking, because we were confident that a lot of people would still be thinking about them in their heads. This included several worst-case scenarios.

The resilience of the UAE, KSA, and Qatar is rooted in the diversity and determination of their people. Even through recent challenges, the region’s collaborative energy remains strong. A shift from promotion to purpose has shaped more empathetic, community-focused communication — enabling organizations to stay active, adaptive, and creatively engaged while maintaining confidence in long-term regional growth.

The resilience starts with leadership in the Middle East, keeping retail and businesses open. After a pause in the first few days of the crisis, almost every brand is back in action across industries, both B2B and B2C.

However, it’s being done with empathy for people’s well-being, ensuring brands don’t appear tone-deaf. Messages are being re-evaluated so that nothing insensitive goes out. We’re also seeing a definite increase in marketing from online-first and omnichannel clients as consumers prefer delivery, while the overall marketing mix remains steady with brands continuing to invest in paid ads.

In moments of crisis, people don’t look for certainty; they look for stability. The way we show up, communicate, and stay consistent can determine whether teams, clients, and customers feel grounded or completely untethered.
Over the past week, that reality has been felt more acutely than ever. For leaders, filtering the noise is essential to help teams focus on what they can control and continue delivering, even when an environment is unpredictable.

Marketing against this backdrop shouldn’t be about selling and promotion—it needs to be about connection. On the one hand, we’re seeing many campaigns continue as ‘normal’, which can quickly disengage audiences and erode trust.
On the other hand, where brands stop communicating altogether, they risk damaging long-term brand equity. At a time when operational or safety concerns are real, thinking about marketing at all can feel jarring, but there is a genuine opportunity to foster connection if it’s done thoughtfully.
Establishing a consistent communication rhythm can position a brand as a trusted, dependable constant, even when you don’t have all the answers. That means staying visible, engaged, and alive to the realities people are facing in a calm, culturally aware, and considered way.

It’s a delicate balancing act, but brands that communicate with empathy, cultural awareness, and sincerity don’t just steady their communities in difficult moments—they build a level of trust and loyalty that endures long after the turbulence has passed.

As an independent agency working with global brands, we’re accustomed to moments where some parts of our work need to pivot or evolve due to sensitivities outside our control, whether cultural, economic, or political. It’s part of operating at the heart of brand strategy.

Dubai has always been defined by its adaptability. The city brings together people, perspectives, and ambitions from around the world, and that resilience is part of what makes its business community so dynamic. I have no doubt that the strength, optimism, and growth mindset that attracts so many here will resume with full force when the time feels right.

How this city showed resilience…One thing that defines Dubai’s business environment is its ability to remain operational even when the wider region is experiencing uncertainty. From a marketing perspective, we saw brands continue to communicate, but with greater sensitivity and awareness, pausing overly promotional messaging and focusing on more thoughtful communication.

The resilience here isn’t about ignoring what’s happening; it’s about adapting quickly while maintaining continuity.

What we did differently… The first step was reviewing our scheduled content and campaigns through a different lens. At the same time, we didn’t believe in pausing communication entirely, especially for those whose work could genuinely support people during that moment. For example, clients in the mental health space increased their content significantly, sharing resources and guidance to help people manage anxiety and uncertainty.

Similarly, clients in the financial sector shifted their messaging toward explaining the economic implications of the situation, helping audiences understand how markets, oil, and global dynamics might affect their finances. The goal wasn’t simply to stay active; it was to ensure that any communication being shared was useful, relevant, and reassuring for the audience during that period.

One example…From my own perspective, I spent much of this week speaking directly with clients and entrepreneurs across Dubai who were concerned about how the situation might affect their businesses in the coming weeks or months.

Many industries felt an immediate slowdown in activity, which naturally raised questions about marketing strategy in the weeks ahead. Businesses were encouraged to move away from urgency-driven promotions and instead focus on building trust, educating their audience, reframing value, and maintaining a steady presence that reflects stability.

In times like this, marketing becomes less about selling and more about reinforcing confidence, both for customers and for the businesses themselves.

I believe the UAE’s communications industry is showing real resilience by staying agile, empathetic, and clear-headed during a highly sensitive period.

At Shakespeare Communications, we stuck to remote working, checked in with clients over the first weekend of attacks to see whether they needed advisory support, and are keeping in close regular contact with clients, partners, and our team.

We remain sensitive to what feels ethical at this time, which means pausing promotional activity, iftars and events, avoiding brand-led gestures that could feel out of touch, and helping clients shape more empathetic content.

We also shared mental health resources internally and stayed closely connected with industry bodies, including the Alliance of Independent Agencies Middle East, MEPRA, and Global Women in PR, to exchange support and insight.

One simple decision that worked well was choosing not to post promotional content via our own channels during that time. The lesson for brands is clear: resilience is not about pushing on regardless, but about responding with sensitivity, sound judgement, and humanity.

During periods of regional uncertainty, the UAE’s communications industry has demonstrated a defining strength: the ability to remain calm, measured, and operational while adapting messaging to reflect the wider environment.
Across the sector, agencies and brands have continued to support business continuity while ensuring communications remain responsible, culturally aware, and sensitive to the public mood.

At Catch Communications, our immediate priority was the well-being of our team, creating space for open dialogue, regular check-ins, and shifting to remote working to ensure staff safety, recognising that individuals process uncertainty differently.
In parallel, we worked closely with clients to reassess campaign timing, review messaging frameworks, and ensure all external communications remained thoughtful and context-aware.

In practice, this meant advising clients to postpone consumer-facing events and recalibrate campaigns where necessary. The experience reinforces a key lesson for brands: in times of uncertainty, tone and judgement are just as critical as strategy.

During recent regional uncertainty, what stood out most in the UAE’s marketing and communications landscape was the collective decision to lead with responsibility rather than noise.
Many brands recognised that this was not a moment for business as usual, but for calm, service-led communication that supported the wider community.

At NikNak PR, our approach with clients was to pause promotional campaigns and pivot messaging towards reassurance and practical support.

For example, Organic Foods & Café shared a transparent statement outlining the stability of their food reserves and the steps being taken to ensure continued supply, helping to prevent panic and encourage responsible shopping.
At the same time, wellness practitioner and Managing Director of Bakson Group, Dr Taniyaa Bakshhi, authored an op-ed offering grounded advice on how people can navigate uncertainty and regulate stress during challenging moments.

What was particularly encouraging to see across the industry was the strength of the communications community itself. Marketing, PR, and media WhatsApp groups quickly became spaces where professionals shared guidance, sense-checked messaging, and supported one another in navigating the situation responsibly.
It was a reminder that while we may represent different agencies, brands, and publications, we ultimately operate as a community, and in moments like these, collaboration strengthens our ability to lead with sensitivity and care.

The key lesson for brands was clear: communication during a crisis is not about visibility, it is about trust. By prioritising calm messaging, useful information, and community support, businesses can remain present without appearing opportunistic.
The UAE’s response showed that resilience is not only about continuing operations, but about moving forward thoughtfully and recognising that we are stronger when we support each other.

Over the past few days, what has been most striking is how quickly communications teams across the region recalibrated. Campaigns were adjusted, messaging became more thoughtful, and brands shifted their focus from promotion to relevance and responsibility.

In moments like these, the role of communications becomes less about visibility and more about judgment and understanding the public mood, advising leadership carefully, and ensuring brands show up in ways that are appropriate and human.

Across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, the industry has continued to move forward, not by ignoring the situation, but by responding to it with maturity, agility, and a clear sense of context.

These are challenging times, and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. But moments like this also remind us of the strength of our community and the importance of showing up for one another.

Here in the UAE, PR professionals and journalists alike are coming together, taking responsibility to share accurate information and communicate with care.

At our agency, we are supporting each other, making sure every voice is heard, and helping our clients navigate challenges with creativity and collaboration. Even in uncertainty, the UAE continues to build, create, and move forward, and that collective resilience and sense of purpose is something truly worth recognising.

Being born and raised in Dubai gives you a unique perspective on the UAE’s resilience. The UAE business environment has shown a strong ability to navigate global disruption while maintaining business continuity and economic momentum, including during the global financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and more recent regional challenges.

What stands out is the speed at which leadership and the business community come together through coordinated planning, specialised committees, and proactive communication to ensure stability and confidence in the market.

For our teams at Loylogic, resilience meant staying both responsive and responsible in how we supported our global clients, partners, and programme members. Our priority was ensuring uninterrupted delivery across our global rewards marketplace while remaining sensitive to the evolving environment in the region.

Strong internal alignment, flexible working models, and consistent leadership communication helped our teams stay connected and focused. This allowed us to continue developing meaningful engagement strategies and loyalty initiatives that delivered real value, even during periods of uncertainty.

One recent initiative that resonated strongly was our thought-leadership blog exploring how loyalty programmes can support brands during moments of uncertainty.

The response reinforced a key lesson for marketers in the region: when communication is grounded in relevance, cultural understanding, and long-term value creation, brands not only remain visible but strengthen trust with their audiences.

Dubai’s marketing ecosystem continues to show that resilience is not simply about reacting to challenges, but about using them as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and smarter engagement.

What stands out to me most about this moment is not the disruption, but the effort towards resolve. The region has always shown the ability to move forward with strength and optimism. For brands on air, it’s about maintaining the right balance, supporting business goals while being sensitive to current sentiment. At PivotRoots, we are focusing on thoughtful communication, listening closely, and ensuring every message is responsible, relevant, and respectful.

In moments like these, resilience in our region has never been just about business continuity. It’s about emotional endurance, collective responsibility, and staying anchored in our values while continuing to move forward. This is a region with deep experience in navigating complexity and doing so with composure and ambition.

Across the UAE, KSA, and Qatar, we’ve seen brands, governments, and institutions lean into that mindset: rethinking how they serve people, investing in long‑term platforms, and using creativity to solve meaningful problems rather than simply chase attention. Campaigns have become more considered, partnerships more purposeful, and innovation more human, whether through new technologies, new formats, or more intentional listening.

That, to me, is what defines resilience here: building from empathy, humility, and belief in one another. When those principles lead, creativity doesn’t just endure, it deepens, anchoring brands and communities in something that lasts, and ensuring the region continues to move forward with both ambition and heart.

Brands operating across the GCC have demonstrated strong solidarity with their communities and residents, reinforcing a sense of shared purpose and belonging during challenging times. Across the region, companies have been mindful of the role they play not only as businesses, but as responsible members of society, actively supporting the people and environments in which they operate.

At Alsulaiman Group, the safety and wellbeing of coworkers remain the highest priority. In markets such as Bahrain where the group operates IKEA and FLOW Logistics and in the United Arab Emirates, with Circle K and FLOW Logistics operations, the organization has implemented proactive measures to ensure a secure and supportive working environment. This includes maintaining active communication with teams and equipping coworkers with the necessary guidance and procedures to navigate evolving circumstances safely and confidently.

Beyond internal efforts, the group has also prioritized supporting its customers and communities during sensitive times. By placing brand purpose at the center of its messaging, as an example, IKEA Alsulaiman reinforces reassurance, empathy, and connection with consumers in Bahrain, where communications highlight the brand’s commitment to community support while staying true to its core values.

During the recent regional tensions, we were reminded how quickly circumstances can change and how important it is to stay attentive to both clients and teams. 

As a media agency operating across several markets, our priority was to listen closely to our clients and understand what pace of activity felt appropriate for them. 

In one market, some clients preferred to pause or slow down their communications until the situation became clearer, and we respected that decision by avoiding unnecessary messaging during a sensitive time. 

In another market, operations continued with more stability, allowing campaigns and business activities to move forward.

At times, even basic operational steps required unusual effort, reminding us that continuity in business often depends on quickly adapting to changing logistical realities. 

A2Z Media Group operates across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nigeria, Lebanon and Egypt, which allowed our teams to adjust and support one another across locations. Resources were shifted where needed so that clients could continue receiving support while other partners took the time they needed before reactivating. 

Teams in less affected areas also stepped in to support colleagues operationally.
The key lesson for us was simple: in times of uncertainty, listening, empathy and strong coordination across markets are what help maintain trust and continuity. 

How KSA has shown resilience in advertising, marketing, or media during recent regional challenges 

The KSA media landscape has shown strong resilience during this crisis, consistently supporting and appreciating brands that remained active and continued communicating their messages, products, and projects.

What you or your team did differently to stay sensitive yet effective? 

We convinced all our clients that we had to continue communication even more strongly than before. The local population remained in the country and wanted to carry on with their daily routines and lives; therefore, they were very attentive and receptive to local news.

One example (campaign, post, initiative, community effort) that worked well, and the key lesson for other brands or cities?

For Istituto Marangoni, the fashion higher education organization, we continued organizing talks and communicating through the press and social media influencers. With our client SheGlam, we held an in-store event to present the latest collection. Nothing was specifically related to the war, but we continued the ongoing messaging we had been developing to promote the brands on the ground.

How KSA has shown resilience in our industry

KSA’s communications community didn’t flinch – it recalibrated. Brands and agencies across the Kingdom continued operating with purpose, adjusting tone without going silent, and demonstrating that the commitment to the country’s and regional growth is bigger than any short-term disruption. What stood out was the maturity of the market and the true desire to keep on calling this our home. Teams understood the difference between being present and being tone-deaf, and they chose presence with responsibility. That’s not a new muscle for KSA; it’s one the market has been building for years.

What we did differently to stay sensitive yet effective

Our first call was to our media contacts and journalist friends. We asked them what they were focusing on, what they needed, and where they felt support would be useful. That listening shaped everything we did next. With clients, we shifted from transactional check-ins to genuine partnership conversations – pausing deliverables where needed, reassessing angles, and making clear that the relationship mattered more than the retainer. 

Example that worked and key takeaway

With our client SANDBOX, for example,  we made a straightforward call: we paused all activity for 10 days and offered crisis communications support at no charge. It wasn’t in the contract. It wasn’t a commercial decision. It was the right thing to do. The trust that Nacelle (Sandbox brand owner) has on us is worth far more than any single deliverable. The takeaway is simple: long-term partnerships are proven in moments like these, not in the good times. 

The UAE, KSA, and Qatar have consistently demonstrated remarkable resilience and forward momentum. Even during periods of global uncertainty and regional challenges, the region has continued to build, innovate, and communicate with purpose. What stands out is the collective mindset of progress, where governments, businesses, and creative industries work together to transform challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

From my experience working across communications, marketing, and large-scale international projects in the region, I have seen firsthand how adaptability, collaboration, and strategic storytelling help organizations maintain momentum even in high-pressure environments. The region’s ability to stay future-focused while embracing creativity and innovation is truly inspiring.

Resilience in the UAE, KSA, and Qatar is not just about recovery—it’s about continued momentum. Even during challenging times, the region keeps building, innovating, and communicating with purpose, turning obstacles into opportunities for growth.

KSA’s resilience is beginning to show in hospitality, with early signals pointing towards long-term strength despite a more complex regional backdrop. Growth has continued, but with a greater degree of structure and awareness. As highlighted in recent work around a structured Food and Beverage development program, the focus is shifting from rapid expansion to building systems that support long-term performance, consistency and cultural integrity.

This has influenced how brands communicate and operate. There is a more grounded, considered approach, with greater sensitivity to context and a clearer link between brand and cultural expression and operational reality. For our team, this meant prioritising clarity over noise, ensuring concepts remain relevant to their communities while still delivering commercially.

Another recent example is our Street Food project in Riyadh, delivered in collaboration with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and MAAK Events. Located in the Al Zal Souk district, the open-air market brings together a curated mix of local and international vendors, with 84 planned and 45 already operational. Beyond creating a vibrant destination, the project is designed as a platform for emerging brands to test, refine and scale within a structured environment, while contributing to the activation of the neighborhood and wider nighttime economy.

The key takeaway is that resilience in KSA is not about maintaining momentum at all costs, but about building with intention. This includes continued investment in communities, creating platforms for local talent and ensuring developments contribute to long-term social and economic value. Whether working on food halls, festivals, development programmes, or mixed-use and urban projects, resilience increases when discipline is embedded in how concepts are designed, delivered and evolved over time.

KSA, to us, is not just a market; it embodies a spirit of resilience shaped by strong leadership, cultural depth, and a forward-looking vision. In the face of uncertainty in the region, we chose to lead with humanity- putting people at the heart of all that we do and going beyond the call of duty in business. In the wake of the suspension of flights in the GCC region, we went the extra mile in supporting our clients and their families in the safe movement of people by road through the borders. This experience has only strengthened the belief that the true spirit of resilience is built through empathy and the ability to be there with people when it matters the most.

KSA has shown resilience by continuing to move forward with clarity and ambition, guided by Vision 2030 agenda of creating a vibrant society in which all citizens can thrive and pursue their passions. What we are seeing today across cities like Riyadh and Jeddah is a market that is rapidly modernising, becoming more global, more experience-led, and more dynamic in how retail is evolving. Fragrance has always been deeply embedded in the culture here, but the consumer today is also more aware, global traveller, understands global trends, and more premium in their choices. For us at Ajmal Dubai, this has translated into steady growth in KSA, with our presence continuing to expand alongside this transformation. It’s a market that is not just resilient, but confidently shaping its future.

What we have focused on in KSA is growing in a way that feels aligned with the market, not just accelerated by it. One of the key steps we’ve taken is the introduction of our franchisee programme, where we are inviting local partners to build and operate Ajmal stores under our brand. For us, this is not just a model for expansion, but a way to create deeper local participation and ownership. It allows us to stay closely connected to the market while continuing to scale our presence. As we move forward, this will play a significant role in how we build our next phase of growth in KSA.

For us, the strongest example is the momentum we are seeing in our retail expansion across KSA. We are in a clear growth phase, with plans to further increase our store presence and strengthen our position across key fragrance categories, including Oriental and fresh profiles. What this reinforces for us is that in a market like KSA, growth comes from a combination of product depth, retail visibility, and a strong understanding of the consumer. When these come together consistently, you don’t just grow—you build lasting relevance and scale.

The recent period has been challenging for the region, presenting all of us with an unprecedented situation. Throughout this time, the Istituto Marangoni Riyadh team responded swiftly, implementing a series of measures — from keeping students promptly informed of evolving developments to transitioning the final pre-Eid classes online — aimed at supporting students both practically and emotionally. In parallel, a dedicated set of initiatives was put in place to support the team and faculty, ensuring they were fully equipped — professionally and psychologically — to manage every aspect of the situation. In this sense, the experience served as a genuine test: it saw the entire Istituto Marangoni Riyadh community — team, faculty, and students alike — rise to the challenge with commitment and proactivity.

Istituto Marangoni Riyadh — located at KAFD — offers a wide range of Advanced Training Diploma Programmes, delivered through diverse learning and teaching methods, including seminars, workshops, and collaborative projects with leading international fashion companies. Students have the opportunity to complete their academic journey in Saudi Arabia or to broaden their horizons through Study Abroad mobility programmes at Istituto Marangoni campuses worldwide.

Particular attention is also given to both aspiring and established professionals through specialised short courses designed to enhance industry skills, support career development, and foster personal growth.

How is the UAE ​showing resilience in ​advertising, marketing, and ​media during these regional challenges?

The ​prevailing mindset ​in ​the UAE ​remains “business as usual,” which in ​itself ​reflects a strong ​sense ​of resilience. There is a conscious effort to ​maintain stability, uphold ​high ​standards, ​and ​continue delivering ​at the ​level the region ​is ​known for. While ​there is a ​noticeable shift in tone, with agencies ​being ​more mindful and, in some ​cases, delaying ​campaigns, ​the industry continues to ​move forward. ​If ​anything, teams are working ​harder, balancing sensitivity with a shared determination ​to keep momentum.

​What are you, or ​your ​team, doing differently to stay ​sensitive but ​effective?

We have placed ​a stronger ​emphasis on flexibility and empathy. This ​includes ​hybrid working, regular ​check-ins, and ​creating space ​for open communication, recognizing that everyone processes ​situations differently. We are ​also ​mindful that team members ​may ​be ​experiencing ​events ​in real time depending on ​where they are in ​the city, so we have ​adjusted expectations around response times. ​Ultimately, our focus ​has ​been ​on adaptability, ​ensuring we ​remain effective while ​supporting each ​other both ​professionally ​and personally.

During the recent regional tensions, we were reminded of how quickly circumstances can change and how important it is to stay attentive to both clients and teams.
As a media agency operating across several markets, our priority was to listen closely to our clients and understand what pace of activity felt appropriate for them.

In one market, some clients preferred to pause or slow down their communications until the situation became clearer, and we respected that decision by avoiding unnecessary messaging during a sensitive time.

In another market, operations continued with more stability, allowing campaigns and business activities to move forward.

At times, even basic operational steps required unusual effort, reminding us that continuity in business often depends on quickly adapting to changing logistical realities.

A2Z Media Group operates across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nigeria, Lebanon and Egypt, which allowed our teams to adjust and support one another across locations.
Resources were shifted where needed so that clients could continue receiving support while other partners took the time they needed before reactivating.
Teams in less affected areas also stepped in to support colleagues operationally.
The key lesson for us was simple: in times of uncertainty, listening, empathy and strong coordination across markets are what help maintain trust and continuity.

The period brought a level of turbulence that impacted both the pace and confidence of the market, forcing us to rethink how we operate rather than rely on what previously worked. My role shifted from driving growth to ensuring stability, making firm internal decisions, recalibrating priorities, and maintaining clarity across teams and clients despite the uncertainty. We had to adopt a more adaptive strategy, focusing on continuity, measured communication, and protecting long-term relationships rather than short-term visibility.

Internally, a large part of the focus was on  people ensuring the team felt supported, grounded, and able to navigate the pressure without burnout. This meant being present, creating space for check-ins, and aligning everyone around a clear direction even when external conditions were unpredictable. On the client side, it was about staying close, understanding their concerns in real time, and guiding them with a balanced perspective rather than making reactive decisions.

The key takeaway is that in such moments, the role of leadership is less about pushing forward and more about holding things together in providing structure, making timely decisions, and ensuring both teams and clients feel steady enough to move through the uncertainty.

Reliable connectivity plays a crucial role in enabling businesses and institutions to remain operational and continue serving their communities, particularly during periods of regional disruption and uncertainty. 

In light of recent incidents across the region, Vodafone Qatar has remained focused on supporting Qatar by ensuring uninterrupted communication through our resilient, secure, and continuously monitored network infrastructure.

 For many of our enterprise customers, including critical sectors such as banking, government, and essential services, maintaining business continuity is paramount. Through Vodafone Business’s advanced connectivity and digital solutions, we have actively supported organizations by increasing ad hoc capacity where required and ensuring their operations, communications and customer services continue to run smoothly, even under challenging conditions.

In parallel, we have expanded and diversified connectivity options to enhance resilience, including the introduction of satellite-based solutions such as Starlink, providing customers with alternative and backup connectivity paths where terrestrial networks may be impacted. This is complemented by our portfolio of information and security services, which help protect networks, data and operations while ensuring performance, visibility, and control.

 We have also enabled scalable SMS and messaging capabilities that allow government entities and organizations to reach large audiences quickly and reliably when needed. At the same time, our network and digital platforms continue to provide the reliability, security and scalability required to support remote work, digital public services, and online learning.

 Together, these capabilities play a vital role in helping businesses, institutions and communities remain connected, resilient, and operational, reinforcing Vodafone Qatar’s commitment to supporting customers and the wider nation during times of change and uncertainty.