Emirates’ marketing chief highlights values that underpin the brand’s soaring stock during an Arab Media Summit session

Dubai: The opening day of the Arab Media Summit 2026 featured an engrossing dialogue with Boutros Boutros, Chief Marketing Officer, Emirates Group, who reflected on the brand’s eventful journey to global prominence over decades and the factors that made it so widely popular. The session titled ‘Emirates Airlines: The Making of a Global Brand’ was moderated by Micheline Jawiche, a media presenter at Sky News Arabia. Boutros recalled how Emirates took wing from the remarkable vision of Dubai’s leadership and kept growing in every imaginable way, serving as a prime example of the city’s enterprising spirit. There were challenges aplenty along the way, but the message was always singularly striking: as a national carrier, Emirates always set the benchmark, he said. He also highlighted how Emirates’ brand and messaging have evolved alongside changing traveller expectations, while retaining a consistent identity. Campaigns such as ‘Fly Better’, he said, reflected that evolution, with Dubai’s ambition and approach to growth continuing to influence the development of the Emirates brand. As for harnessing AI and influencer trends, Boutros said: “We are humans after all; we all like new ways and approaches to deliver our message. Making the best use of technology calls for expertise, and this is the key, not the technology itself. Obviously, we need more tools to take our message farther. Today, we can communicate in 20-30 languages with just one click of a button, but the most important factor is discovering the creative minds who can connect with people in unique ways.” Focusing on the airline’s advertising and media campaign, Boutros said the airline's brand identity had always been shaped by the theme of customer service. With Emirates serving more than 90 destinations, Boutros said disruptions can arise from factors ranging from strikes and geopolitical developments to technical issues and adverse weather. He said the airline’s priority in such situations is to respond effectively, minimise the impact on passengers and maintain customer trust. Boutros added that management at Emirates always strives to live up to people's expectations. The same applies to other aspects, such as competitiveness and sustainability, at the organisational level. “We always challenge ourselves to be the best. We can’t always be the best in everything. But overall quality is always a prime focus. That is the crux of Emirates’ philosophy. We continually look to improve the offering; it's not just marketing. Add to this Dubai’s X-factor. It thinks differently. It has a steadfast vision. Those are qualities that define Emirates as well,” he said.