There’s never been a more exciting time to witness the growth of brands across the region.

Whilst in decades past global brands flocked in and integrated within the locality of the MENA region, we are now in a place where for arguably the first time, home-grown brands are reversing the trend and going global.

To keep up with the unprecedented advancements and speed at which the countries are moving, it is not only the economies of said countries that are growing, but the brands that represent them as well.

The trend has been on an upwards path, as numerous brands cemented their place in global consciousness, with consumer brands such as Emirates Airlines, Jumeirah Group through strategic sponsorship deals and collaborations coming to mind, making that jump from local to worldwide, while other examples include LIV Golf, Riyadh Season, MDL Beast, and BeIn sports, all equally occupying their space in the realm of locally built brands gone global.

The success of the aforementioned endeavours that the brands undertook, highlights the importance of branding, and proves that it has become integral in the growth of nations around MENA, as it has proven to be a successful pathway towards diversifying the economy, one of the main strategic points on the roadmap of numerous nations surrounding us.

And it is the region’s fostering of innovation and growth that has given fertile ground for brands to flourish and grow.

We are fortunate to live in a time where we are seeing brand-building being focused on across industries, expanding beyond consumer-facing ones, and becoming an integral part of the region’s expansion strategy.

The rise has expanded into governmental entities, traditionally not in need of existing as a brand per say, utilizing the power of brand building to serve the overall branding purpose of the country they operate within. Examples of such entities include the PIF, Aramco, Mubadala, ADNOC, among others, utilizing the effect of a brand well-built to expand into new territories, such as sports, culture, and other avenues.

The year ahead and those after it look promising for the industry, as more and more projects, entities, and companies get formed and announced, ready to lead in their respective fields. The case already made for how impactful a strong brand can be, we can look forward to a thriving period ahead as we witness the birth, or in some cases, re-birth, of brands.

With the region buzzing and growing young talents, and ready for the world stage, we can only expect more focus on building brands that will resonate, be impactful, and heard around the world.