In an increasingly globalized media landscape, the difference between a campaign that lands and one that misses the mark often comes down to cultural fluency. Nowhere is that more true than in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, where tradition, modernity, and rapid change coexist in ways that demand far more than surface-level understanding. In this article, Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, Founder and CEO of TishTash, shares why understanding local nuance is essential to connecting with local audiences—and why authentic storytelling in the region must be shaped by those who truly know it.
You know when a brand just gets it and speaks directly to you in the moment? That’s what great storytelling is. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach to how we communicate – which is why understanding nuance is so important.
Why it matters
In the GCC, time after time I’ve seen global brands slapping Arabic translations over their campaigns and thinking that’s all it takes.
And it’s not just companies entering the market for the first time. Middle Eastern tokenism and stereotypes have been played out by some of the biggest and most respected fashion and beauty brands – who should know better.
The truth is, if you want to be relevant in this region, you need to understand it on a much deeper level.
Global perception vs. reality
When PR agencies are dreaming up their next “regional” campaign, they need to look beyond what they think they know. If your cultural references are based on a Western news article from five years ago, we have a problem.
Ramadan isn’t just about fasting and iftars. Dubai isn’t just millionaires and fast cars. And in Saudi? Women already have a seat at the table.
The outside perception of a place is rarely a mirror of reality – and if you scratch beneath the surface of the GCC, you’ll see rapid change: socially, culturally, creatively and economically. It is not an emerging market – many of its homegrown brands are already shaping global narratives.
Representation has evolved
One of my pet peeves is brands continuing to patronise women.
Newsflash: GCC women aren’t looking for permission – they’re already leading. They’re building companies, driving policy and launching movements.
It’s the local voices who should be shaping campaigns, not a marketing or PR director sitting at headquarters who has never set foot in Riyadh or Doha.
How to build authentic GCC storytelling
1. Do it the old-fashioned way
It might be tempting to let TikTok or ChatGPT fool you into thinking you know your audience, but there’s no better way than talking to people IRL. Start by speaking directly to locals. Discover what is important to them and what feels relevant. When you involve them, you build campaigns around them with authenticity.
2. Co-create with locals
Looking for talent? Bring local creators in at concept stage, not sign-off. If you need photographers, models, writers, influencers or agencies – choose local partners and let them help shape something culturally relevant.
3. Ditch the one-size-fits-all GCC mentality
What works in one country, or even City (Jeddah versus Riyadh), does not necessarily work in another. It's that simple. Forget what you’ve seen in the media – explore each GCC market and city with curiosity.
4. Test your tone, not just your translation
Test campaigns with focus groups across different areas of the GCC to see how your message lands. It goes without saying that what works in one country isn’t automatically going to work across the entire region. Adjust, tweak and test until you get it right.
When you let local culture, values and voices shape the narrative - that’s when you stop talking at your audience and start resonating with them.
