While scrolling through Careem’s food delivery app, a new section titled ‘Dishing with the Stars’ stands out. The feature highlights well-known personalities and their go-to food recommendations – turning everyday lunch decisions into something more curated. For those who struggle with indecision at mealtimes (like myself), it offers a chance to discover new restaurants while tapping into what’s trending.
Dishing with the Stars blends influencer authenticity with app integration to make mealtimes more relatable.
The campaign was built on the simple idea: Careem Food should reflect the community it serves. Dubai is home to a mix of nationalities, tastes, and cultures, and Careem wanted that diversity mirrored in the app. So they partnered with influencers from different cultural backgrounds to showcase that variety authentically.
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Careem hand-picked five creators – Coral Stevens, Annabell Newman, Miled & Melissa Rahal, Nawfa Nurie and Saadat Elkhatib – each representing key demographics across the UAE, from Levantine to South Asian to Western expat communities.
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Careem’s goal was to showcase their real food orders – the restaurants and dishes users genuinely enjoy day to day – directly within a dedicated section on the app. This authenticity struck a chord with customers, who loved seeing a more unfiltered side of the Careem Food experience. It made the campaign feel more human and relatable.
The influencers connected with different segments of the population, giving the campaign broader relevance. This was also the first time anyone in the market had taken this approach, and that novelty sparked curiosity.
These were creators Careem had worked with before, chosen for their ability to tell stories that resonate, their loyal and highly engaged audiences, and their familiarity with the brand.
To amplify reach, the influencers launched the campaign with videos in June, followed by regular story posts throughout the summer. These were timed around peak ordering hours like lunch and dinner.
By combining their personal reach with Careem’s own scale, the campaign created a double amplification effect: followers discovered Careem Food in a new way, while existing customers were introduced to influencers they may not have engaged with before.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Customers were excited to see their favourite creators on Careem Food, and the influencers themselves embraced the concept, promoting it enthusiastically across their platforms. That shared excitement made the campaign feel less like a brand push and more like a genuine community moment.
Launched at the end of June, the campaign will remain live until the end of September. Given the strong response from both customers and influencer partners, Careem is already planning to bring it back soon.
