FAQs
Every question,answered straight.
Who we are, what we do, how engagements work and what results look like — the whole website, in questions and answers.
About Gulf Marcom
Who is Gulf Marcom Dentsu?
Gulf Marcom Dentsu is the first agency in the GCC — founded in Manama, Bahrain in 1974 by Khamis Al Muqla as Gulf Public Relations, and today a fully integrated agency under the Gulf Marcom Dentsu banner. We were the first agency in the region to win international advertising awards, and we've spent 50+ years helping brands attract the right customers, in the right space, at the right time, with the right message.
Where is Gulf Marcom based, and where do you deliver?
We're headquartered in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, and deliver across the Gulf and beyond: documented client work spans Bahrain, Saudi Arabia (3+ years on Saudi Vision 2030 with the Ministry of Tourism), the UAE (Emirates, Barakat), Egypt (Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities) and global brands such as Netflix and Air France-KLM through the dentsu network.
What is the relationship between Gulf Marcom and dentsu?
Gulf Marcom has represented global agency dentsu in Bahrain since 2014 and operates as part of dentsu International — a network spanning 100+ countries, 11K+ clients and 12K+ specialized talents. Clients brief one local team and draw on global media, data, technology, content and behavioral-insight capability.
Has Gulf Marcom won international awards?
Yes. The agency earned international recognition at the London International Awards in 2000 for the 'Discover the New Gold Standard' campaign for the Bahrain Promotions & Marketing Board, and a 2015 ARC International Silver Award for Tamkeen's magazine-style annual report. Founder Khamis Al Muqla received the Proficiency Medal First Order from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in 2008, and the dentsu network's cabinet includes 48 Cannes Lions and 29 D&AD awards.
Services
What services does Gulf Marcom offer?
We're end-to-end: Strategy, Public Relations, Creative, Branding, Advertising, Events, Activations, Social Media, Digital & Media, Content, Influencer Marketing, Production, Corporate Communications, Research & Insights — plus RISE performance marketing and specialized team programs. If it moves a brand, we do it under one roof.
What does the Strategy service include?
Know the market before you move it: research, intelligence and planning built around real business objectives — the discipline that took Tamkeen from below-15% initiative awareness to 95.8% brand awareness.
What does Public Relations cover?
Be part of the conversation — and shape it when it matters. Media relations, reputation, launches, crisis communications and stakeholder engagement, from royal-protocol store openings to national-story management.
What makes your Creative different?
Born in Bahrain, built for bigger stages: ideas and identities grounded in Gulf culture with the craft to travel — the same team that evolved Netflix's global design system.
Do you handle Events and Activations?
Yes — experiences that make the moment mean something, from national festivals (Bahrain Noor El Ain: 23 malls, BD 19M peak-window revenue) to venue branding for the Bahrain International Air Show delivered in three weeks. Activations turn audiences into participants.
What about Social Media and Content?
Social strategies, content and community management built around how people actually behave, engage and share — including 500+ pieces of tourism content a month in 14 languages for Egypt, and 3+ years of social-first delivery on Saudi Vision 2030.
What does Digital & Media include?
Audience-led media planning, digital campaigns and performance thinking that turns attention into action — with dentsu-grade tools that ran Emirates' paid search across 80+ markets in 13 languages (+26% flight searches, −21% CPCs).
Do you offer Branding and Advertising?
Both. Brand strategy, identity and design systems built for distinction and consistency (the Barakat refresh delivered 4.4x ROAS on its new line), and campaign communications built around one clear objective — from launch to conversion.
What is Influencer Marketing at Gulf Marcom?
Influence chosen for impact, not follower count: creator strategies built on relevance and credibility — like the nine-influencer pre-opening that drove 491K+ views for IKEA Bahrain's launch.
What Production capabilities do you have?
Photography, film, animation and content production managed from concept to final delivery — including a decade of Emirates' inflight print titles distributed to millions of passengers monthly, where our RED relaunch lifted revenue 23% in its first month.
What are Corporate Communications and Research & Insights?
Corporate Communications: clear, considered communication for organizations navigating stakeholders, change and public attention. Research & Insights: market, audience and competitive intelligence that turns information into confident decisions — the front end of every engagement we run.
Working with us
How does an engagement start?
With an audit, not an invoice. Our six-step workflow — One workflow. One voice. — runs: (1) marketing, CRM & analytics audit, (2) strategy workshop against your objectives, (3) retainer-based scope fitted to your goals and budget, (4) content creation and media recommendations, (5) go live, amplify & monitor, (6) evaluation against KPIs with learnings fed back.
Which industries do you know best?
Government & National programs, Banking & Finance, Retail & Lifestyle, Aviation & Travel, and Energy & Innovation — with 50 years of casework in each, from AMEX and BBK to Emirates, IKEA and Bapco Energies.
What results should we expect?
The honest answer: agreed targets, measured properly. Recent proof: 3x organic leads for AMEX, 95.8% awareness for Tamkeen, +26% flight searches at −21% CPC for Emirates, BD 19M peak-window festival revenue, 57M+ reach for Bahrainouna without a budget increase, and +20% revenue per member for Flying Blue.
How do I contact the team?
Call +973 1722 6262, email info@gulfmarcom.com, or use the contact form — tell us what keeps you up at night and we'll come back with a way forward. You can also subscribe to The Gulf Marcom Brief for weekly regional market data and sector briefings.
Do you take on interns and emerging talent?
Yes — we partner with universities and aspiring professionals across the GCC. Send a portfolio to info@gulfmarcom.com with 'Talent' in the subject line.
RISE — performance-based marketing
What is RISE?
RISE (Research-Led Intelligence & Strategic Equity) is our performance-based marketing umbrella: research-led strategy, execution and analytics on a flat retainer, with our fees tied to the growth we deliver. It's an international offering with two programs: RISEᵉ for large-scale enterprises and RISE⁺ for growth-stage technology companies.
What's the difference between RISEᵉ and RISE⁺?
RISEᵉ is the full performance model for established enterprises — media, funnel optimization, analytics and continuous improvement at scale. RISE⁺ is a selective program for technology companies in their growth stage; companies apply and are accepted into the program, which opens with an enterprise-grade growth diagnostic and a 90-day execution roadmap.
How does RISE pricing work?
Shared risk and success: a set minimum retainer dedicates a full team to your account with a flat media-buying surcharge — and if we do not achieve the agreed-upon targets, you receive a 50% credit on the retainer and media-buying surcharge. If we achieve more than we agreed on, we get a bonus. The retainer stays stable whether we manage $50k or $500k in monthly spend; there are no hidden commissions.
Does RISE include SEO?
Yes — search engine optimization (SEO), generative engine optimization (GEO) and app store optimization (ASO) are performed as part of the RISE analysis and ongoing program, alongside media, funnel and retention work.
Is there support for Bahraini companies?
Yes. Bahraini technology companies in their growth stage receive support in the form of a grant — part of our sustainability responsibility toward our homebase, strengthening Bahrain's economic ecosystem and supporting the 2030 vision. The application form asks whether you're based in Bahrain so we can apply it.
What do you need from us to start RISE?
Access to your analytics and CRM data (where technically feasible) and a working session on your targets. The diagnostic covers website and app analytics, UX, CAC by channel, statistically sound projections, friction points, retention and conversion — before any media goes live.
How do we apply for RISE?
Through the application page at /solutions/apply. Every application is reviewed personally; selected companies are invited to a diagnostic scoping call.
Specialized programs
What is Change Management Communications?
A structured program that carries organizations through change — one clear narrative, aligned leadership, engagement experiences and measured adoption. It's built on the experience platform that has engaged 300,000+ participants across 1,000+ corporate programs, and fits mergers, system rollouts, rebrands and culture shifts.
What does the Employee Engagement program include?
Year-round engagement calendars, internal campaigns, recognition programs and high-energy team experiences — from 45-minute Pro-Series circuits to signature builds like Robot Run and Straw-Gile — run live on our app and measured with participation analytics and pulse surveys. The practice grew out of Rush-A-Way, trusted by 500+ companies with a 9.7 NPS.
What can gamification do for my brand?
Turn audiences into participants. We design points, challenges, streaks, leaderboards and reward economies for consumer campaigns, loyalty, training and events — mechanics that drove 1,708,901 raffle entries across 23 malls for Bahrain Noor El Ain, and that power our live-scored event app used by 300,000+ participants.
Can these programs run outside Bahrain?
Yes — our experience teams have delivered across the region, including programs in the UAE for ADNOC (YAS Marina Circuit), Emarat (Al Awir Desert), Chevron, Dragon Oil, Tecnimont and Crane Co.
Didn't find your question? Ask Aria in the corner, or talk to the team.