As the year draws to a close, it feels like the right moment to pause, not to audit what worked or didn’t, but to reflect on what quietly carried the work forward in 2025.
At Market Buzz, much of what we shared this year came back to one core idea: good PR is not about activity, volume or noise. It is about strategy. And strategy, more often than not, is strengthened by the people around you.
Across our blog posts, conversations with clients, and day-to-day media work, one theme kept resurfacing. Progress in communications rarely happens in isolation.
Strategy stayed front and centre
Throughout 2025, we consistently came back to strategy in different forms. Planning before acting. Listening before speaking. Knowing when to say no. Understanding local context rather than copying global playbooks. Building momentum rather than chasing one-off wins.
These are not new ideas, but this year reinforced how essential they are, especially in a region as dynamic and relationship-driven as the Middle East. Strategy gave our work focus, but it was relationships that gave it depth and longevity.
Networks matter more than we admit
One of the highlights of the year was partnering with the Female Fusion Network and collaborating with several members along the way. Not in a transactional sense, but through shared values, mutual support, and a genuine belief in community over competition.
Those collaborations were reminders that networks are not just places to promote work. They are places to test ideas, exchange perspectives, and grow confidence, especially for small businesses navigating complex markets.
Being part of wider ecosystems, including MMA MENA, also reinforced how much stronger our thinking becomes when it is shaped by different disciplines, industries and viewpoints.
PR is still relational at its core
Another clear reminder from 2025 came through our media relations work. Despite changing newsrooms, tighter deadlines and evolving formats, relationships still matter.
Conversations with journalists, understanding how they work, respecting their time, and showing up consistently made a difference. Coverage followed trust. Opportunities came from familiarity. And long-term relationships continued to outperform one-off pitches.
It was a timely reminder that PR is not a transaction. It is an ongoing dialogue.
Gratitude as a business discipline
Perhaps the biggest reason this year felt grounded was the people around the work. Supportive clients who value thinking as much as execution. Partners who collaborate rather than compete. Networks that open doors without keeping score.
Gratitude often gets framed as something soft, but in practice, it shapes how businesses show up. It influences how relationships are nurtured, how challenges are handled, and how success is shared. In many ways, it becomes part of a company’s operating model.
Looking ahead to 2026
As we move into the new year, the lesson is simple but powerful.
Your PR network is part of your strategy. And visibility grows faster, and more sustainably, when relationships come first.
Whether that network is made up of clients, collaborators, journalists, founders, or communities you belong to, investing in it is not optional. It is foundational.
As planning for 2026 begins, it is worth asking not just what you want to say, but who is part of the journey with you, and how intentionally you are building those connections.
