Businesses across the UAE are becoming more intentional about marketing spend, with a growing number investing in performance marketing to maintain consistent lead flow and revenue visibility, according to Dubai-based digital performance agency, Above Digital.
The agency reports that the past three to six months have been one of its strongest onboarding periods, with many new clients coming on board during periods of uncertainty rather than waiting for conditions to stabilise.
This shift reflects a broader change in mindset among small and medium-sized businesses. Rather than relying solely on referrals or word of mouth, companies are increasingly investing in digital channels to build a more predictable and measurable pipeline. Industry data shows that over 50% of SMEs now rely on digital channels as a primary source of customer acquisition, while digital advertising accounts for an estimated 60–70% of total advertising spend in the UAE.
Above Digital, a Dubai-based digital performance marketing agency, has strengthened its client portfolio with White Blossom Real Estate, supporting the brokerage in building a structured and scalable digital lead generation engine focused on high-intent property investors.
White Blossom Real Estate is a specialist real estate advisory working with international investors and end-users seeking high-quality residential and lifestyle properties across the UAE. The firm works primarily with overseas buyers from three core international markets, India, the UK, and the US, alongside UAE-based investors, offering end-to-end advisory services from discovery through to handover.
As the brokerage entered its next phase of growth, it identified the need to move beyond referral-led business development and establish a more predictable and repeatable digital acquisition model. The focus was not on lead volume, but on attracting qualified, investment-ready buyers aligned with long-cycle, high-value decision making.
Above Digital has helped Treasure Pots, a creative pottery studio founded by Tara Mohrebi, double its bookings revenue and increase website traffic by 59 per cent following a phased digital and brand growth partnership.
As part of the renewed partnership for 2026, Above Digital will support Treasure Pots’ long-term growth by increasing studio footfall, filling class capacity more consistently and building a first-party customer database to encourage repeat visits and retention.
This next phase also focuses on strengthening the booking journey to ensure interest translates into confirmed bookings, supporting predictable and sustainable revenue.
International brands may often enter the Middle East with confidence in their strategies that have scaled across regions. Their dashboards are filled with healthy benchmarks, and their playbooks are built on years of performance data from successful campaigns.
Yet many of these brands struggle to gain traction in the region.
In markets like the UAE, performance marketing reveals the limitations of global strategy because it reflects on how people actually behave here as opposed to how they are assumed to behave.
Above Digital, the Dubai-based performance marketing agency, has announced a refined strategic direction as it closes the year, reinforcing its focus on revenue-driven performance marketing for businesses where lead quality, sales readiness, and measurable growth matter more than volume.
The announcement marks a clear evolution for the agency over the past five years. During the uncertainty of the COVID period, in addition to managing their own clients, Above Digital focused on education, supporting more than 300 entrepreneurs through structured digital marketing training as businesses worked to survive and adapt.
Hi this is Namita Ramani. I’m thrilled to share this week’s episode of The Forward Thinking People Podcast, featuring none other than Kelly Lundberg—an international keynote speaker, personal brand strategist, and best-selling author. I knew Kelly was the right fit for our podcast after attending her “Become a Confident Speaker” workshop through my mastermind group, Female Fusion. Her approach to amplifying confidence on stage was invaluable, but it was her insights on the power of personal brand and self-investment that truly resonated with me.
In this episode, Kelly dives into her journey from a fashion-obsessed teen to launching her business in the Middle East and eventually building a career as a top personal branding expert. She shares how working as a holiday rep at 18 gave her skills that carried her through some of the toughest moments in business.
A few gems she discussed include:
The Value of Investing in Yourself: Kelly explains why her first big step in business was hiring a coach, and how learning from experts saved her time and led to sustainable growth.
Building a Personal Brand Beyond Social Media: Kelly clarifies what it truly means to be a personal brand strategist, beyond just having a strong social media presence, and the importance of consistency.
Creating Opportunities and Pivoting: From Cyprus to Dubai, Kelly’s career is a testament to creating your own path and not letting setbacks define you.
I hope this episode brings you as much insight and inspiration as it did for me. If you’re looking to grow, lead, or make a lasting impact, this conversation is for you.
Harissons Sauces, a premium UK-based sauce brand, recently expanded its distribution to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. With a strong foothold in the UK, the brand was looking to create awareness and generate demand in the HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, and Catering) sector across the Middle East.
Objective:
As newcomers to the region, Harissons needed to quickly:
Build brand recognition within the right industry segment.
Reach decision-makers in hospitality and F&B.
Generate qualified leads for distributor partnerships and direct sales opportunities.
Our Approach:
Above Digital recommended Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram), leveraging the platform’s:
Powerful targeting algorithm to identify professionals in HoReCa by job titles, industries, and interests.
Custom creative strategy that appealed to chefs, procurement heads, and F&B professionals.
Lead generation ads that simplified the user journey and encouraged inquiry submissions.
The Results:
The campaign successfully reached and engaged the exact audience Harissons wanted to connect with. As shown in the attached lead sheet:
Leads included Executive Chefs, F&B Directors, Procurement Managers, and C-suite Executives.
Businesses came from hotels, restaurants, catering companies, and hospitality groups.
Exceptional lead quality, thanks to the algorithm’s precision and performance-optimised creatives.
The client was extremely pleased with the outcome.
Expansion Opportunity
Impressed with the results in the UAE and KSA, Harissons Sauces extended our partnership to now include:
UK and European markets for ongoing B2B growth
Strategic support in growing brand visibility and distributor networks globally
Campaign Snapshot
Client: Harissons Sauces
Region: UAE & KSA
Industry: Food & Beverage (HoReCa)
Service: Paid Ads (Meta) – Awareness & Lead Generation
BNI (Business Network International) is the world’s largest referral networking organization. In 2023, BNI New Dubai partnered with Above Digital to help expand its presence by launching new chapters beyond Mall of the Emirates and across emerging business hubs in Dubai.
Objective:
Generate interest from business owners and decision-makers in the New Dubai region
Drive registrations for info sessions
Use digital ads to accelerate chapter formation and increase BNI’s visibility in untapped zones
Our Strategy:
We designed and executed a multi-faceted campaign focused on conversion and quality:
Custom landing page with a clear call to action for booking info sessions
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) to tap into one of the most robust and cost-efficient platforms for B2B lead generation
Refined targeting by job title, location, and entrepreneurial interest
Multiple ad variations tested to identify top-performing creatives
Key Results:
2,676 total leads generated between May 2023 and May 2024
Over 1,800 confirmed bookings for info sessions
Strong presence in Barsha, JVC, Motor City, JLT, Tecom, Al Qouz, and beyond
Most leads attributed to Meta Ads (IG/FB) via structured campaigns
Info session conversion rates improved due to structured follow-up and dedicated messaging
Lead Profile Insights
From the lead sheet:
Top Designations: Founder, Director, CEO, Managing Partner
Company Types: Accounting, Real Estate, Events, Coaching, Hospitality, Tech
Lead Intent: High – Over 1,200 leads expressed interest or asked for a follow-up
Booking Funnel Success: 70% of leads reached the booking or near-booking stage
Campaign Snapshot
Thanks to this campaign:
BNI New Dubai successfully launched multiple new chapters
The client was able to scale awareness and attract a quality pipeline of committed professionals
We’ve continued our collaboration into 2025 to optimise targeting, streamline messaging, and support new chapter formations
Client Review
Hear what Satyen Babla, Executive Director of BNI, had to say:
Campaign Snapshot
Industry: Business Networking Region: New Dubai (Barsha onwards) Channel: Meta Ads + Custom Landing Page Goal: Lead Generation + Chapter Launch Leads Generated: 2676 Bookings: 1800+ Outcome: Multiple new chapters launched
Powered by Above Digital | Performance Marketing for B2B Growth
I wanted to share something a bit personal today about my journey with Nick.
About a year ago, I found myself stuck. Despite cycling daily, I wasn’t getting stronger, and I’d get dropped on every ride. That’s when I reached out to Nick for help. What I didn’t expect was how much of the training wasn’t just about physical strength but mental strength too.
Success, both in cycling and business, is a matter of mindset—and Nick helped me truly understand that in a way I hadn’t before.
That’s when I found out that Nick wasn’t just a cycling coach; he also had a long history in business coaching.
I immediately thought he’d be perfect for the podcast. His ideas around hiring based on values really struck me.
As entrepreneurs, we all know how tough it is to get the right people, and Nick breaks down how to build teams that truly align with your company’s mission.
If you’re in the coaching business, lead a team, or just want to better understand how values can drive success, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss. Nick’s experience will resonate with anyone in a leadership role, and his thoughts on coaching are pure gold.
When Nick took on the challenge of triple Everesting on Jebel Jais—an extraordinary feat of cycling that involves riding up and down Jebel Jais mountain 21 times, covering 1,000 km and 27,000 m of vertical —we all went to support him.
I’ll never forget it.
While I had always struggled to complete just one climb, that day, inspired by Nick’s determination, I managed to do two back-to-back. It was an unforgettable moment, one that shows how much we can achieve when we push beyond our mental limits.
Here’s a picture of Nick and me during that challenge.
Nick’s insights into hiring, team building, and how to coach others to success are invaluable, and this episode of the podcast is full of practical advice for business owners, coaches, and anyone leading a team.
Back in 2014, we briefly worked with Dr. Joy Antony when he had just 2 clinics in Dubai. Fast forward to today, and he’s grown that number to 13 clinics, with a team of over 350 employees and 80+ dentists. On top of that, he’s launched another sub-brand with 2 more clinics. Pretty amazing, right?
Recently, when I reconnected with Dr. Joy for some marketing work, I was blown away by how much his business has expanded. So naturally, I invited him to join me on the podcast to share his incredible journey—and it’s packed with valuable insights.
In our conversation, Dr. Joy opens up about:
How he grew his practice from 1 clinic to 13, and why taking risks (even during tough times) was key to his success
The challenges he faced, from navigating the recession to managing a rapidly growing team
His leadership style and how he built a system-driven business that thrives even when he’s not involved in the day-to-day
How stopping his dental practice transformed his business
His approach to hiring, mentoring, and creating strong teams (I’m already planning to apply some of his strategies myself!)
The books that have shaped his mindset and helped him along the way
This episode is packed with practical advice and real-world stories for entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone interested in scaling their company while maintaining quality and balance.
Check it out on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts:
