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Independent culture agency Example has expanded into the Middle East by establishing a dedicated office in Dubai to tap into a surge of hospitality, beverage and tourism projects in the region.
Example says the move into the Middle East is the start of an ambitious new chapter for the earned-led marketing agency with the establishment of a locally based team covering strategy, PR, social, content and placemaking.
Founded in 2017 by hospitality duo Andy El-Bayeh and Rebecca Jarvie-Gibbs, winners of the PR, Media & Events category of the 2021 Sydney Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Example says the first wave of hires will focus on research, PR and social as the agency builds its presence in the region.
“The Gulf is building the future of hospitality in real time,” says El-Bayeh, the CEO of Example who has relocated to Dubai to lead the Middle East operations while overseeing global creative and strategic direction.
“Our role is to ensure the hotels, venues, brands and products that show up here aren’t just impressive on the surface, but rich in story and deep in soul.
“We want to sit with owners, operators, brand teams and creators to define the true role a brand should play in people’s lives - then translate that into experiences and moments that become the stories people tell afterwards.
“We’re not here to drop in a Western formula; we’re here to build something with the region that feels local, proud and built to last.”
An earned-led agency is a marketing agency that focuses on creating campaigns based on cultural insights and experiences, rather than paid advertising. It’s role is to create a buzz around brands by creating compelling stories and authentic brand integration.
Example says it is focusing on the Middle East as the region “rewrites the global playbook for hospitality and luxury”.
The agency says that with more than $1 trillion in development and 300,000 new hotel rooms projected by 2030, the Gulf is building a tourism economy “with scale and ambition unlike anywhere else”.
The Dubai office has launched with a number of foundation clients, including Bacardi-Martini which will see Example lead the Patrón tequila culture strategy in the AMEA and Pacific regions, with the first work driving strategy, concept design and communications for the brand’s involvement at the Sole DXB festival in Dubai.
Example is also leading creative and amplification projects for Blue Coral Concepts, an emerging hospitality group with several new venues set to launch in 2026, and place strategy, concept and branding for Addmind, one of the region’s leading operators in nightlife and hospitality.
The expansion follows a period of solid growth for Example in Australia, with the agency recently announcing a partnership with Accor Pacific to create Table For, a new in-house food and beverage group.
The agency has also brought on board a number of high-profile clients including Fink Restaurant Group, Etymon, InterContinental Hotels, QT Hotels and Toga.
“We’re passionate about hospitality in its fullest sense, where every part of the experience is the brand,” says Jarvie-Gibbs, co-founder and chief operating officer, who remains in the company’s Sydney office to drive global operations.
“This expansion is a proud moment for our team - a group of sharp, creative and culturally-attuned minds working across continents who care deeply about the work and the impact it can have.
“We’re bringing a global perspective, local appreciation and a shared ambition to shape experiences that resonate deeply now and define hospitality for the future.”
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