Sketches

What Sketches does

Sketches (legally Sketches DMCC) is a full-service creative agency headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, operating since 2012. The firm offers six integrated service lines: Branding & Corporate Identity, Design & Motion Graphics, Social Media Growth & Management, Website Development (using Laravel and WordPress stacks with SEO/SEM), Personalised Printing (raised foil and spot UV techniques produced at a London facility), and Event Support & Digital Experiences. Its core technology stack is non-proprietary, consisting of standard web development frameworks and creative tooling rather than custom platforms or algorithms.

Sketches serves a diverse enterprise and government client base across the UAE, including the Government of the UAE, DEWA, DIFC, Hunting Energy PLC, Hard Rock Cafe, Bausch + Lomb, Ideal Standard, Al Ghurair Investments, DP World, Al Rostamani Group, Chanel, Rotana Hotels, and Toyota, alongside startups and SMEs. The firm claims 200+ UAE brands served over its 14+ year history. Customer segments span government and semi-government, F&B and hospitality, financial institutions, trading and construction, education, healthcare, and luxury retail.

The business model combines project-based creative work (one-time engagements with three rounds of revisions and transparent instant pricing via the Creative Estimator tool at estimator.sketches.ae) with recurring revenue through design and social media management retainers (some active since 2018). Distribution is direct-to-client via consultative sales for enterprise accounts and self-service online estimates for SMB and startup clients. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent company, and operates with 1–10 employees.

Name

Sketches

Legal name

Sketches DMCC

Website

https://sketches.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sketches DMCC is a Dubai-based full-service creative agency offering branding, design, motion graphics, social media, web development, personalised printing, and event support to UAE enterprises, government entities, and SMBs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative & Advertising Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Commercial Photography (541922)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Commercial Printing (2750)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADACAD

Motion Graphics & Title Design

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Animation & Animated Production

SECONDARYTHAHAHAA

Custom Booth & Stand Design (Concept, 3D, Branding)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Booth Design, Exhibition Stand Builders & Show Services

SECONDARYTHAHAHAG

Graphics Production & Large-Format Printing (Banners, Wraps, Signage)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Booth Design, Exhibition Stand Builders & Show Services

Keywords

• Creative design services
• Branding and identity
• Social media management
• Website development
• Personalised printing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Creative Services Projects: Project-based creative services including branding, design, motion graphics, social media content creation, website development, and event support. Clients can obtain instant estimates through the Creative Estimator tool. The agency also offers design retainers for ongoing support.
2. Social Media Management Retainers: Ongoing social media management, scheduling, and reporting offered via tailored retainers based on business needs. Management, scheduling, and reporting services are offered via tailored retainers.
3. Personalised Printing: Bespoke personalised printing services using raised foil and spot UV techniques. They handle prototypes, short runs, and larger personalised orders. Deliver regionally and internationally from their London facility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sketches is a full-service creative agency in Dubai that delivers branding and corporate identity, design and motion graphics, social media growth and management, website development, personalised printing (raised foil and spot UV), and event support with digital experiences to UAE-based businesses. Services are sold as project-based engagements and ongoing retainers, with instant cost estimates available through an online Creative Estimator tool.

Product overview

Sketches is a full-service creative agency based in Dubai, operating since 2012. The company offers an integrated suite of six core service offerings: Branding & Corporate Identity (brand discovery, strategy, visual identity, and brand guidelines), Design & Motion Graphics (print collateral, motion graphics, explainer videos), Social Media Growth & Management (content creation, scheduling, paid advertising), Website Development (UI/UX, Laravel/WordPress development, SEO/SEM), Personalised Printing (raised foil and spot UV printing from London facility), and Event Support & Digital Experiences (exhibition stands, performances, digital activations). These services are offered as standalone offerings and can be combined to provide comprehensive creative and digital support to clients. The agency also provides an online Creative Estimator tool for instant project quotes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Branding & Corporate Identity

Quantifiable outcome

• 14+ years helping 200+ UAE brands grow through design, motion, and digital experiences

Named customers18 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• VMLY&R: Global brand and customer experience agency with significant Middle East operations. Overlaps Sketches across branding, digital, and content but competes primarily at enterprise and government tier.
• Serviceplan Group: Large independent European creative group with operations in the MENA region. Overlaps Sketches' integrated brand, digital, and motion offering but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Ogilvy: Global advertising and brand consultancy with deep MENA presence. Competes with Sketches for enterprise and government branding briefs but offers a much broader capability set across advertising, PR, and consulting.
• BBDO Impact: MENA creative network affiliated with BBDO Worldwide. Directly competes for the same enterprise, F&B, and government branding business in the UAE, with a wider service portfolio.
• Havas Middle East: Global communications group with established Middle East operations delivering creative, media, and digital services. Comparable on integrated brand and digital delivery but operates across multiple markets and disciplines.
• Leo Burnett: Global creative network with a strong Middle East operation delivering branding, advertising, and digital experiences. Comparable on creative output type but operates at a fundamentally larger scale and brand portfolio.

Direct peers

• MullenLowe MENA: MENA-anchored creative network offering integrated branding, advertising, and digital services across the Gulf. Comparable to Sketches in regional client base, full-service model, and bilingual Arabic-English delivery.
• FP7 McCann: Full-service creative agency headquartered in the UAE/MENA delivering branding, design, social, and digital work for major regional and multinational brands — directly comparable in service mix, regional focus, and client tier to Sketches.
• Liquid Brand Experience: Dubai-based creative and brand experience agency offering integrated branding, events, and digital work for UAE enterprises. Closely mirrors Sketches' full-service model and regional client roster.

Regional players

• Tarek Atrissi Design: Specialist bilingual Arabic-Latin typographic and branding design practice based in the region. Comparable to Sketches on Arabic-English bilingual branding specialisation, though smaller and more typographically focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sketches