As we honour 15 years of experience in PR and communications, we’re not here to gatekeep the steps to success; instead, we’re sharing everything we’ve learned so far and what it means to do things the ‘Katch’ way
Looking around our shiny, revamped Dubai office, it’s hard to imagine that Katch started at a two-person desk in London a whole 15 years ago. A lot has changed since the PR agency was established back in 2010; our team has grown, we’ve expanded to new regions, trends have come and gone, and what it means to be a successful PR agency in Dubai has changed dramatically.
Despite all of the growth, changes, and new faces, Katch remains true to its core values, approaching every campaign, no matter how big or small, with the same enthusiasm, authenticity, and all-in approach. The past 12 months alone have been a whirlwind of record-breaking events, headline coverage, and innovative campaigns. With this month marking our 15th birthday, we’re only getting warmed up.
The Story of Katch
Before we get carried away with all the birthday festivities and client wins, let’s hit rewind, taking you back to where it all started. As you know by now, Georgie Woollams founded Katch International back in London in 2010, lovingly naming the agency after her late sister Catherine, who was nicknamed ‘Catch’. One year later, she moved Katch over to Dubai, where we’ve been headquartered for the past 14 years, and we haven’t looked back since.
2016 saw us dip our toes into the Saudi market, managing PR for the Kingdom’s first-ever neon dance spectacle iLuminate, and igniting a new era for live entertainment in KSA. Following a string of major projects like BLACKPINK and The Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) in the Kingdom, we opened our Riyadh office in 2024 to create a dedicated team for all our amazing Saudi clients.
We’ve also spearheaded stellar campaigns in Qatar and promoted some of the world’s most iconic hospitality destinations for the likes of Four Seasons and Intercontinental across the Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, and beyond. At the same time, we’ve opened a new London office, and our Dubai office has undergone a full makeover and expansion to accommodate our ever-growing team and portfolio.
From our humble beginnings in the world of PR, our scope of work has since expanded to branding, social media, design, and event planning, while maintaining PR as our bread and butter. As an experiential PR agency, we are constantly evolving and rewriting the rules of how PR is done.
The Last 12 Months at Katch
In the past year alone, Katch has teamed up with over 100 clients, handling PR for a variety of markets spanning hospitality, F&B, live entertainment, real estate, wellness, and technology. Behind every win is our team of 51 absolute legends, all working towards one shared goal: To deliver standout results.
Adding to the mix, 2024 saw us bring Arabic translation fully in-house, making it easier to capture the right tone, maintain consistency, and give clients a more personal channel for feedback. We’ve also relaunched our in-house social media department, giving clients a dedicated point of contact and a more collaborative way to align on strategy, tone, and the Katch voice.
In the world of hospitality, our work with the Four Seasons global brand included amplifying awareness around their ‘sleepcations’ through a sleep-focused YouGov survey, sharing the findings to spark media buzz and drive renewed interest. Across the Indian Ocean, we helped Centara gain headline coverage for the launch of Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives and Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives. Over in Qatar, Katch spotlighted The Ned Doha’s sustainability initiatives with a LEED certification announcement, a SEED-powered menu launch at Malibu Kitchen, and curated a two-night media trip.
As for F&B, we continue to handle PR for the region’s taste makers, managing PR for the MICHELIN Ceremony in Abu Dhabi, promoting industry-shaping events for UAERG, and raising the profile of GRIF’s 10th anniversary event in Edinburgh. Other mouthwatering moments included generating buzz for the official launch of The Luminary set and driving serious traction around Meals On Me’s collab with Chef Marco Pierre White.
We’ve also welcomed plenty of tasty new additions to our portfolio, including the avant-garde trio of Revolver, Gatsby Dubai, and Maison Dali under Culinary Arts Group, as well as INA by Fundamental Hospitality, the new flame-kissed dining concept at J1 Beach.
Turning up the volume in the world of Live Entertainment, we had the honour of creating a buzzworthy PR strategy for Coldplay’s historic four-show run in Abu Dhabi, presented by our longstanding client Live Nation Middle East. The campaign broke records, reaching an estimated 15.5 million views and an audience of almost 1 billion, making it the most talked-about event in the region. On the festival front, we brought the hype for Wireless Festival Middle East, BRED Abu Dhabi by Hypebeast, Club Social, Break the Block, Liwa Village, Animenia, and the award-winning Kayan Wellness Festival.
Charting new markets, Katch managed the launch of HyperFusion’s latest HP100 cloud GPUs during the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival and a high-profile partnership with Bombardier at MEBAA to spotlight its private jets. In real estate, standout moments included PR support for Eywa, the ultra-luxury, sustainability-driven development by R.Evolution named Best World’s Property 2024, along with campaigns for ALTA Real Estate Development, Almal Real Estate Development, and Chestertons.
15 PR Lessons for 15 Years of Katch
Naturally, after 15 years in the industry, we’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful PR agency in Dubai. So, as our 15th birthday gift to you, we’re sharing each lesson our journey has taught us:
1.) Our Team Comes First
Our team is what makes Katch, Katch. Company culture always comes first, because when your team feels valued and motivated, strategy and success fall into place. Showing your team you appreciate and support them doesn’t always need to be in grand gestures. It can be something as simple as a cake on their birthday, an after-work happy hour, or simply giving people the space to grow, learn, and progress.
2.) We All Bring Something to the Table
Dubai is a multicultural city, and we believe a PR team should reflect that. With 20 nationalities and 17 languages spoken between us, every member of the Katch team brings their own unique skill set and perspectives to the table, helping us connect to a variety of diverse audiences. Championing the diversity of our team, each client is carefully paired with an Account Manager who aligns with their brand values and has the know-how to drive real results.
3.) Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe
Trust is the foundation of any relationship, and the same goes for our clients. Signing a new brand isn’t just adding another name to the portfolio; it means embracing every part of the company and connecting with the people and ideas behind it. Our clients know we’re in it with them, fully invested, cheering them on, and treating their wins like our own.
4.) Always Sit in the Driver’s Seat
Part of building this trust lies in always being ready to go the extra mile for clients and not being afraid to step up when challenges arise. A PR agency needs to be versatile, reliable, and all in for every brief, tailoring strategies to suit each client’s goals. Whether that’s being on the ground to lend a helping hand at an event or working weekends to ensure press releases are sent out on time, being hands-on is what makes clients re-sign.
5.) Speaking the Local Language Means Understanding the Culture Behind It
When it comes to managing PR in different regions, it’s never one size fits all. For agencies looking to tap into the Dubai market, for example, translation is only the tip of the iceberg. PR needs to speak the local language (both literally and creatively), which means creating campaigns that resonate with local culture, customs, and humour.
6.) Not Every Trend Is for You
In Dubai, trends come and go. It’s not about jumping on the bandwagon for every new craze, but rather deciding which ones are relevant to each brand and which aren’t. Agencies need to create campaigns with purpose, not just because TikTok told you to.
7.) Be an Active Industry Player
Working in PR isn’t all about promoting brands; sometimes it’s about taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. At the end of the day, we’re all part of the same industry, so giving back means helping create a better ecosystem for both brands and consumers. That’s why we regularly share our insights through panel discussions at events like GRIF and through initiatives like our recent white paper on the impact of AI in hospitality. Never gatekeep.
8.) Strong Storytelling Is the Backbone of any Campaign
In a highly saturated market like Dubai, a strong story is often what sets a brand apart. In fact, studies have shown that people are 20 times more likely to remember information if it’s given in the context of a story. Therefore, crafting narratives that capture each brand’s unique personality, be it through press releases, media alerts, or social media, resonates with audiences on a deeper level.
9.) Never Underestimate the Power of Influencers
Connecting a brand with the right audience often comes down to smart influencer engagement. It may sound simple, but it’s often what gets audiences, particularly the tech-savvy Gen Z, to interact and better understand brands. Even micro-influencers can help marketers tap into super niche audiences with real impact.
10.) Think Outside the Box
In a world of constant stimulation from social media and shiny new brands popping up left, right, and centre, it takes fresh thinking to stand out. While traditional PR works, today’s consumers are not just buying into products and services, but experiences. We constantly explore new ways to bring our clients’ stories to life through bold creative stunts, unexpected brand collaborations, immersive pop-ups, and more.
11.) Two Brands Can Sometimes Be Better than One
Brand collaborations are by no means a new concept, however, when done right, they hold the power to truly connect with consumers. That being said, for collaborations to work, they must go beyond surface-level partnerships, as this generation can spot inauthenticity a mile away, so the pairing has to feel organic and purposeful.
12.) Take Calculated Risks
In a fast-moving industry, you won’t get far by playing it safe. Some of our most successful campaigns have come from stepping outside the usual playbook and thinking a little differently because making noise often means embracing the unexpected and trusting the creative process.
13.) Be One Step Ahead
If we’ve learned anything in the past 15 years, it’s to always expect the unexpected. Anything can happen in PR, so having a backup plan is never a bad idea. A lot of the time, this comes down to pre-planning crisis communications, so if the worst happens, you’re ready to jump in.
14.) Believe in the Brand
Similar to having a strong company culture, it’s important that a brand aligns with the agency’s values. When you truly believe in a brand, it shows in the work, the ideas, and the energy you bring to the table. For us, our clients aren’t just names on a roster, they are an extension of our team, and every concept we stand behind is one we genuinely care about and believe in.
15.) Love What You Do
Passion can’t be faked, and in this industry, it’s often the difference between good and great. It’s what carries you through the late nights and the moments that test you. For us, it’s the love we have for storytelling, for creativity, and for our team that’s kept Katch going strong for 15 years and counting.
As we reflect on Katch’s journey, we would like to thank each and every client who has supported us over the years. Together, we look forward to the next chapter, ready to keep raising the bar and doing things the Katch way for many years to come.
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Katch our game-changing PR and Communications, Social Media, Branding and Design, Brand Consultancy, Digital Marketing, and Global Communications services to help your brand make noise. Get in touch with our 360-Marketing agency in Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and London, and let’s get the conversation started!