GCC: Is Brand Rivalry alive?

In the West, brand rivalry is part of pop culture. McDonald's’s and Burger King trade billboard jabs. PepsiCo spoofs The Coca-Cola Company every few years. It’s almost a sport. A ritual of competition that keeps both sides alive in the public eye.

In Lebanon, we see it too. It’s witty, fast, and deeply local, the kind of humor that belongs to the street as much as to the brand.

But in the GCC, that same energy rarely exists. You won’t find e& and du teasing each other on billboards, or talabat and Deliveroo fighting over who delivers faster. Even Emaar and Nakheel, who shape the same skyline, don’t go head-to-head in public campaigns.

Why?

Because here, the ecosystem is built on alignment, not confrontation.

Brand leadership in this region, especially in the UAE, has evolved around shared direction, national vision, and reputation stewardship. Most major players are nation builders in their own right. They operate within a framework of unity, stability, and respect.

In other words, brand voice here isn’t designed to compete against, it’s designed to build with.

That’s what makes creative work in this region so distinctive. You’re not just communicating to win attention; you’re contributing to a larger vision that ties private enterprise to public purpose. It’s a different kind of storytelling, one that prizes collaboration over provocation.

Still, there’s room to evolve this language of friendly rivalry in a way that fits our context. Imagine:

- Emaar and Nakheel co-hosting a campaign about who shaped the skyline vs. the shoreline, both celebrating Dubai’s story.
- Emirates and Etihad inviting travelers to “choose their sky” in a playful, united celebration of national excellence.
- Talabat and Deliveroo turning competition into a timed social challenge that supports a local cause.

We don’t need to copy Western formulas. The challenge here is to find our own language of play in a market where collaboration and shared vision are part of the DNA and where unity is the brand in itself.

That’s the creative frontier, finding ways for brands to tease each other without losing the bigger story they’re building together.