In his latest piece for  Campaign Middle East , Tribe Co-Chair  David Balfour  challenges Dubai’s brands to rethink how they measure success and start investing in creativity that compounds.

As global brands invest millions in high-profile moments like the Super Bowl, one question dominates boardrooms everywhere, including in Dubai: what’s the ROI?

David Balfour of LIGHTBLUE challenges this short-term lens. His argument is clear. The brands that win are not those chasing immediate conversions. They are the ones willing to make bold creative bets that resonate over months and years. For marketers, agency leaders and brand decision-makers, the message is simple: creativity is not a cost to justify. It is an asset to build.

The Super Bowl lesson: culture outlasts conversions

Every year, brands spend significant sums on 30-second Super Bowl spots. Yet the ads that endure are rarely the ones optimised for short-term metrics. They are the ones that shape culture.

From Apple’s “1984” to Budweiser’s Clydesdales, the work that lasts goes beyond performance dashboards. These campaigns were creative risks rooted in human insight. They planted seeds that compounded over time.

The contrast is telling. AI-generated content may be efficient, but without emotional intelligence it can fall flat. Enduring campaigns succeed because they understand what moments mean to people, not just what performs well in testing.

For Dubai’s brands, this is a timely reminder. In a market that moves fast and competes globally, relevance depends on more than quarterly results.

Experience creates relationships

Dubai offers a unique environment for experiential marketing. From pop-ups in DIFC and activations at Kite Beach to large-scale cultural moments during SoleDXB or Ramadan, brands have opportunities to create immersive experiences that move beyond transactions.

Footfall can be measured. Engagement rates can be tracked. But the real shift happens when someone feels understood by a brand. That emotional connection turns attention into advocacy.

In a landscape where AI can replicate digital tactics in seconds, genuinely original experiences become a brand’s strongest differentiator.

AI as amplifier, not replacement

Balfour’s perspective is not anti-technology. The most effective brands use AI to enhance human creativity, not replace it.

AI can optimise media, analyse data and accelerate testing. But it cannot replicate the emotional response created by a thoughtfully designed brand activation. That feeling is what builds loyalty and long-term equity.

For marketers under pressure to prove immediate returns, the challenge is balance. Efficiency matters. But so does soul.

Redefining what ROI really means

If creativity is to be protected, ROI must be defined more broadly. Balfour points to four measures that matter:

• Cultural equity. Is the brand shaping conversations, not just participating in them?
• Emotional impact. Are people forming meaningful connections, expressed through sentiment and real-world feedback?
• Longevity. Will the idea still matter in six months or six years?
• Advocacy. Are customers becoming storytellers because of experiences they genuinely lived?

These are not soft metrics. They are leading indicators of resilience and profitability in an increasingly automated world.

The cost of playing safe

The real risk is not investing in creativity. In Dubai, irrelevance arrives quickly. Audiences are globally exposed, culturally aware, and increasingly intolerant of generic, algorithm-driven content.

Brands that prioritise short-term savings over long-term cultural value may protect this quarter’s margins, but they risk losing tomorrow’s loyalty.

Read David's Campaign article .

Creativity that compounds

The boldest brands understand the difference between an impression and an experience. They lead culture rather than follow it. And in doing so, they create equity that compounds.

For agencies and marketers across the Tribe Global network, the conversation around ROI is not about abandoning measurement. It is about measuring what truly matters.

Interested in connecting with agencies who help brands build long-term cultural value, not just short-term performance? Get in touch to start the conversation.