Right now, in the Middle East, there’s a noticeable shift in how brands are communicating. Ongoing regional developments have made some businesses cautious. In some cases, PR activity has stopped altogether as brands wait for the “right time” to speak again.
And in that environment, something unexpected is happening.
For a moment, I thought we had built the perfect machine.
The team was firing. Stories were landing. Press releases were getting picked up across multiple platforms. It felt like everything we were putting out was gaining traction — quickly and consistently.
Naturally, I thought: this is what happens when you build the right team, structure it properly, and execute at a high level.
But then I took a step back.
And the reality became clearer.
Across the market, PR activity had slowed significantly. Many teams had gone quiet, waiting for stability to return. And in that silence, the work that was being done started to travel further.
Not because it was louder. But because there was less competition for attention.
This is something I’ve seen before. Over nearly 40 years in the industry, through moments like the September 11 attacks, the 2008 global financial crisis, and other periods of disruption, the pattern is always the same: uncertainty hits, and businesses go quiet.
PR is often one of the first things to stop.
But the assumption behind that decision is flawed.
Because while brands may pause, the media doesn’t disappear. The audience doesn’t disappear. The need for visibility certainly doesn’t disappear.
What changes is the volume of voices in the room.
And right now, that room is quieter than usual.
There are comparisons being made to Covid, but this is not the same. During the pandemic, businesses were closed. Visibility was secondary to survival.
Today, across the Middle East, restaurants are open. Hotels are operating. Destinations are active. The commercial need to attract customers is still very real. Which makes going quiet even more counterproductive.
If anything, this is the moment to be present.
Not aggressively. Not insensitively. But consistently.
Because when fewer brands are communicating, those that do — with the right tone and awareness — naturally gain more ground.
That’s what we’re seeing now.
Coverage isn’t being handed out more easily. It’s simply that fewer people are asking for it.
PR has always been about momentum. Once you step out of the cycle, it takes time to rebuild. But if you stay in it — even at a measured pace — you maintain your position.
So the takeaway is simple.
This isn’t a time to sit back and wait.
It’s a time to recognise the gap — and use it.
Henderson is the founder of JBH PR, a Dubai-based communications consultancy specialising in hospitality, lifestyle, and corporate PR; he also leads Soho Communications in the United Kingdom
Source: Khaleej Times