Ramadan 2024: What Are the Ad Trends?
[Photo by Ahmed Aqtai on Pexels]
Ramadan Mubarak to everyone celebrating.
As 2024’s Ramadan celebrations have fallen on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, so too have the celebrations, festivities and advertising offerings for the season. This time of year – dedicated to faith, community, charity and prayer for Muslims around the world – is the biggest celebration of the year for countries in the Middle East, and as a result, the advertising landscape reflects this.
Much like any other religious celebration, there are motifs, symbols and various traditions associated with the festivities. Alongside this, as the world experiences evermore technological trends – AI in this instance – these inevitably weave their way into the discourse and marketing of the season. With personalised content and offerings, healthier lifestyles and short-form content consumption becoming more normalised, it’s up to brands to utilise their customer insight to deliver the right message.
To hear more about this year’s Ramadan advertising trends, LBB’s Nisna Mahtani speaks to experts from Media.Monks Dubai, Impact BBDO and Serviceplan Middle East, who share more.
Hana Nasrallah
Head of Arabic copy at Media.Monks Dubai
Ramadan in advertising: How tradition can inform trends.
For businesses and consumers alike, the month of Ramadan focuses on family, community, and togetherness. It’s an opportunity for brands to highlight their corporate and social responsibility practices during a time of diverse cultural celebrations and traditions, as well as generosity, charity, and community.
Advertisements speak to traditions, leveraging social and digital platforms, and campaigns are tailored to cultural nuances, emphasising inclusivity and diversity.
The sighting of the crescent moon marks the beginning of the holy month - an event anticipated by Muslims worldwide. The crescent’s visual appeal and recognisable shape has also made it a popular element in many adverts, especially as it is easily adapted to work within many formats. However, connecting with Muslim audiences during this time requires a commitment to authentic marketing practices and an understanding of the cultural significance of Ramadan beyond symbolism. By tailoring strategies to reflect the month’s values and diverse celebrants and leveraging technology and creativity, brands can forge meaningful connections with Muslim consumers, contributing to an inclusive and culturally sensitive marketing landscape.
Jingles and celebrity appearances have always formed part of Ramadan campaigns. With catchy music and a message that resonated with its audience, [mobile telecommunications group] Zain’s take on this has made it an instant classic and the new gold standard for advertising during the holy month.
So, what trends can we expect to see in advertisements this year?
Storytelling has always been a part of Ramadan’s culture, with guests visiting a storyteller as a post-iftar tradition. For this reason, the story-time trend on TikTok will form part of Ramadan campaigns worldwide. The ritual of getting ready to attend events is another key component of the holy month.
Given the current focus on healthy, mindful eating practices, ads can also address the importance of maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet during Ramadan, promoting mindful eating, offering healthy recipes, and highlighting conscious food choices. These efforts also align with the Islamic principle of avoiding food wastage and the idea that fasting serves a spiritual purpose.
Anton Reyniers
Head of strategy at Impact BBDO
Ramadan has some consistent themes which I recognise from my time spent working in Indonesia. The typical creative tropes we tend to see include charity, family, and reflection. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with these being revisited but how they’re framed could do with some more unique thinking/scenarios. What is certainly a resurfaced creative exercise in every agency this time of year, is the desire to capture the ‘spirit of Ramadan’. The pursuit of that being done in new and interesting ways is hugely reliant on deeper efforts of audience understanding.
The brands that connect understand the nuances between local and international Muslim audiences. Locally, campaigns may highlight Emirati traditions and values. Globally, brands may adopt a broader approach, focusing on the universal themes of Ramadan that transcend borders. The universal appeal is authenticity. Both the local and international Muslim community can see past the contrived and idyllic scenes that most advertising paints. What they want is real and this can be delivered through either unique insights, humour and even revealing some of the real pain points of Ramadan. That often isn’t the reserve of only glossy smiles or predictable narratives.
Sustainability and mindful consumption are taking centre stage and newer trends prove that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact. Personal growth and mental health are surfacing now and have a particular place within the Ramadan context which breaks the typical themes we see.
My favourite execution that has stuck with me is Tesco Ramadan Timelapse by BBH London. The novel use of OOH that aligns the message, the visuals and the timing is just awesome. A common strategy yet unique execution:
Vineeta Pulkit Vasisht
Business unit director at Serviceplan Middle East
It's interesting to note how online shopping experiences a boom, especially in the weeks leading up to and during Ramadan, as people search for deals and discounts on groceries, clothes, gifts, and other essentials.
While on the search engine, there is a significant demand for food-related content with recipes dominating every result page.
Also, during Ramadan, religious apps are in high demand for prayer times and Quranic verses.
Don’t forget about social media, it is bustling with campaigns and, as a platform becomes important for connecting with loved ones, sharing Ramadan greetings, and consuming religious content.
While the traditions and values in each household may be different, the virtues of Ramadan are universal. It’s about spirituality, generosity, and family bonding. Any communication that taps into one or more of these will appeal to all audiences.
Ramadan this year is definitely going to be different because it’s in the first quarter of the year. Which is usually reserved for brand campaigns. So:
Brand wise:
- We should have a lot of brand + Ramadan campaigns surfacing.
- Brands will do personalised campaigns to resonate with different audiences.
Looking at social:
- User-generated content featuring real-life stories will see a surge.
- Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels will continue to dominate content consumption during Ramadan.
- Micro-influencers should be preferred by brands owing to their genuine connections with their online community.
Technology:
- In addition to AR/VR filters and experience companies with AI capabilities should be using predictive models for stocking inventories.
In General:
- We may observe global brands laying low owing to the political climate worldwide.
One that is stuck with me is the Toyota-ALJ Ramadan spot for 2022, done by our very own colleagues at Serviceplan Arabia. It’s engaging, super relatable, and ticks all the requirements of a brief, showcasing all the car models aka the products, weaved into a story so seamlessly and beautifully.
