How Crocs and Muslim Sisterhood Celebrated Ramadan
Authentic representation is vital in creative spaces, and that is exactly what Muslim Sisterhood set out to do when it was formed in 2017. The community and creative agency began as a photography project around London, documenting and celebrating the experiences of Muslim women and now, the movement has evolved into a creative agency, launched to carry the legacy into the international advertising space.
Behind the Muslim Sisterhood agency are creatives Lamisa Khan, Zeinab Saleh and Sara Gulamali - who explains the reaction she witnessed when they started: “Once we started posting our work online, we saw such positive feedback from Muslims around the UK and internationally, who felt that finally there was a space that was unapologetically showing Muslim women in a way that didn’t present us as one monolith.” This was the starting point of their journey towards fair pay, visibility both in front of and behind the camera, and a focus on sisterhood, which underpins the movement.
[Muslim Sisterhood founders Sara, Zeinab and Lamisa]
Nurturing the online community they created, Lamisa, Zeinab and Sara found ways to engage with brands and projects that supported their unique standing in the market. Sara explains, “We utilised our relationships with brands to provide opportunities for Muslim women both behind and in front of the camera. It was from there that we really noticed the value we could provide both to our community and to companies wanting to reach a Muslim audience.” In 2022, this even included a campaign for NHS England, focusing on encouraging the demographic to see doctors and attend their cervical screenings.
It also became clear that the spending power of the British Muslim population (£20.5 billion) wasn’t being realised and companies struggled with finding ways to engage in a meaningful way. Sara continues, “We would often be hired by other agencies who simply did not know how to market to Muslims or were afraid of making mistakes. We would find ourselves providing everything from the talent to the team, to consulting on the concept. Eventually, we thought, instead of doing this for other agencies, why not become one ourselves.”
So, in this latest collaboration with Crocs Middle East, the creative agency worked alongside Stereo agency and the brand to tell the story of young Muslim women enjoying their Ramadan and Eid celebrations in the most joyful way possible. With a diverse cast of women and a clear focus on the companionship of sisterhood, it celebrates the demographic in a way that many identify with.
Muslim Sisterhood’s Zeinab tells LBB’s Nisna Mahtani more about the recent campaign with Crocs.
LBB> Can you tell us a little bit about how the collaboration with Crocs first came about?
Zeinab> Crocs and its agency Stereo hit us up because they knew we were the go-to team for reaching Muslim audiences in an authentic way. We spoke on a call about their ‘Share The Joy’ campaign in 2022 and our team got to work providing casting and consulting services, which helped make the campaign a hit. Crocs were so happy with our work that they came back for more, asking us to help out with their ‘Dress to Excess’ campaign in 2023. We made sure the shoot was culturally sensitive and brought in a dream team including a stylist, assistant, hair stylist, and make-up artist to make it all come together. Our expert guidance was key to making this campaign happen!
LBB> This Ramadan, what were some of the themes that the brand wanted to celebrate and how did you incorporate those within the campaign material?
Zeinab> Our Crocs Ramadan campaign celebrates family and togetherness, featuring three women of different ages and a young boy to represent intergenerational bonds. It also highlights the spirit of giving, a fundamental element of Ramadan, through gift-giving in the video. Our 'Dress to Excess' campaign is all about being extra, with lively colours and jewel tones that exude joy and optimism. We used playful styling to create a festive atmosphere that perfectly captures the spirit of the season.
LBB> You’ve previously worked with the brand, how did you want to build upon what you already created with this particular spot?
Zeinab> To ensure cultural sensitivity, I prioritised being on-site and collaborating closely with the Crocs team for our latest project, resulting in a campaign that celebrates diversity. The staging for this latest campaign was notably more aligned with the spirit of Ramadan, featuring a gorgeous gold dome shape in the background.
LBB> What was the timescale for this project like? How long did it take to cast, shoot and edit the spot?
Zeinab> This project took several months to come to fruition, with an in-store activation factored into the set design. Despite a tight casting timeline, we were able to cast a diverse range of talent within just a few weeks, thanks to self-tapes.
LBB> There’s quite a diverse cast in this spot, can you share a little bit about how you achieved this and why it was important to include?
Zeinab> We wanted to make sure everyone felt represented in this campaign, so inclusivity and diversity were super important to us. At first, the client wasn't planning on casting a Black model because they thought it wouldn't resonate with the audience in the UAE and Malaysia. But we stepped in with some consulting and convinced them that this type of representation is important, since there are Black Muslim communities in those regions who should be considered, which worked out well!
LBB> Let’s also touch on the styling and set design. What was the tone of voice you wanted to create through the colours and clothing pieces you used? And how did this support the overall link to the Crocs brand?
Zeinab> To create a joyful and uplifting tone in the campaign, we opted for bright colours and playful styling. Our stylist, Sophia Abbassy, did a fantastic job of tying together the jewel tones, fluffy dresses, and cultural garments to embody the ‘Dress to Excess’ theme. Despite maintaining individuality in each model's styling, we ensured that all the tones complemented each other perfectly, while still allowing their unique personalities to shine through. This approach aligned perfectly with Crocs' ethos of being a brand that celebrates individuality and self-expression.
LBB> What was the most challenging aspect of creating this spot?
Zeinab> Effectively balancing the requirements of Crocs, the Stereo agency, and our team was the most challenging aspect of this campaign. When many different teams are working together on a project, sometimes opinions differ in the output. Despite this, we pride ourselves in always ensuring that our team’s needs are prioritised and that our talent feels comfortable and heard when on set.
LBB> And the most rewarding?
Zeinab> The most rewarding moment was seeing the campaign go live, and receiving love from our audience! An unforgettable moment was when a child model's mother from the previous year's campaign shared that her daughter had just finished filming a feature film! After the enjoyment and comfort she felt working with us on set, she applied for opportunities in modelling and acting! This message made my day and makes all the hard work worthwhile, as we want our team to leave projects feeling positive about the experience and about working in the industry in general. The fact that we can offer Muslim women experiences to add to their portfolios which can hopefully lead to further opportunities, is something we’re so proud of.
