Umami Comms is expanding its presence across the GCC as demand increases for public relations and hospitality-led creative services, alongside the continued development of its creative studio, Good Juju.At the start of the year, the agency secured several hospitality-related appointments, including Fairmont Hotels Dubai, Rosewood Hotels Abu Dhabi, and Raffles Hotel Dubai. Umami Comms has also been appointed for the launch of Amaru in Dubai and as the creative partner for Paris Paradis, a Parisian cabaret, where it is delivering launch campaign assets, website development, and content.Additionally, COYA has appointed Umami Comms to design and conceptualise its new cocktail menu, which will be rolled out across the brand’s global locations.Umami Comms is currently managing over 50 brands and projects across Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha, Kuwait, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Recent assignments include public relations and creative support for Diageo, covering brands such as Guinness, Tanqueray, Johnnie Walker, and World Class.Good Juju continues to build its portfolio across lifestyle and cultural briefs. Recent projects include work with PAUS Wellness in Dubai, public relations and event management for the launch and regional cinema premiere of BAAB, and PR support for Lebanese fashion designer Gemy Maalouf.Commenting on the studio’s role, Colin Hutton, Founder and CEO of Umami Comms and Good Juju, said that Good Juju enables the team to broaden the range of creative briefs while maintaining the service standards associated with Umami Comms.The studio is also developing campaign assets for Oxir, an oxygen hydration drink, along with additional branding and UI and UX projects currently in progress.

Umami Comms, a creative PR agency known for its work in food, beverage, and hospitality, has established Good Juju, a spin-off ?Ç£agency-within-an-agency?Ç¥ aimed at servicing lifestyle and design-led brands across sectors such as tech, apparel, automotive, and e sports.Founded in 2017 and operating with about 40 staff, Umami Comms has built its reputation through high-impact campaigns and brand collaborations in Dubai and the wider GCC region. Its portfolio includes major activations for venues like Galaxy Bar, Tashas Group, and LPM Doha?ÇÖs anniversary event.?Ç£We have a hungry, young and creative team that has been shaking things up for the last number of years, and I strongly believe that we are ready to go toe-to-toe with the big agencies in all sectors. This is intrapreneurship in action: it?ÇÖs an agency built by our team, for our team that wants to challenge the status quo. They?ÇÖre not content to watch brands that they love from other sectors go to another shop ?Çô they?ÇÖre stepping up, creating desire and taking the reins themselves, and I?ÇÖm here for it. I'm excited to see what we can do next,?Ç¥ said Colin Hutton, Founder of Umami Comms & Good Juju.Specialist boutique agencies are increasingly emerging across the Middle East. Earlier this year, PR veterans Nick Zonnios and Lauren Hunt launched Zonnios\&Hunt, a consultancy offering tight strategic counsel and storytelling services. Meanwhile, global networks continue to expand in the region. For example, DEPT opened its Bengaluru hub, and Ogilvy recently appointed Sharon Ooi as Chief Talent Officer for Singapore and Malaysia .Against this backdrop, Good Juju joins a growing cohort of agile, mid-sized consultancies pushing into diversified verticals?Çöleveraging flexible, creative teams to challenge larger network agencies for brand mandates in lifestyle, design, and tech.What Good Juju OffersWith a clear focus on experiential, design-driven communications, Good Juju draws on Umami?ÇÖs existing strengths in event curation, brand partnerships, and creative storytelling. The new arm positions itself to deliver:Good Juju is expected to roll out its first standalone campaigns by Q3 2025. With a youthful and dynamic leadership, the spin-off aims to rapidly carve out market share among lifestyle and design-led brands in the UAE and broader GCC region. It will compete for business with both international consultancies and emerging boutiques?Çöincluding those from PR veterans and global marketing networks.