Snap’s Dina Al Sabbagh on why summers are a missed opportunity for brands

Long seen as a quiet period, summer in the GCC is emerging as a high-impact window for brand engagement. Snap’s Dina Al Sabbagh explains how shifting behaviours, local leisure trends, and lower ad costs are reshaping the seasonal marketing playbook.

Why is summer in the GCC an underrated opportunity for brands to connect and convert?

There’s an outdated notion that summer in the GCC is a ‘dead season’. This belief has formed over the years due to extended travels that residents would take to escape the heat. As a response to that, and the absence of big cultural moments during summer, brands tended to scale back during this time. This has left a significant untapped opportunity — a strategic whitespace if you will – for advertisers who understand the benefit of reaching their audiences at a time where advertising costs less, ad clutter is reduced and many consumers are still highly active and very much spending time locally.

In fact, Snap data shows that the cost to advertisers during the summer gap period (April to August) is 19 per cent lower than the average annual CPM, thus creating the most cost-efficient time of the year to run campaigns for brands. Simultaneously, as CPMs drop, transactions increase in April and June, giving brands an opportunity to capture high-intent engagement at a lower cost.

Saudi Arabia, for example, is turning the summer season into a powerful cultural and commercial engine. With the travel and tourism market predicted to reach $4.3bn by 2027 (Statistica), Snapchat is where that momentum is unfolding — from trip planning to discovery. In fact, 89 per cent of Snapchatters who book holidays use creator links and 93 per cent turn to social media to find the best travel deals and promotions.

How is consumer behavior evolving during the summer months?

Summer in the GCC isn’t slowing down — it’s shifting. While international travel still peaks during summer, it is by no means a slow season for brand engagement and shopping. On one end, consumers are leaning in to the ever-growing leisure options locally, and on the other end, they’re shopping in preparation for their travels abroad.

The former is driven by the rapid development of the entertainment infrastructure in the GCC, giving residents more leisure options to stay, spend and explore during these months. From concerts and festivals to staycations and destination experiences, the season is becoming more dynamic. As a result, consumers are spending on entertainment and balancing international travels with more domestic trips during this season. Our research with Ipsos shows that consumers took on average three domestic trips during the summer of 2024, highlighting a growing appetite for local leisure and weekend getaways.

For the latter, one interesting myth that our research debunked was that consumers wait to do their summer shopping abroad. In reality, our consumer survey shows that in Saudi Arabia and UAE, over 75 per cent of holiday shopping is pre-planned and happens locally before the trip. Whether it’s to take advantage of offers, ensure preparation for a trip or simply free up time for other activities while abroad, consumers are choosing to get ahead of their travel needs.

The result is a summer season that isn’t just active but increasingly intentional. For brands, this creates a powerful opportunity to engage audiences who are in the discovery, planning and conversion stage all at once.

How can brands show up meaningfully in real-time moments without large seasonal campaigns?

You don’t need a major headline campaign to stay relevant. In fact, tapping into smaller calendar moments and celebrations, like graduation, Father’s Day or back-to-school, gives brands a chance to show up in a way that feels authentic, timely, human and locally aware.

These mini moments help maintain brand visibility without the heavy-lift of full-scale activations. And they work. According to a 2022 NRG study commissioned by Snap, 88 per cent of Snapchatters say brands or products that acknowledge and support celebrations they care about feel more relevant to them.

From a media planning perspective, these periods deliver a stronger ROI. CPMs during the summer gap (April –August) are 19 per cent lower than the annual average, creating one of the most cost-effective windows of the year to connect with audiences, especially when paired with high cultural relevance.

Snapchatters actively discuss and share purchase decisions on the platform, before and after buying, making it essential for brands to remain top of mind. For example, during Eid and graduation season, gifting and beauty -related content spikes, while wedding season ushers in increased engagement with fashion, jewellery, and event services. Around Saudi National Day, national pride and creative expression take centre stage, with users engaging more with AR Lenses, geofilters, and Spotlight content themed around the kingdom. The opportunity for brands is clear – be present when it counts, even if it’s not a major seasonal moment.

In what ways are audiences reshaping the traditional marketing calendar, and what should brands do differently?

Audiences today aren’t waiting for big moments to engage, and that’s reshaping how marketing calendars work. Traditional seasonal peaks are still important, but consumers are now engaging in more spontaneous, culturally driven ways across the year.

We see brands responding by using classic moments as anchors but not as the only focus. Traditional marketing calendars now serve as tent poles for planning activities that focus on driving consumer connection online – not only around key moments, but also during quieter periods to maintain ongoing engagement.  The new approach blends these key occasions with an ‘always on’ mindset, showing up during both peak and quieter periods, especially when attention is high and CPM competition is low.

Instead of relying on large-scale campaigns, brands are maintaining engagement through smaller, strategic bursts, whether that’s through platform-native creative, creator-led storytelling, or content tied to emerging trends and mini moments. The new marketing calendar is shaped less by fixed dates and more by fluid attention. Brands that build for relevance, not just seasonality,  are the ones staying top of mind.

How can brands tap into seasonal mindsets — such as travel, self-care, and family time — to build stronger emotional connections during summer?

It starts with understanding how seasonal behaviours differ by audience, and what evolving trends are shaping consumer behaviors and decisions. Our summer research shows us that locals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are more likely than expats to take international family trips, which creates opportunities for messaging that leans into connection, memory-making and shared experiences.

We’re also seeing a surge in wellness and self-care awareness – but it’s not one-size-fits all. Depending on the audience, selfcare can be expressed through different ways, through beauty and grooming, physical wellness, mental clarity, or nutrition. These seasonal mindsets offer brands an opportunity to tap into what truly matters to their audiences during summer – from preparing for a trip, to winding down, or recharging for the season ahead.

The key is to tap into the emotional drivers, not just calendar moments. Whether it’s through creator content, narrative storytelling and AR, brands have the opportunity to engage in a timely, personal and deeply relevant manner.

What role does cultural relevance play in summer campaigns across the GCC, and how can brands localise without relying on traditional seasonal clichés?

Cultural relevance takes multiple forms. Whether through messaging, tonality, imagery used or playing on timely local trends and occasions, the core of it lies in a deep understanding of who your consumer is, and what they care about most during this moment in time.

In the GCC, summer looks and feels different depending on where you are and who you’re speaking to; from local families planning travel around Eid to younger audiences embracing wellness or celebrating graduation season. Brands that go beyond generic summer tropes and instead reflect the consumer behaviour and aspirations of their audience will build more authentic connections.

This doesn’t require big reinvention. It often starts with adjusting the lens by h being context-aware, tapping in on current conversations, and showing up in ways that feel familiar yet fresh. Localisation done well is subtle, intentional and emotionally attuned.