Ramadan 2024: What Are the Ad Trends?

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.

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

• We should have a lot of brand + Ramadan campaigns surfacing. 
• Brands will do personalised campaigns to resonate with different audiences.

• 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.

• In addition to AR/VR filters and experience companies with AI capabilities should be using predictive models for stocking inventories.

• We may observe global brands laying low owing to the political climate worldwide.