In today’s hyper-digital landscape, brands are churning out more content than ever before. TikTok trends, AI-generated everything and social storytelling dominate every marketing playbook. But here’s the reality no one wants to admit: we’re consuming more and remembering less.
Ask someone what they saw on TikTok yesterday. Most won’t recall a thing. That’s not connection. That’s noise.
Which is why we need to talk about events – not as a throwback to ‘traditional’ marketing, but as one of the most undervalued tools in a brand’s arsenal today.
Reframing events from an ‘add-on’ to a brand-building infrastructure
Events are often seen as a one-off moment, a standalone stunt or a ‘nice to have’. But this mindset is holding brands back.
In truth, events should be considered infrastructure – a central pillar of content and brand strategy. When integrated properly, they connect every part of a campaign: strategy, creative, digital, PR, influencer, paid and earned media. They are the only channel that delivers on three crucial fronts simultaneously: emotion, memorability and conversion.
Yet, most brands and agencies still treat them as logistical exercises rather than strategic platforms.
Events: from moment to momentum
At JWI, we see this all the time. Brands come to us asking for an event – a pop-up, a launch, an activation. But when we ask how it ties back to their brand objectives or broader content calendar, they often can’t answer. That’s where the opportunity lies.
The role of events isn’t just to fill a calendar or throw a good party – it’s to create a moment that builds narrative, deepens audience connection and generates meaningful outcomes.
Think of a brand experience not as a destination, but a critical step in a longer journey:
- Before: It builds anticipation through teasers and storytelling.
- During: It creates emotion, shareability and true brand immersion.
- After: It delivers a content engine that fuels earned and owned media, repurposed assets and commercial results.
This is strategy, not spectacle. And the difference is in the longevity of the impact.
In a world of AI fatigue, real connection wins
There’s no denying the power of AI, automation, and platform-first thinking. But as digital spaces become more saturated and attention spans continue to shrink, real-life experience is fast becoming a brand’s competitive edge. Because while AI can generate attention, it can’t generate memories.
The real risk isn’t digital – it’s digital fatigue. Audiences are starting to reject the inauthentic and crave something tangible. And in the UAE, that craving translates directly into brand value: 83 per cent of consumers here consider themselves loyal to a particular brand (the highest rate globally) driven by personalised and emotionally engaging experiences.
That’s the power of brand moments that feel real. Because when people feel something, they remember it – and they come back.
Experiential is the new cultural currency for Gen Z
This is especially true for Gen Z, a generation growing up in a world of oversaturation. In markets like the UAE and KSA, we’re seeing a major shift in how status is defined.
For this audience, ownership is no longer aspirational – participation is. They’re not buying luxury bags, they’re investing in immersive brand experiences. And the brands that understand this are earning something far more valuable than attention: loyalty.
If your brand isn’t creating something this audience can be part of, it risks being left out of the conversation entirely.
We saw this in a recent activation for cult haircare brand Umberto Giannini. Known for its effective yet aesthetic Curl Jelly, the brand had awareness but lacked love and loyalty from Gen Z women in the GCC. Inspired by TikTok’s “I’m Just A Girl” trend, the brand cut through the noise and met them where they were most comfortable and ‘ungroomed’ – gyms and universities. The travelling roadshow was crafted as a socially shareable, feel-good moment designed to spark UGC, drive emotional connection and deliver results. The outcome? A 25 per cent on-site conversion rate, thousands of high-quality, trackable interactions and product flying off shelves.
The real issue? A strategy gap
Too often, events are led by logistics teams, disconnected from the rest of the brand’s ecosystem. The result? Something that might look impressive on the day but lacks depth, cohesion, and long-term value. It’s the difference between a vibe and a vehicle for growth.
Plenty of agencies can stage a good-looking event. But few understand how to transform that moment into measurable momentum – how to build content around it, how to link it to campaign objectives, how to drive ROI.
That’s why we approach events as strategists first. At JWI, the same team shaping the campaign is shaping the event. No silos. No handoffs. Just integrated thinking from day one.
Why this matters in the Middle East now
The Middle East is at a tipping point. Brands here are evolving rapidly – hungry for both global relevance and regional authenticity. But too many are still stuck in outdated thinking when it comes to live experiences. Events are either global copycats, under-utilised or under-budgeted.
This needs to change. If the region wants to lead the next wave of brand building, we need to start seeing events for what they are: deeply strategic, commercially valuable and culturally powerful.
Because while everyone else is playing the volume game, the real win is depth. And depth doesn’t come from automation – it comes from real, human connection.
Still think events are outdated?
They’re not just about footfall and photo ops. Done right, they are your brand’s most powerful asset – a chance to be remembered, to build trust and to drive meaningful conversion.
If you want to cut through the noise, don’t just create content. Create something people can feel.
By Charli Wright, Owner of JWI
