This is the first question I’ve heard from colleagues and clients over the past few weeks. When every outlet is focused on geopolitical events, where does brand storytelling and communications fit?
Working with businesses across the GCC region, we see one thing at PRHub.ae – communications don’t stop, yet the focus is shifted. The UAE’s media office’s approach makes the case clearly: even amid regional turbulence, government institutions continue to communicate with calm consistency. The result of this strategy is a more stable information environment for everyone operating in this market. Reliable information means less noise to filter out, so brands can get on with their own messaging without second-guessing everything.
The instinct might be to pause everything, to wait until the headlines calm down. But smart brand communicators adjust. They look at what journalists are actually asking for, what editors are publishing.
Reports, journalists, and editors never stop working. They still have pages to fill, stories to file, and audiences to serve. What has shifted is the focus of media requests: different topics are gaining attention, and communication strategies are adapting accordingly.
For example, journalists are actively seeking angles related to business resilience. How are companies supporting their employees? What are they doing for their communities? How are they adapting their operations in a period of uncertainty? They are the stories of how the private sector navigates real-world challenges.
Maintaining close relationships with journalists during this time matters more than ever for brands and marketers alike. Even small gestures, like a quick call to check in, sharing useful background details, or genuinely offering your insights, can really help. It will matter later, when the news cycle moves on, and the current topics change.
Major news sources understandably focus on breaking developments. But niche publications work differently. Titles like Campaign Middle East continue to cover marketing and branding because their readers still need that information. People in marketing still need to know what’s working in digital. Brand teams still need to understand what customers are thinking.
With so much going on in the world and everyone’s attention is busy, these platforms become vital for businesses to stay noticed. They offer a space where brands can keep sharing their story – not by pretending nothing else is happening, but by showing how strong and flexible we all are and how we adapt to new situations.
Ramadan and brand storytelling and communications
This year, Ramadan arrives at a complicated moment. And yet, the holy month remains one of the most important periods for brand communications in the Gulf.
Media outlets continue publishing stories about community initiatives, charity campaigns, and how companies support people during Ramadan. These are not disconnected from current events, they are, in fact, deeply relevant. Audiences still want to see how brands show up for their communities, especially during times when community matters most.
The brands that understand this continue to communicate, sharing iftar initiatives, employee support programmes, and community partnerships. Not as a distraction from the news, but as a meaningful part of it.
So what changes for PR teams?
The pace doesn’t slow down — if anything, it intensifies. Some campaigns and events are on pause, and that is absolutely fine. What hasn’t stopped is the work itself: monitoring the agenda, staying close to journalists, commenting, sharing data, and pitching stories that fit the moment — resilience, responsibility, and community support.
Communication doesn’t stop when the news gets difficult. It just becomes more intentional. And for teams that understand how to adjust, the opportunities are still there.
By Vlada Lomova, CEO of PRHub.ae, a Dubai-based PR agency.
