Across the MENA region, a powerful shift is under way – one that has the potential to shape the cultural and commercial landscape for decades to come: the rise of a digital-first generation of Arab girls.
They are assertive, deeply connected, unapologetically expressive and acutely aware of the world around them. And yet, when we look at advertising across the region, especially from legacy brands, the creative still reflects outdated archetypes and diluted messages that barely scratch the surface of this generation’s complexity.
Women in advertising – particularly those of us operating in and from the region – are uniquely positioned to lead a new approach to youth marketing that speaks with, not at, the next generation of Arab girls. This isn’t about ‘pinkifying’ products or token TikTok campaigns. This is about reshaping the way we build cultural capital with a segment that is as influential as it is overlooked.
Why the Arab, female consumer deserves a reboot
From Saudi Arabia to Morocco, the Arab world is undergoing historic transformations – socially, economically and digitally. Girls and young women are graduating in higher numbers, launching side hustles online, building audiences on social media and navigating new degrees of freedom at home, school and within society.
But when we study advertising aimed at young Arab females, a common pattern emerges: safe, sanitised, and simplified portrayals. Whether it’s a tween in pastel playing a musical instrument or a teenager giggling over lip gloss with a friend, there’s a tendency to avoid complexity – as if girls aren’t ready to talk about identity, pressure, mental health, ambition or even climate anxiety.
Contrast this with what Gen Z girls across the region are actually doing: organising climate marches in Beirut, coding AI tools in Riyadh, critiquing gender norms on Instagram, and mixing Arabic dialects with K-pop memes on TikTok. The gap between brand content and real life is glaring.
The role women in advertising must play
Women in advertising must do more than raise their hands in the room. We need to actively interrogate the systems that keep young female audiences on the periphery. This includes pushing back on briefs that ask for ‘empowerment’ without authenticity; challenging focus group stereotypes that homogenise Arab teens; and
designing content pipelines that include the target audience in the creation process.
We should also be advocating for emotional intelligence in storytelling – stories that reflect tension, contradiction and duality. Stories where a girl can be both devout and rebellious, both rooted in heritage and obsessed with AI art.
What happens when we get It right
Some campaigns have started moving in the right direction. Spotify MENA’s localised campaigns featuring Saudi female podcasters and Nike’s storytelling around women athletes in hijabs show what happens when youth, culture and gender representation are treated with care, context and consultation. But these examples are still rare. Most teen-facing ads default to shallow slogans, filtered visuals, or generic ‘girl power’ narratives that echo international trends without local insight.
If we continue down this path, we risk losing cultural trust with an entire generation. Worse, we risk becoming irrelevant.
A strategic imperative, not just a moral one
Designing better youth advertising isn’t just about doing the right thing – it’s a commercial opportunity.
Gen Z girls in MENA are digital decision-makers, influencing household purchases, fashion trends, family travel and even fintech adoption. Their influence is outsized, especially in younger households with multiple generations living together.
Brands that connect meaningfully with Arab girls today will earn loyalty that transcends products. But that loyalty must be earned, not assumed. It requires consistency, curiosity and courage.
How should we start the shift
Redefine the brief: Push clients to move beyond ‘female empowerment’ as a buzzword. Ask deeper questions: What are her fears? Her dreams? What’s taboo to talk about in her environment? Use ethnographic research, not just data dashboards.
Hire and listen to her: Build creative teams that include more young Arab women – not just marketers, but creators, students, artists, coders and community builders. Invite them into the ideation process, not just as validation at the end.
Shift from content to community: Instead of one-off campaigns, invest in building digital ecosystems where young women feel seen, safe and heard. This could be through curated content series, safe comment sections, mentorship platforms or gamified learning hubs.
Conclusion: This generation is watching
The next generation of Arab girls is watching us – not just as consumers of content, but as curators of culture. If advertising is meant to reflect society while shaping it, then we, as women in the industry, must step up and evolve our creative conscience.
Let’s not wait for global campaigns to show us how to do this. Let’s lead from here. Let’s co-create with her. Let’s listen more deeply, design more fearlessly and respect her story as it unfolds in real time.
Because when we get this right, we’re not just making better ads, we’re building a more truthful, inclusive, and future-ready creative culture in MENA – one Arab girl at a time.
By Hiba Momani, Managing Director, Hills Advertising.
