In the world of book lovers, mystery blind boxes are a beloved trend. Readers choose their favorite genres and purchase a curated set of 8 to 10 books, all packed into a single box. Based on the selected genres, booksellers carefully curate the titles, offering customers the thrilling anticipation of discovering which books they will find inside.

This captivating approach aligns with the Information Gap Theory of Curiosity, proposed by George Loewenstein in 1994. According to Loewenstein, curiosity arises when there is a gap between what people know and what they want to know, sparking an emotional and motivational drive to seek out the missing information. Today, marketers leverage this theory to craft messages that tease audiences without fully revealing key details, thereby encouraging greater engagement and exploration.

In conversation with Grace Karim, co-founder of Bookends, it was explained that the concept of mystery blind boxes at Bookends was inspired by a desire to reintroduce excitement and surprise into the book-buying experience. “The mystery book box taps into several emotional and practical motivations: the joy of surprise, the appeal of personalized discovery, the charm of gift-giving, and encouraging readers to explore a wider range of genres,” she shared.

Each box is carefully curated according to the customer’s preferred genres, with selections limited to Arabic and English titles. The goal is to ensure that every box feels thoughtfully tailored to individual tastes.

The element of mystery plays a powerful role in enhancing the overall experience. It transforms a simple purchase into an adventure, turning book buying from a transaction into a journey filled with curiosity, delight, and unexpected joy. Readers often find themselves deepening their connection with literature simply through the surprise element.

Customer reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. Many readers express genuine excitement over their discoveries, and some who have already read a book have even become resellers. Grace recounted one memorable story of a reader who had long wanted a specific title after hearing much about it only to find it unexpectedly included in their mystery box. “That kind of joy is difficult to replicate with conventional buying methods,” she added.

Balancing the mystery with customer satisfaction relies on a few key practices: understanding the target audience, selecting high-quality and relevant titles, using thoughtful packaging with personal touches like handwritten notes, and maintaining an open channel for continuous feedback. The result is a literary experience that is both engaging and deeply personal—one that keeps readers coming back for more.

Manju Moorthy, a passionate reader, shared, “Receiving a mystery box of books feels like opening a treasure chest filled with stories I never knew I needed. The surprise of discovering new authors and genres reignites my love for reading every time.”

In the literary world, this experience is often called a “blind date with a book.”

Beyond Media Relations: The Expanding PR Toolkit

PR is no longer limited to securing quotes in national dailies or organizing press briefings. Today’s communications professionals are expected to wear many hats: content strategist, storyteller, and analyst all in one. According to the 2024 Global Communications Report by USC Annenberg, 74% of PR professionals now consider content creation a core responsibility. From writing thought leadership pieces and scripting reels to managing newsletters and podcasts, the modern communicator is a creator.

Influencer marketing, once the domain of advertising, is now part and parcel of PR. 67% of PR professionals say they’re integrating influencers into their campaigns. Whether it’s macro-celebrities or micro-niche voices, influencer strategy has become central to narrative amplification.

Analytics is also a necessity. Numbers help us understand conversion. Success in PR is measured through media impressions, engagement rates, sentiment shifts, and most importantly audience behavior. Tools like Similarweb, Meltwater, Telum, Sprinklr, and Google Analytics have become as fundamental as a well-maintained media list. PR is increasingly data-driven, enabling sharper targeting, more precise audience segmentation, and smarter storytelling.

LinkedIn and the New Authenticity: Personal Branding with Purpose

For business leaders, personal branding is essential. Platforms like LinkedIn have made it easier than ever to share stories, ideas, and build trust at scale. Thought leadership is no longer limited to keynote speeches or formal reports. It now lives in casual posts, behind-the-scenes moments, and honest reflections. The most successful leaders today feel real and relatable, not distant or overly polished.

This shift reflects a broader trend in PR, with brands moving away from perfection and embracing authenticity. Today’s audiences crave genuine stories and people who stand for something real. Purpose-driven storytelling, especially in the post-COVID era, has become central to communication strategy. Consumers are quick to call out performative messaging. Instead, they reward transparency, whether it’s a leader sharing a personal failure or a brand opening up about its challenges.

For PR teams, this means curating executive voices and brand narratives with intention. It’s all about building credibility and visibility through truth, consistency, and connection.

What’s Next: Trends Shaping the Future of PR

The future of PR is being written right now, and it is agile and tech-enabled. AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Grammarly are transforming how PR teams operate. They help with everything from drafting content to tracking sentiment and personalizing pitches. While creativity remains irreplaceable, AI is allowing us to work faster and smarter.

 Crisis communication, especially in the post-COVID landscape, now extends beyond the boardroom. Social media backlash, data breaches, and misinformation are real-time threats that demand rapid-response frameworks built on empathy and transparency.

At the same time, the media landscape is shifting. With traditional outlets and new-age platforms coexisting, earned media now competes with owned and paid media. The result is a hybrid media model where integrated strategies combining editorial, influencer engagement, content marketing, and community-building are essential. Meanwhile, micro-influencers, those with under 50K followers, are proving especially powerful. They offer higher engagement and deeper trust than traditional celebrities. In regional and community-driven markets, their relatability and authenticity are driving real impact.

PR Leadership in a Narrative-Driven World

The role of a PR professional today is both exciting and demanding. Beyond being the architects of reputation and creators of narratives, they are also navigators of change. PR holds the unique power of storytelling, and PR professionals are born to harness it. They aren’t magicians, nor do they promise instant results. Often, their role is to guide brands with honesty, explain what’s possible, and ground expectations in reality. Sometimes, the job is about educating, not just promoting. Like anything meaningful, building a strong reputation takes time. PR is all about persistence, consistency, and staying true to the story. Keep telling it, keep showing up, and over time, your message will find its purpose and its audience.

From Ink to Impact: My Start in Journalism

Before I ever wrote brand stories, I was writing headlines in bustling newsrooms. Journalism was my first professional love. It was intense, fast-paced, and deeply rooted in truth. It taught me to value clarity, context, and credibility.

Journalism gave me a voice and a responsibility, and that responsibility still shapes how I approach communication today. Even now, I return to those roots whenever the noise around me grows louder. Journalism taught me how to listen, and listening has become my most powerful tool as a storyteller.

New City, New Script

In 2021, after five years in India’s communications space, I moved to Dubai. It’s a city full of momentum and opportunity. Though I came with experience, I chose to start from scratch with an internship. I was confident in my skills, but I also understood the importance of earning my place in a new market.

In a city where every second counts and every face could be a connection, starting over wasn’t easy. But I believed in the process. The humility of beginning again made me more grounded and intentional. From that starting point, I worked my way up from Junior Account Executive to managing multi-market communications across the GCC.

Today, I’ve entered a new chapter. I work independently as a communications consultant and writer. I help brands find their voice while staying true to my own.

Finding Rhythm in a Fast-Moving Market

Dubai is more than where I work. It’s my canvas. Navigating this dynamic city taught me how to move with intention and how to build something lasting in an industry that often rewards speed over depth.

My approach has always centered on people and relationships. You can’t tell a brand’s story unless you first understand its heartbeat. Over time, those relationships with clients, colleagues, and collaborators became my network and my strength.

They also gave me the courage to step into freelancing, where I now work as a communications specialist and freelance journalist, focusing on long-form content, brand positioning, and strategic storytelling. My work is guided by depth and meaning, not just deliverables.

The Discipline of Becoming

I don’t compete for attention. I compete with the version of myself I was yesterday. Each day, I try to grow, refine, and realign with the purpose that brought me here. I often turn to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s Wings of Fire for inspiration. One line, in particular, stays with me:
 “Dream, dream, dream. Dreams transform into thoughts, and thoughts result in action.”

This belief keeps me grounded through both the highs and the hard days.

A Legacy Built on Stories

If you ask me what kind of legacy I want to leave behind, the answer is simple: stories that matter. I don’t measure success in titles or accolades. For me, it’s about telling the right stories to the right people at the right time.

In a world ruled by algorithms and attention spans, I believe in something more timeless: truth.

And if there’s one thing I’d share with anyone just starting out in this field, it’s this:
 Find your vision. The world is a puzzle, but once you know where you want to go, the pieces start to fit.