MENA Brands Winning the Instagram Game

As the social media network grows, more Middle Eastern brands are expanding their social media reach to share exciting visual content.

With 34% of its entire user base hailing from the Middle East and Africa, Instagram is undoubtedly one of the most important marketing tools for regional brands. All consumer segments have jumped on board, including automobiles, food brands, clothing, luxury brands, and even the oil and gas industry. For many household names, joining the social network was a no-brainer – massive brands posting on Instagram has become so popular that over 25% of Fortune 500 brands are using Instagram as of this year.

However, standing out amidst all the social media noise can be a real challenge for regional brands, who are competing with 70 million other photos that are shared daily. While some brands’ spammy reposts and uninspiring images make their message fade into the cacophony, others stand out with high-quality content that engages and excites their followers. Here’s a selection of some of the best regional brands on Instagram and some of their secrets to success.

Land Rover MENA (@landroverMENA)

The famous four-wheel drive producer sets itself apart in a sea of Middle Eastern luxury cars with unique and exciting brand values like individualism, freedom, and guts. It’s Instagram page certainly embodies a sense of adventure, with fun shots of Land Rovers in the great outdoors. However, where Land Rover MENA really shines is with a heavy dose of local flavor, assisted by user-generated content – shots from around the Middle East capture desert expeditions alongside urban adventuring in huge cities like Dubai.

NESCAFÉ Arabia (@nescafearabia)

Some brands are synonymous with the term “household name,” and it’s hard to imagine many brands more familiar and well-loved in the MENA region than Nescafé. The ubiquitous coffee pics that have flooded our feeds since Instagram’s inception find a place to shine at Nescafé Arabia, where the instant coffee giant lends a personal touch by allowing users to share soothing, social, and sweet moments with their favorite cup of joe.

Harvey Nichols Dubai (@harveynicholsdubai)

With some of the world’s most massive malls and a shopping festival that will put most cities to shame, Dubai’s thirst for fashion is seemingly unquenchable. Fashion store Harvey Nichols provides fashion lovers with their daily dose of inspiration, not just featuring items for sale like other retailers, but featuring snippets from runway shows, on-trend beauty looks, promotions, and shots of their beautiful displays.

Philips Sound Arabia (@philipssoundarabia)

Despite cutting-edge technology, it’s a challenge to give a long-established electronics brand personality and a fresh feel. Philips Sound Arabia does both: rather than posting sleek pack shot images of headphones and speakers, which tend to blur together and feel repetitive on competitor pages, the page presents headphones and other audio devices in a funky and colorful way. The diverse array of shots feels more like a fan page for music-lovers and is never stuffy or dull.