The Future of Brand Communities in MENA: Key Trends for 2025
With the UAE naming 2025 the “Year of Community,” brands across MENA are rethinking how they connect with people. The focus is shifting from marketing to meaning — from audiences to communities. As the regional consumer engagement platforms market heads toward USD 6 billion by 2030, it’s clear that community is no longer just a nice-to-have, it’s a strategic asset. Trust, authenticity, and shared values are now at the heart of brand success.
From nano-influencers to purpose-driven hubs, here are the key trends that will shape how MENA brands build deeper, more meaningful connections in 2025.
1. Shift Toward Niche and Specialised Communities
Brands are evolving beyond traditional influencer marketing, shifting from “brand → influencer → audience” to “brand → customer/community.” They now act as platforms for connection and shared experiences, Large, generalised communities are giving way to focused, niche groups built around specific interests. By building their own communities or partnering with existing clubs — from sports to cultural hobbies — brands become hubs for like-minded individuals where people connect on a deeper level: they communicate, share, and feel like they truly belong, turning into brand ambassadors. As a result, it drives loyalty, referrals, and repeat purchases.
A great example is Shabab Intl., a Dubai-based streetwear brand founded by Cheb Moha. By tapping into the region’s burgeoning streetwear culture and promoting Middle Eastern identity, Shabab Intl has cultivated a dedicated community of young consumers. Their participation in events like the Bred Festival in Abu Dhabi, which attracted over 51,000 attendees, raised its core audience, promoting the power of niche communities in building brand loyalty and cultural relevance.
2. The Rise of Influencer-Led Communities
Nowadays, people trust people more than polished ads — and that’s where nano-influencers come in. To effectively reach specialised micro-communities, brands are partnering with nano- and micro-influencers to build real connections, spark conversations, and grow trust in a more genuine way. What’s especially interesting is how many of these influencers are building communities around themselves, not just promoting products, but bringing their followers along on their journey. This shift from traditional influencer marketing to more immersive, two-way interactions is changing how audiences connect with both creators and brands.
On TikTok, nano-influencers (1K–10K followers) dominate the platform, comprising 87.68% of its influencer base, and are celebrated for their authentic engagement and community-building capabilities. Similarly, on Instagram, nano-influencers account for 65.39% of all influencers, offering brands access to highly engaged and loyal followings. Collaborating with smaller-scale social media communities offers brands a cost-effective strategy to achieve higher engagement rates than their larger counterparts, engage, establish authority and trust with specific audience segments.
3. Community Co-Creation: Brands Embracing Creative Influence
Co-creation is becoming a powerful tool for brands to foster deeper ties with their communities. More than just collaborating with influencers, brands are now inviting artists, designers, creators, and local communities to actively shape products and campaigns, unlocking authentic storytelling and access to niche audiences. According to Deloitte, 58% of global consumers are more likely to trust a brand that collaborates with creators they admire.
In the MENA region, Adidas has been actively collaborating with local creatives to celebrate regional culture. One standout partnership was with the online community “Goodbye Old Jumeirah,” which documents the architectural heritage of Dubai’s Jumeirah district. Together, they launched limited-edition versions of Adidas’s sneakers, inspired by the area’s history. In another example, Adidas also teamed up with Dream Girl Tailors, a Dubai-based tailoring house, to reimagine the classic Samba sneaker. Inspired by the historic Al Fahidi district, the limited-edition design celebrated local craftsmanship. This collaboration showed how Adidas is embracing cultural storytelling and community engagement, connecting with young, style-conscious consumers.
4. Growth of Community Commerce
The fusion of social engagement and commerce is becoming a dominant force in community strategies for brands. Within communities, trust and loyalty are shaping purchasing decisions. Research shows that 71% of online users are more likely to make purchasing decisions based on reviews they see on social media. Word-of-mouth marketing and UGC are pivotal in this environment, helping businesses integrate shopping with emotional and social connections.
For example, Faces, one of the leading beauty retailers in the Middle East, collaborated with Snapchat, a digital platform for many small social media communities in the region and globally. Faces created an omnichannel Ramadan campaign across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The campaign boosted e-commerce sales by 10% and significantly increased brand and ad awareness in Saudi Arabia. Creator content on Snapchat delivered 1.4x higher ROAS than other video formats, highlighting the power of community-driven content during key cultural moments.
Another study supports the effectiveness of creator content, with 93% of marketers saying user-generated content outperforms traditional branded content in their campaigns. By using Snapchat’s platform, Faces was able to connect with its community in a meaningful way during the festive season, creating a more engaging and personalised shopping experience.
5. Rise of Digital Spaces and Commerce Integration
In 2025 using omnichannel strategy is a key for brands to communicate with the audience. Brands are establishing ‘digital homes’ on platforms like WhatsApp Channels, Twitter, Threads on Instagram, and integrated e-commerce solutions such as Shopify with TikTok. These digital spaces support user-friendly interactions, reducing friction in the customer journey and connecting social engagement with direct purchasing options. The result is a more immersive and efficient shopping experience that improves both engagement and conversions. For instance, businesses with omnichannel customer engagement strategies retain 89% of their clients, compared to just 33% for those without such strategies.
As an example, Flowwow has built a strong community of local sellers in the MENA region, empowering florists, bakers, and artisans to showcase their unique products. This community supports small businesses through real-time chats and providing platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and WhatsApp groups for communication and experience sharing. With more than 160 local sellers, the community encourages connections, feedback, and collaboration, while also involving sellers in creating social media content. This approach has helped Flowwow keep its sellers engaged, boost revenue, and attract new partners, building a dynamic network of entrepreneurs.
In 2025, communities aren’t just supporting brands, they’re shaping them. Across MENA, the brands making the biggest impact are the ones building real, trust-based relationships with their loyal audiences. Whether it’s through niche spaces or smart use of tech, strong communities are turning customers into advocates. With the UAE declaring this the Year of Community, there’s never been a better moment for businesses to double down on connection and grow through genuine engagement.
This article was previously published on UAE Moments. To see the original article, click here
