Understanding Gender Washing

In recent years, the phenomenon of “Gender Washing” has become all too familiar. Brands flood our screens with ads during International Women’s Day, donning slogans of solidarity and empowerment. However, these messages often ring hollow when examined against the backdrop of women’s global struggles. While these brands may champion women’s rights in their marketing campaigns, their actions behind the scenes tell a different story.

In today’s world, gender equality remains a pressing issue, with companies increasingly called upon to address it. Yet, amidst the public spotlight on issues like the gender pay gap, harassment, and representation, some companies engage in what’s known as “gender washing.” This term refers to the practice of making unsubstantiated or exaggerated claims about supporting gender equality. We need to recognize and understand this phenomenon, as it sheds light on the need for genuine action in supporting women’s rights.

Gender washing occurs when companies make bold statements about supporting gender equality without backing them up with tangible actions. It’s a form of tokenism that undermines the progress towards true equality. As consumers and citizens, we need to be aware of this practice and hold companies accountable for their actions.

The Lingering Challenge of Gender Pay Gap

One of the most significant challenges in the fight for gender equality is the persistent gender pay gap. Women continue to earn less than men for the same work, perpetuating economic inequality. This is not just a statistical issue; it’s a reflection of systemic biases that need to be addressed at every level of society. 

Recent data from Australia reveals a sobering truth: the gender pay gap persists, with many of the country’s largest companies showing disparities of 30-40%. And yet, these same companies are often the ones celebrating women on March 8th. It’s a jarring irony that calls for deeper reflection and action.

Let’s delve into the stark realities of gender inequality through some eye-opening statistics:

1. Despite progress, male CEOs still outnumber female CEOs. (Axios)
2. Women face substantial wage disparities, losing significant earnings over their careers compared to men. (Yahoo)
3. Only teaching assistants see equal pay between genders. (Forbes)
4. The vast majority of venture capital funding goes to male entrepreneurs, hindering female-led startups. (Science Direct)
5. Women are more likely to face layoffs, particularly in the tech industry. (Women Tech Network)

Ignored Realities of Women in the Shadows of Conflict

Beyond the glitz of marketing campaigns lies a harsh reality: women are disproportionately affected by conflict and war around the world. Yet, many brands turn a blind eye to the origins of their products, sourcing materials from regions embroiled in violence and exploitation. Take conflict minerals, for instance, essential components in electronics and countless other products. These minerals often come from war-torn countries where women endure unimaginable suffering. Despite this, many brands fail to ensure transparency in their supply chains, perpetuating the cycle of exploitation.

Women’s Plight in Conflict-Stricken Eastern Congo

In the troubled lands of eastern Congo, a harrowing crisis unfolds as sexual violence against displaced women escalates rapidly, casting a dark shadow on the region’s ongoing conflicts. 

The conflict-induced displacement has torn families apart and shattered lives, with women and girls bearing the heaviest burdens. Recent data from the International Organization for Migration paints a stark picture, revealing that nearly 60% of those seeking refuge near Goma are women and girls. 

In places like Bulengo, where displacement camps serve as makeshift sanctuaries amidst chaos, the wounds of conflict run deep. According to Voice of America, each day an average of 70 survivors of sexual assault seek solace and treatment at clinics operated by Doctors Without Borders. With over 130 armed groups vying for control and power, sexual violence has become a weapon of choice, inflicting untold trauma on women and girls.

In the face of conflict and displacement, hunger looms large, exacerbating the plight of women and girls. According to CARE DRC, 60% of displaced individuals are women, many of whom face dire food shortages in overcrowded camps. Desperate situations push women into perilous choices, including “sex for survival,” further fueling the epidemic of gender-based violence.

Tackling Conflict and Exploitation

The conflict in Congo, compounded by the ruthless exploitation of mineral resources, perpetuates violence and instability. Companies from Europe and Asia, knowingly or unknowingly, fuel this cycle by trading in minerals sourced from armed groups, prolonging the suffering of countless innocents for profit.

An extensive 110-page report, titled “Faced with a gun, what can you do?” delves into the concerning practice of companies purchasing minerals sourced from parties involved in armed conflicts. Within the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), numerous mining sites fall under the control of both rebel factions and the national army, exploiting local civilians to control valuable resources like cassiterite, coltan, and gold. These minerals serve as essential components in the production of various electronic devices, including mobile phones and computers.

Global Witness conducted thorough investigations, reaching out to 200 companies, and discovered that the majority lacked adequate measures to prevent the inclusion of ‘conflict minerals’ within their supply chains. Furthermore, governments, including those of the UK and Belgium, inadvertently undermine their own efforts to resolve the 12-year conflict by failing to regulate companies operating within their jurisdictions.

Women’s Plight in Conflict-Stricken Palestine

Since October 7, 2023, over 30,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, with 70% of them being women or children. Additionally, more than 1.9 million people, constituting 85% of Gaza’s total population, have been displaced, including nearly 1 million women and girls. This dire situation has left the entire population of Gaza, approximately 2.2 million people, facing acute food insecurity.

This overview sheds light on the crisis in Gaza and outlines UN Women’s efforts as part of its six-month multisectoral response to the ongoing situation.

The report titled “Gender Alert: The Gendered Impact of the Crisis in Gaza,” published on January 19 by UN Women, underscores how the crisis affects men and women, boys and girls, the elderly, and the young differently.

At the time of writing this article, UN Women had reported the following facts: 

1. 9,000+ women have been reportedly killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. 
2. 19,000+ women have been injured.
3. 3,000+ women may have become widows, and new heads of households, following their male partner’s death.
4. 10,000+ children may have lost their fathers.
5. 37 mothers are killed every day in Gaza.
6. 155,000 women in Gaza are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Yet most major global brands support the occupying powers that inflict such suffering but on International Women’s Day launch campaigns for purposes of revenue.

Support Palestine

Urging Muslim Brands to Lead the Charge

Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.

Source: Muslim Reference: Hadith 34, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi

In the face of these challenges, Muslim brands must reevaluate their role in advocating for women’s rights. Islam, a religion often misunderstood for its stance on gender equality, provides a rich foundation for championing women’s rights. Both the Quran and Hadith offer clear guidance on the importance of respecting and upholding the rights of women.

As custodians of Islamic values, Muslim brands have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in advocating for women’s rights. Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Islam, which emphasize the importance of justice, equality, and respect for women, Muslim brands can play a pivotal role in promoting gender equality both within their organizations and in society at large. By taking concrete actions to support women’s rights and challenge gender washing, Muslim brands can contribute to building a more just and equitable world for all.

Steps for Proper Advocacy

1. Internal Policy Reforms: Muslim brands must embark on internal policy reforms aimed at fostering gender equality and inclusivity. This involves a comprehensive review of existing policies and practices to ensure fair treatment and opportunities for all employees, regardless of gender. Such reforms should encompass equitable hiring and promotion practices, and the establishment of a work environment that is supportive and free from discrimination or harassment.

2. Supply Chain Transparency: Muslim brands must prioritize supply chain transparency by conducting thorough audits to detect and address any instances of exploitation or mistreatment of women in conflict areas or otherwise. This includes sourcing materials responsibly and ethically, ensuring fair wages and working conditions for workers across the supply chain, and actively supporting initiatives that uplift and empower women within the communities they operate.

3. Educational Initiatives: Muslim brands can contribute to advocacy efforts by educating both their employees and customers about women’s rights and the significance of gender equality within Islam. This can be achieved through the implementation of educational programs, workshops, and outreach campaigns designed to enhance awareness and understanding of these critical issues.

4. Community Engagement: Muslim brands should engage proactively with their communities to support initiatives and organizations dedicated to advancing women’s rights and empowerment. This may involve collaborating with local NGOs, sponsoring relevant events and programs, and advocating for policy reforms that promote the well-being and equality of women and girls.

Conclusion

In a world where women continue to face systemic oppression and exploitation, Muslim brands cannot afford to remain silent bystanders. Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Islam, they must actively champion women’s rights, both within their organizations and in the wider community. By taking concrete steps to advocate for women’s rights, Muslim brands can not only uphold their religious values but also contribute to building a more just and equitable world for all.

As we mark the end of another International Women’s Day (March 8, 2024), let us remember that true solidarity requires more than just words—it demands meaningful action and unwavering commitment to the cause of women’s rights.

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Thankfully, Muslims are present in every nook and corner of the world. And, Islamic religious festivals open up great opportunities to create an emotional bond with potential clients. 

Eid-Ul-Adha is around the corner. It is the second Eid of the year after Eid-Ul-Fitr. Modern-day marketing requires us to engage clients with different perspectives. 

Whether it’s a celebration of Eid or a need to show sympathy during COVID-19, brands need to stand firm with the consumers. Therefore, creating an advertisement for this religious festival is common among brands. 

But, before that happens, understanding the purpose, sentiment, and background of this day is important. This is a vital step in helping brands to deliver the message in the right context. 

Let us first understand when and why Muslims celebrate Eid-Ul-Adha: 

Date of Eid-Ul-Adha 

Muslims celebrate this festival around the 10th day of the last month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah. It is a national holiday in all Islamic countries. 

Some countries even announce holidays for three consecutive days. On these three days, Muslims celebrate the event of this Eid. 

Event of Eid-Ul-Adha 

The reason for this celebration is the event present in the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam. You can find more information and historical facts through Islamic apps too. Try the Islamic Finder app to check the complete history and teachings related to this Eid. 

Muslims celebrate this event in memory of the great act of the prophet, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S). He saw, in a dream, that Allah (SWT) asked him to sacrifice his only son, Hazrat Ismail (A.S).  

Without hesitation, he prepared his son for the sacrifice. Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S) loved his son dearly yet this was no obstruction to honoring his duty that was instructed to him by Allah (SWT) and, therefore, proving his full submission to Allah (SWT).

Allah (SWT) replaced Hazrat Ismail (A.S) with a ram and he was unharmed. Allah (SWT) tested Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S) to see his dedication in his submission to his creator.

What do Muslims do at this Event? 

The event was a commendable example of the trust and obedience of Allah. To recall this humble act of complete devotion, Muslims sacrifice livestock animals (the act of Qurbani). 

After the animal has been sacrificed, its meat is divided and distributed in three parts between the individual’s household, relatives and friends, and the poor and needy.

Qurbani is obligatory for every Muslim who is financially able. There are strict rules surrounding which animals can be sacrificed and these should be adhered to.

“For every hair of the Qurbani you will receive a reward from Allah, and for every strand of its wool you will receive a reward.” [Al-Tirmidhi]

Keynote for Marketers 

After learning more about the background of Eid-Ul-Adha, you should now have gained a better understanding of the reasons for this event. But, it is essential that you also note the timeliness of your ads and marketing.

When To Post The Ad

As mentioned above, Muslims celebrate Eid-Ul-Adha for three days. But preparations begin long before the event itself. 

Therefore, the right time to post the ad is in the run-up to Eid and continue throughout the period of festivity

Let’s discuss some ideas which you can include in your Eid ads:

1. Images of animals 

Muslims are permitted to slaughter the following animals: 

• Cow 
• Bull 
• Sheep 
• Lamb
• Goat
• Camel 

Therefore, you can use pictures of these animals. But, make sure not to show images of the act of slaughtering / slaughtered animals as this could deter your audience. 

If you don’t have access to these animals, using stock photos is also fine. Many websites provide free as well as paid stock images. The free ones are overused, but marketers can invest in delivered pictures. 

Alternatively, you can use graphics. But, again, never use the graphical representation of slaughtering.

2. Use a Picture of a Mosque

No matter which image or graphics you are using, displaying a mosque in the background is an excellent idea. It will highlight that the event is religious and associated with Muslims. 

3. Include a Quranic Verse 

Search online and you will find an abundance of many Quranic verses. You can check the verse directly in the Qur’an too. Include it in your ad for authenticity. 

4. Display Meaty Dishes 

People enjoy barbecue parties throughout Eid and later. You can show highlights of the delectable grillers to engage the audience. 

5. Show Family Dinners 

Apart from barbecues, people make a variety of dishes this Eid. Almost all of these dishes are prepared from beef, mutton, or lamb meat. Additionally, it is a time to spend time with family and friends. You can display such highlights in the ad. 

6. Show Meat Distribution 

Muslims distribute the meat to the poor, and relatives, and keep some. Show how Eid spreads love and displays this act of distribution. 

7. Remind Viewers about Remembering the Poor 

The act of Qurbani is obligatory on those who are able to afford it. But, remembering the poor is important and a reminder of this in your ads is a good reflection of the sacrifice.

8. Use Pictures of Festive Clothes 

Eid is a time of fun, joy, love, and celebrations. Apart from the association with animals this Eid, people also purchase new clothes, shoes, jewelry, and much more. You can reiterate this in your ads, especially if you are a fashion brand. 

Conclusion

From displaying meaty dishes to clothes to animals, marketers are not short of ideas for Eid-Ul-Adha ads. Such ads create a special bond with the consumers and help in increasing loyalty. 

Incorporate the ideas that suit your brand’s budget whilst remembering to ensure a creative ad for your audience that resonates with them. 

All the best!

Author Bio: Rafia Tahir provides guest-blogging and copywriting services. Her educational background in the technical field and business studies helps her tackle topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. She is a certified Quran Scholar and she occasionally writes articles for Muslim And Quran.

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Without technological adaptation, no company can maintain its competitive advantage. Moreover, no company has time to lose in the face of this rapid transformation. Every day we witness the birth of a new digital platform and device. Generation Y and Generation Z can not only anticipate the needs of the generation and determine their needs, but also create the need to keep up with the pace of change. In order to understand the impact of technological developments on consumer behavior and predict the changes that this change will bring across the entire value chain, companies need to focus on the issue of digital transformation. At this point, companies have to develop comprehensive digital strategies and restructure their businesses.

In an environment where customers discover, compare and buy products without leaving home where customers shop with multiple digital devices, companies will be doomed to disappear in this rapid transformation unless new business models can be established where interaction between customers, suppliers, employees and investors can be established.

The point of technological developments in our age is spreading information much faster than in the past and the response time to this new information is getting shorter. In fact, at this point, it is mentioned that technology trends have started to spread out of linearity and exponentially. In other words, a new technology that is emerging immediately reaches maturity and is rapidly beginning to disappear in the face of the destructive effects of another new technology.

Digital Demolition, Continuous Innovation, and Valuable Brands 

When we look at the common points in the success of names such as Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk, we see that they are all names that have quickly brought up companies and brands they have established in the last decade. When we look at the world’s most valuable brands today, it is no coincidence that Google and Amazon are at the top of the list.

According to Diamandis and Kotler, the concept of exponential entrepreneurship lies at the heart of this success. Kotler argues that the way to achieve exponential entrepreneurial spirit is to understand the growth cycles of exponential technologies. Kotler and Diamandis also call this cycle of 6 phases a digital destruction cycle. 

6 D Model in Digital Transformation 

6D Model in Digital Transformation (Diamandis & Kotler, 2016) 

1. Digitization: No idea or technological innovation enters the exponential expansion trend without being digitally expressed. The rate of spread of everything digitized from music to biotechnology is much faster than that of the non-digitized.

2. Deception: Technological trends are not exponentially propagated at a linear rate. Although the diffusion rates of exponential technologies are not noticed at the beginning depending on their usage rates, the destructive effects of these new technologies, which are becoming more and more popular day by day, are in proportion to the diffusion rates.

3. Disruption: New technologies begin to spread and rapidly replace their predecessors. One of the best examples of this could be the devastation that DVD technology inflicts on the VHS market.

4. Demonetization: A large part of the industry starts to use the new technology and it is getting cheaper to produce/develop.

5. Dematerialization: Technologies are made easier to achieve physically.

6. Democratization: Technology is increasingly cheap and accessible to everyone. It can completely disappear under the destructive effect of a new technology.

Although Kotler and Diamandis have defined the digital destruction cycle as 6 phases, we should also know that this cycle starts and ends very quickly. At this point, the reasons for the failure of brands that make successful brands even more successful or are exposed to destruction and disappearance meet in a common area. The most important reason that makes brands valuable and successful is to understand the importance of providing continuous innovation and continuous innovation. If Amazon, which is an undisputed success, remained only as an online selling website, would it be possible to reach this point? By constantly improving its service, Amazon Prime has changed people’s understanding of shopping, and thanks to the technologies it uses, it has revolutionized the creation and use of Big Data. With the data she collected, she was able to analyze consumer behaviors in detail and produced entertaining technologies that would lead the consumer to buy again. Last but not least, Dash Button and Alexa have been developed by Amazon, giving the consumer the message that they already know what they need and this adds stability to the brand loyalty of Amazon users.

Winners and Losers in Continuous Innovation

Behind the success of Google, which became the second most valuable company of 2019, similar to Amazon’s success secrets are available. When we consider each of its products, such as Google Chrome, a browser designed to be fast enough for a mobile application or the modern web, we see that Google takes into account the speed of each new product. In fact, Google’s main strategy is to make things even faster. Every new technology is used brutally, quickly digests and the new masses waiting for the new audience to meet the different needs, satisfying the different problems, the fastest way to introduce the market, quickly update and market again better. In short, it has realized the speed of the digital transformation and has no problems at the point of fitting.

Most Valuable Brands List of 2019 (Forbes,2019)

The opposite of Google and Amazon success examples, which we can look at an example of failure, which is the sad story of how Kodak ended in 2012. Although Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975, it did not invest enough in new developing technologies, or it was too late for these investments. Although Kodak developed a digital camera in 1975, the first of its kind, the product was dropped for fear it would threaten Kodak’s photographic film business. In the 1990s, Kodak planned a decade-long journey to move to digital technology. Kodak continued its traditional camera and film production with a sweaty strategy. However, Kodak didn’t realize the answers to the question of why people take photographs changed. Indeed, people did not take photographs just like they used to save memories for themselves and their loved ones. People took pictures of themselves to show people what they are doing, how they spend time and how they enjoy life. There was a new medium called social media, and now people were using their cameras unrestrained to see and be liked. The most ironic part of this story was that Kodak invented the digital camera, but didn’t take his hand quickly and took no risks to complete the whole digital transformation process for their brand. In short, Kodak has always tried to be an innovative company, but has not been able to take the necessary steps fearlessly and timely, taking into account the speed of digital transformation.

In short, in a world where customers buy image, reputation, service quality, speed and lifestyle rather than just products and services, Muslim companies have to put the issue of digitalization at the top of their agenda in order to build closer relationships with their customers and achieve higher profitability. Companies should understand the importance of digitization, develop new business models, follow new technologies and implement them at full speed, and Muslim business owners should be aware of this necessity. Otherwise, they will lose their competitive advantages and will be sentenced to be deleted from the market by being far behind their competitors who are rapidly adapting to this new order.

As known, digital advertising and marketing are two of the most significant components of recent digital transformation. In this digital transformation age, people are always online and it makes digital advertising tools much more crucial than before. In other words, as part of the digital transformation, Muslim business owners need to use digital advertising and marketing tools to reach their target audiences and let them know their product, brand or services because of higher competition and fast-paced environment in Muslim consumer market just like other markets. Muslim Ad Network helps Muslim business owners attract and keep their customers with a holistic suite of advertising solutions service. By partnering with Muslim Ad Network, you will be provided an opportunity for your digital advertising to reach the highly coveted Muslim online consumer and to adapt to this era of digital transformation 

Go ahead and contact us to reach a wider range of Muslim audiences. 

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Considering the advertising budget, digital advertising is quite economical compared to advertising channels such as television and radio and is a very efficient marketing method having the power to reach the masses. Therefore, in terms of marketing, digital advertising enables the product, brand or service to be promoted saving both time and money. For these reasons, advertisers began to prefer the internet medium more.  Furthermore, the budget allocated to internet advertisements now surpasses the TV advertising budget.

According to research carried out by IAB and PwC, the market share of internet advertising increased by 21.8% between 2017 and 2018 and reached $107.5 billion in the US market.

In addition, this change in the preferences of advertisers was also reflected in the distribution of advertising revenue according to the type of media, and the internet advertising revenues reached the $28.4 billion limit with a huge increase since 2015. Digital revenue for Q1 2019 estimates rose 18% over Q1 2018 at $23.9 billion and maintain the year-over-year growth trend.

The continued growth of digital advertising spend indicates that it has increasing credibility and the ability to help brands and advertisers reach consumers and build stronger one-to-one customer relationships.

As previously mentioned, digital advertising is able to reach a wider audience with a lower cost compared to traditional advertising channels.  It provides brands with quick and easy promotions to boost brand awareness and desire which creates a rapid balance of demand and sales. Generally, internet advertising is much more advantageous in terms of different features. 

Advantages of Digital Advertising

Measurability

Internet advertising is miles ahead compared to traditional advertising methods in terms of measurability and ease to track conversion rates. There are many analytics tools such as Google Analytics to measure online advertising campaigns’ effectiveness accurately. These tools help get a clear picture regarding who viewed ads, who clicked, the number of leads generated and the amount of money spent so far for internet advertising activities.

Wider Ad Coverage

Online advertising can assist with reaching a much wider target audience and higher global coverage which leads to getting better results through online advertising campaigns. It also gives the ability to specify the range of advertisement coverage with internet advertising, which increases the efficiency of the online advertising campaign.

Affordability

One of the most significant advantages of online advertising is affordability when compared with traditional advertising costs. Advertisers can reach a wider range of audiences in different geographical locations with a much lesser cost. Furthermore, it gives more control over digital advertising budget spending for digital advertising strategies.

It is Fast

Internet advertising is faster than any of the traditional advertising tools where one can launch their online campaign whenever. Considering the time spent to initiate online and traditional campaigns to reach any audience, it is clear that online advertising has a time advantage.

Payments are Flexible

Payment flexibility is another important advantage of online advertising. For the traditional methods,  the full amount needs to be paid to the advertising agency to launch the campaign in addition to huge amount of agency fees. However, online advertising has the advantage of flexible payment opportunity to only pay for qualified leads, clicks or impressions. This helps to manage ad budgets in an efficient way.

Messages are More Informative

In internet advertising, the advertiser is able to provide more detailed messages about the product or services to the audience. Most of the online advertising campaigns are composed of a clickable link to a specific landing page, where users get more information about the product mentioned in the ad. Once the visitor reaches the landing page, they will get a clear picture of the product or services and decide whether to purchase it or not.

Hıgher Return on Investment (ROI)

As mentioned above, internet advertising has the main focus on performance-based payment and this provides a higher return on investment (ROI) compared to offline advertising. Since it is easy to track, analyze and adjust the performance of online advertisements, it also improves the ROI. Following the right strategies for online advertising, there is a better ROI.

Easier and Better Audience Engagement

Online advertising enables have easy engagement with the target audience. Online advertisement platforms make it easy for the audience to engage with ads or products. By online advertising, advertisers are able to get more feedback from the audience and thereby improve the quality of their ads going forward. Based on the engagement levels advertisers can take necessary actions and update their online advertising campaigns.

Re-marketing

Today, 87% of consumers search the internet before buying a product. Re-marketing offers the opportunity to reach users who have already entered a site again. Remarketing can be used to promote a specific product or offering, or to achieve a certain conversion goal such as lead generation. In eCommerce, for example, remarketing ads can be used to recover an abandoned cart by displaying the product the user added to the cart but left the site without purchasing which increases the ROI of each online campaign.

All the advantages listed above are also the reasons why advertisers should use online advertising methods to promote their brands. By partnering with an internet advertising platform, such as Muslim Ad Network (MAN), it provides Muslim advertisers an opportunity to reach the highly coveted Muslim online consumer. By working with MAN, you can take advantage of the following features and benefits including:

• Display ads of all standard sizes, including rich media, video, and banners
• Opt-in email advertising
• Maintain control over where your ad gets displayed. Full geotargeting capabilities (by zip code, city, country, or region)
• Complete visibility of publishers in network
• Reach new customers and increase the overall impact of your media dollars
• Quality Reporting. MAN offers full reporting and analysis ensuring optimum return on investment

Go ahead and contact us to reach a wider range of Muslim audiences.

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“Halal” is an Arabic word that means “permitted” and it is generally used to describe foods that Muslims are allowed to eat according to Islamic guidelines mentioned in the Qur’an. In Islam, most food and drinks are considered halal unless they are clearly stated as forbidden in the Qur’an and hadith.

Muslim consumers prefer that all the products they need and consume in their lives be halal. They pay attention to the halal certificate while purchasing products from food and beverage to cosmetic materials. Due to this need and concern, the halal industry grows at the same rate as the Muslim population grows. In fact, many non-Muslim consumers now prefer halal products since they associate halal with ethical consumerism.

The global halal market is expanding especially with the economic development of leading Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Iran. Moreover, countries such as China, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines have been investing heavily in the halal industry and the market size is expected to reach USD 9.71 trillion by 2025. In addition, the growing number of halal-certified products is expected to drive the global halal market over the projected period.

In fact, although the halal industry is perceived only as the food industry, today it has gone beyond the food to become a concept that encompasses many product groups and services ranging from pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and toiletries to medical devices and even marketing services.

 Interestingly,  the halal food market has become one of the most profitable and effective market areas in the world. Halal food has mainly three types which include fresh products, frozen salty products, processed products, and others. With the increasing Muslim population and economic development, consumers will need more halal food products. Globally, halal foods are more in demand in East Asia and the Middle East, and North Africa and halal and the market size is expected to grow by 6.1% in the next five years.

As stated, the halal food market has become a growing, promising, and highly demanding market. For this reason, many international companies are investing in the halal food market and are expected to increase these investments day by day.

Multinational and global companies are expanding their facilities to find opportunities in this market. For example, in 2018, Haribo, a gummy producer, opened a halal candy store in the UK. In the same year, Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation invested in Al Islami Foods, a halal manufacturer based in the UAE. This strategic investment will not only increase Al Islami Foods production but will also meet the demand for halal products at home and abroad.

Not only the halal food and beverage market is increasing in popularity but so are halal tourism, halal media and recreation, Islamic finance, modest fashion, halal pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic products and services. For instance, the halal media and recreation industry has more than 4% of the global market share.

According to the Global Halal Market 2018 Consumption Analysis, the demand trend for this type of content from Muslim countries is on the rise. Furthermore, the halal pharmaceutical and halal cosmetics together had 4% of the overall market share in 2017. In the last decade, the halal pharmaceutical and halal cosmetic market have gained prominence and more products are manufactured with halal standards. Likewise, the number of Islamic finance and banking institutions is increasing every year all over the world. So, the Halal consumer market is growing rapidly and still has many opportunities for investors. The most critical thing that needs to be done to get into these markets or to increase success in the market is to reach the right audience with the right tools at the right time. In this digital era, it is a must to use digital marketing tools in order to understand the demands of the developing halal consumer market and the changing needs and wants of Muslim consumers accurately. At this point, working with digital marketing agencies seems to be a logical alternative. Muslim Ad Network is able to reach more than 100 million Muslims around the world monthly with its digital products and strategies such as “Reach Muslims Anywhere”. It is one platform to reach millions of Muslim consumers wherever they browse online, including the Internet’s most popular websites, social media platforms, mobile apps, and more. Through Muslim Ad Network, brands can effectively target ads to Muslim consumers instantly across thousands of websites and apps. 

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One of the issues that has been on the agenda for those who have been interested in green marketing during the last few years is sustainability in fashion. What is sustainability and what are the steps taken by brands in this regard?

Nowadays, terms such as sustainability, environmentalism, and recycling are frequently brought up. But it is clear that people have lost respect and sympathy for nature. As a result of this insensitivity, mankind has become prone to consuming too much and too fast. This situation caused a change in our understanding of fashion. In the past, people used to wear a limited number of clothing made of quality fabrics for years, and fashion did not change so often. In today’s world, almost every day a new fashion trend emerges and nowadays whatever is fashionable, may become outdated tomorrow. The development of the industry, changing fashion trends, the swirl called ‘fast-fashion” and the rapid consumption of ready-made garments, have made us forget to be green.

Then the concept of sustainability emerged. Sustainability has been defined as  “meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources. Sustainability is not just environmentalism. Embedded in most definitions of sustainability we also find concerns for social equity and economic development.”

So, can fashion be sustainable?

In order to cope with many environmental problems, fashion sustainability has become very important today. The sustainable fashion concept includes eco-fashion, recycled fashion, or green fashion terms. At a time when respect and care for nature are greatly lost, everything we consume must be obtained through recyclable and sustainable means, including the clothes we wear.

Obviously, the main objective of the sustainability approach is to ensure the supply of environmentally friendly green products with high quality but low production costs. In this way, it will be possible to slow down the fashion industry, which has fueled the rapid consumption frenzy.

In fact, sustainability can be considered in 3 main dimensions. These dimensions can be classified as ecological dimensions with non-toxic, convertible fashion products; economy dimension with products that add value to consumers and producers, and social dimension with the goal of a better future for new generations.

The goal of sustainable fashion philosophy is to create sustainable systems indefinitely which follow the principles of environmentalism and social responsibility. The main responsibility of fashion companies is to make production, distribution and marketing practices and strategies more sustainable. Sustainable fashion can also be regarded as a subset of the concept of sustainable design. Production in accordance with sustainable design is carried out in such a way that environmental impacts and carbon footprints are calculated and minimized.

According to the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion initiative indicates that the fashion industry, including the production of all clothes which people wear, contributes to around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy-intensive production. The industry consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping industry combined.  In addition to its carbon-intensive supply chain and production processes, the fashion industry consumes a great deal of other precious resources. To make one pair of denim jeans, 10,000   of water is required to grow the 1 kilo of cotton needed for that single pair of jeans. In comparison, one person would take 10 years to drink 10,000 liters of water. Cumulatively, the fashion industry produces about 20% of global wastewater. Furthermore, 85% of textiles end up in landfills or are incinerated when most of these materials could be reused.

There is also good news. Recently, one of the major fashion industry entities said they are going carbon neutral. On September 24th, 2019, Kering Group which is a Paris-based conglomerate, which owns the parent company of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, and Alexander McQueen claimed that its entire supply chain of entire group of brands will become carbon neutral within its own operations. Moreover, it was claimed that Kering will “offset the group’s annual greenhouse gas emissions from 2018 on top of all efforts to first avoid and then reduce them.” Going forward, Kering says it “set a science-based target to reduce all its greenhouse gas emissions related to its own operations and supply chain by 50 percent by 2025.”In addition to Kering which is the biggest name to enter into the arena with the aim to do its part to manage the emissions of carbon dioxide which is the main greenhouse gas driving climate change, Gucci, Burberry, and sustainable luxury brand Gabriela Hearst have all recently revealed carbon neutrality endeavors.

Moreover, many designers have now embraced organic fabrics and organic production. Fashion giants, even the pioneers of fast fashion, are focusing on raising awareness with their small collections and investing in our future.. Their goal is to create a better and healthier world for the new generation. Levi’s, H&M, Banana Republic, Stella McCartney Reformation, Reflect, Viktor and Rolf, and Marc Jacobs are among the leading brands that are partially adopting sustainable fashion.

What Should We Do as a Muslim Consumer?

As known, Islam forbids extravagance. The Qur’anic verses and traditions, both, confirm that wasteful expenditure is a Greater sin. The Holy Qur’an says,

“…and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant.” (Surah al-Ar’āf 7:31)

Also, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) mentioned extravagance in a hadith:

“…And eat and drink and be not extravagant.”

Thus, Islam does not stop us from spending money on people’s genuine needs. It only restricts individuals from wasteful expenditures that come about by neglecting the rights of the public at-large. Excessive spending on things such as new fashion apparel is an example of extravagance. As Muslim consumers and business owners, we must follow Islamic guidelines while we are consuming. 

Also, Dr.Anna who has revealed valuable works in the field of sustainable fashion created a model called “Green Strategy”, which shows us how we can meet our need for dressing without wasting it in today’s world.

According to Dr. Anna Brismar, who is the founder and owner of Green Strategy and Circularfashion.com, which is the world’s first platform dedicated exclusively to circularity issues in fashion, companies, and consumers should adopt “Green Strategy” while producing and consuming. The figure below indicates seven forms of sustainable fashion from a consumer and producer perspective.

To avoid extravagance and participate in sustainable fashion for our environment, a Muslim manufacturer should produce all garments on-demand or custom-made, in high quality and timeless design,in an environmentally friendly manner and with consideration to various ethical aspects. Thereafter, Muslim consumers should use them long and well through good care, repair and perhaps redesign. When the product is no longer desired, it should be handed into a secondhand shop, donated to charity or handed over to friends, relatives or perhaps a swap-shop, to prolong its active life. When the garment is completely worn out, it should be returned to a collection point for the recycling of the textile material, which can then be reused in the manufacturing of new clothes or other textile products. Ideally, instead of buying newly produced clothes, one should consider renting, borrowing or swapping clothes, or buying secondhand or vintage.

The post Sustainable Modest Fashion and Muslim Consumers appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Digital marketing is the complete marketing process of a company or brand which encompasses all marketing efforts that use an electronic device or the internet. In today’s digital era, companies leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and other websites to connect with current and prospective customers. Digital marketing is a wide concept which include different marketing terms such as SEO,  Email Marketing, App marketing, Content Marketing, and Affiliate Marketing. In other words, while traditional marketing have communication tools such as print ads, direct mail or personal sales, digital marketing can occur electronically and online.This means that there are a number of endless possibilities for brands including email, video, social media, or website-based marketing opportunities. Today, we all live in a digital age and experience a period when people trade through social media channels, where the millennials study their lessons through Youtube and a new technology enters our lives every second.

In this case, companies should change their perspective. Instead of waiting for their target audience to come to them, they should be active in the digital world and reach the right target audience through the right medium. The most logical way of doing this is to follow the changes and trends in the digital world closely and determine the digital strategies that will make them successful.

Since digital marketing trends have been changing drastically every year, companies need to stay up-to-date on the upcoming trends so that they can manage all business processes effectively.

Let’s have a look what are the digital trends for 2020.

1. AI

Artificial intelligence will take over the world! Or at least the world’s simpler jobs. We saw this coming, and we will continue to see it. We are at the beginning of a period in which artificial intelligence is in place and human labor is reduced and turned into more quality oriented works. For instance, we will proceed directly with artificial intelligence for deficiencies in advertisements on a marketplace site, but maybe we will leave customer satisfaction to people again.

As another example, Microsoft and Uber are two companies – in addition to malls, sports arenas and campuses – that are using Knightscope K5 robots to “patrol parking lots and large outdoor areas to predict and prevent crime. The robots can read license plates, report suspicious activity and collect data to report to their owners.” You can rent these R2-D2-like robots for $7 an hour — which is less expensive than a human security guard’s wage. Moreover, this year, Google’s transition from AdWords to Ads and the use of artificial intelligence more extensively in campaign bidding strategies is enough to highlight the importance of artificial intelligence technologies for 2020.

2. Voice Search

Voice Search uses the power of speech recognition to search the web. Instead of typing use voice input to quickly and easily search for the things you care about. Although it seems like a brand-new concept, voice search technology has been around for a while. Programs such as speech-to-text and voice dialing are great examples of voice search. Over 25% of adults in the US own a smart speaker like an Amazon Echo or Google Home.

A new generation search type is now familiar with us and it is more common hearing these voices around.

“Alexa, how many Americans own a smart speaker?”

“66.4 million, or over ¼ of adults in the US.”

or

“Hey Google, How far away is the Moon?

“The Moon is 238,900 miles from Earth”

In addition, 31% of smartphone users worldwide use voice-activated search, like Siri, at least once a week. It is estimated that in 2020, 50% of all searches will be voice searches. That makes voice search one of the biggest online marketing trends of 2020.

More and more people continue to use Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant.

Voice search is different from typical desktop or mobile search. When you open Google in your browser and type your question, you’ll see hundreds of pages of search results. It’s not that hard for you to be one of them. But when you ask Siri a question, it will only give you a few specific results. Often only one, yes 1. If your website is one of them, you are lucky and you should adapt your SEO strategy for voice search. It may sound like a fantastic forecast right now, but by 2020, half of all search queries are predicted to be voice-based. Understanding the subtleties of voice search and adding them to your digital marketing strategy is definitely worthwhile.

 3. Personalization

Consumers want brands to deliver personalized products and services without any effort in exchange for their shared personal data. Companies that meet this expectation can achieve increased customer satisfaction, better basket amount and turnover as well as higher brand value. It’s no coincidence that giant brands like Apple and Amazon are the best companies in personalization. Personalization continues to advance as a successful way of influencing the future of the digital world.

According to research conducted by the digital marketing technology company Signal in the USA, a 60% increase is observed in the conversion rates obtained through personalized advertising. 53% of online consumers are more satisfied than retailers who offer a personalized shopping experience. The fact that 45% of users prefer websites that offer personalized product recommendations indicates that this ratio will increase as more recommendations are offered with more accurate personalization.

With hyper-personalization, which is one step ahead of personalization, it is possible to offer personalized products, promotions, discounts and advertisements to the user automatically. In hyper customization, the algorithms are used to determine what the customer needs before  provide detailed insights and enable person-based targeting.

4. Interactive Content

A recent research has shown striking results on the success and reliability of interactive content applications. According to the study;

o   two-thirds (66%) of the respondents stated that with the introduction of interactive content tactics, user participation increased,

o   four out of five content markers (79%) say that combining traditional content marketing tactics with interactive content makes the message catchy, and

o   two-thirds (67%) of the participants agreed that interactive content provided new ways of reformatting passive content.

Netflix, which is one of the world’s largest content producers has introduced interactive titles over the past few years and it first started with the Bandersnatch series.the way Netflix does it is to offer users choices which refer to specific timestamps.The way you can see Netflix doing this is on devices like PS4 which allow you to debug your watching. In the top right, you can see a time bar. When important decisions come around, the title can jump to other points in time. This type of content really impresses the audience deeply because the audience decide the course of the story.

                       An interactive screen example from Bandersnatch

Also, YouTube has set up a new team for interactive content and live features and is planning to offer brand new content to its audience.

5. Shoppable Posts

Instagram shoppable posts are changing the way people shop. Up until recently, adding a link to an Instagram bio was the only organic way for e-commerce stores to drive traffic from Instagram to their landing pages.

However, with shoppable links, suddenly brands have been given the opportunity to turn their Instagram accounts into visual stores, adding product tags and information to their images and linking to product web pages.

On Instagram when you tap a post, you may notice that a little shopping bag comes up in the lower left corner as does a price tag over the object.

From here users clicks on the tag  and reach a page that contains a product description, similar items featured on the same post and other shoppable posts from the brand. Then, if the consumer taps the “Shop Now”, they’ll go directly to the product page. For online retailers, this is a great way to drive traffic to product pages.

Retailers have been using shoppable for a few years, whereas it is believed that they will become one of the rising trends in 2020.

6. Video Ads by Influencers

The video advertising market continues its growth trend every year in 2020. In 2020, the most popular advertising model will be video ads. Users who encounter a lot of advertisements are bored and give importance to quality content in advertisements. The increase in the use of ad blocker applications is the most concrete indicator of this. Therefore, it is expected that there will be a trend towards Influencer Marketing.

7. Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR) 

In 2020, the number of Augmented Reality (AR) users is expected to exceed 1 billion. Moreover, it is possible to think that AR will be used four times more than its brother Virtual Reality (VR). AR technology is currently being used successfully by several brands. For example, IKEA, the world’s largest furniture and home decoration store chain, offers users the chance to see how furniture from their homes will look in their homes by it “Place” app. As an affordable application example; Estée Lauder, an American makeup and body care product manufacturer, uses Facebook Messenger chat bots to let users experience makeup products instantly. This technology is very expensive to make similar applications of IKEA. Therefore, you should consider the cost aspect and try more affordable solutions like Estée Lauder. Video content is one of the most common uses of AR. YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook watch more than 22 million videos daily and this number is increasing every day. With regular video content, users will only be able to draw attention for a few seconds, while AR technology can bring attention to 50 seconds. Similarly, you can use this technology to strengthen your brand communication on social media platforms.

Consumers who only need a little motivation to buy can be more easily convinced with AR. Many brands do well behind-the-scenes communication. “We are transparent, our production process is very transparent, come and observe us from production to delivery”. This transparency and sincerity also turns to them as a plus. AR can help such companies to show their experience from miles away, for example to a restaurant, customers before they step into the restaurant.

8. Email Marketing

Email is still one of the best channels you can utilize to nurture leads and get the sale, but it would only work if you study the data and have the right strategies for your business. It also helps to have an open mind about any upcoming trends, including artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and content intelligence. Email marketing is expected to be used more in 2020, due to increasing advertising costs and lower reach rates.

The post Digital Marketing Trends for 2020 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

When we do a quick search on modest fashion through Google, we get 192 million results. According to Pinterest UK reports, the number of searches on this term has increased by 500 percent since the beginning of 2019. Also, State of the Global Islamic Economy report indicates that Muslim consumers spent an estimated $243 billion on clothing in 2015. Modest fashion purchases by Muslim women were estimated at $44 billion that year, which was approximately 18% of the total. Muslim consumer spending on clothing is expected to reach $368 billion by 2021, which would be a 51% increase from 2015.

From Instagram’s online boutiques to High Street collections and designers’ catwalks, conservative fashion is everywhere now.

What Does Modest Fashion Refer to?

Modest fashion might be interpreted in different ways. This term is used in the most general sense to describe the style of clothing that does not reveal body lines, but rather conceals them. In other words the term modest fashion or modest dressing refers to a fashion trend in women of wearing less skin-revealing clothes, especially in a way that satisfies their spiritual and stylistic requirements for reasons of faith, religion or personal preference.

This type of clothing can include headscarves, hijabs, conservatively designed trousers, tunics, jackets and dresses.

The reason why women prefer conservative clothing and follow this fashion may be due to religious or cultural reasons, or it can be preferred for a more modest and aesthetic appearance.

How Does it Become so Popular?

The rise of modest fashion has emerged, especially with the increase in need for more elegant clothing options of conservative women.

A growing number of Muslim designers and social media stars have decided to fill the gap in the fashion market by attracting people and building online stores. Instagram is full of modest fashion pioneers such as Maria Alia, Habiba da Silva and Dian Pelangi.

 In addition to Muslim fashion designers who have organized fashion shows in many European countries, USA and Middle Eastern countries, many mainstream fashion brands over the years have attempted to produce creations to meet the wants and needs of conservative fashion consumers.

In 2014, DKNY launched the Ramadan collection, which was prepared by choosing the ones that are suitable for conservative clothing among its own pieces, and in 2015, H&M introduced its first hijab model, Mariah Idrissi. In 2018, the American clothing retailer GAP featured a Muslim model with her hijab in its social media, print, and video campaign. Moreover, Nike released its first sports hijab, the pro women’s hijab.

H&M 2015 Collection

Modest fashion even has its own Fashion Week. In 2017, London hosted the first Modest Fashion Festival, featuring a variety of luxury and contemporary modest fashion brands, proving that everyone can be appreciated regardless of their religious or cultural identity.

In 2018, H&M presented its modest clothing collection, LTD Collection, to attract global consumers.

London Modest Fashion Week

Furthermore, other mainstream brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger launched their Ramadan capsule collections and reached out to Muslim consumers in Middle Eastern countries.

H&M’s design manager Pernilla Wohlfahrt said the brand responds to customer interest, adding: “Today H&M is active in sixty nine different markets and we want to be distinguishing and inclusive in all the markets in which we operate. We want to offer everyone something”.

Recently, the online retailing company ASOS also introduced its modest fashion collection “Verona”, adding that the new brand is open for sale in Macy’s stores in the US.

Future of the Modest Fashion

The future of modest fashion seems promising since the number of famous brands and marquee events celebrating modest fashion is increasing. However, if brands aim to expand this trend, they need to understand that wearing the hijab and employing this style of dress is a commitment to a modest, religious lifestyle first and foremost.

Also, it is very crucial that the Muslimah point of view should remain at the forefront of this modest fashion expansion.

World-famous brands that decide to meet the needs and wants of an underrepresented part of the global market should understand the religious and cultural values of their target audiences. Choosing the cultural insensitivity path to increase the market share will be a very wrong decision for brands.

The post What is Modest Fashion and Why is it Becoming Mainstream? appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

The most important factors in increasing incomes of Muslims include better education, better jobs and having a much younger population than the world on average. In general, the Muslim population live in 30 different emerging markets, in which they make up the majority population. Overall, these economies consists of more than 12% of the world’s GDP and one-fifth of its population. Broadly speaking, the Muslim population is growing, Muslims work harder are more productive, and are earning better than before. According to Statista, the existing Muslim market size is approximately valued at $2.11 billion and has potential to grow to about $3 billion by 2023.

Existing and potential value of the Muslim market worldwide in 2017 and 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars) Source: www.statista.com

The Muslim lifestyle market is estimated to be more than $26 trillion, and the Muslim population is more than $1 billion, including more than 81 countries. It has a very young demographic structure that grows not only in numbers but also in terms of spending and impact. Besides, Muslim consumers seem to be hesitant about linking with brands.

Unfortunately, Muslim consumers’ wants and needs are not taken into account by marketers to give an accurate analysis and the power of the Muslim economy is often underestimated. Muslims are a largely underserved and frequently overlooked economic sector. According to the Pew Research Center’s world wide survey 90% of Muslims claims that their faith impacts their buying habits, therefore categorically ignoring the needs of Muslim consumers is clearly a costly mistake.

However repeated studies show that two-thirds of Muslim consumers are consistently disappointed by Western brands. Do brands consider Millenial Muslim consumers? How should we describe this new generation? These young consumers are very understanding, very knowledgeable and blame the brands for this situation. They want to see that they are served correctly and respectfully.

What we see is the emergence of young consumers, they are more conscious buyers who focus on values and ethics. They want to relate to their standard values, but at the same time they are very conscious with the environment, eating healthy and peace. These kind of consumers are basically being considered as the new segment of the Muslim market. One of the characteristic features of Generation M (Millennial Muslims) is the reconciliation of faith and modernity. As mentioned before, more than 90 percent say that their beliefs somehow affects their consumption, not always and for everything, but in some way. This is a starting point for brands. Young Muslims, whether or not they are in the communication or content of brands, want to be recognized and linked.

Opposing the prejudices of both the West and the East, this group prefers to exist within the globalizing world while preserving its own identity. At this point, brands must have the deep insights that go beyond stereotypes in minds, and the courage and foresight to put into practice right strategies.

Briefly, brands need to understand how fast the Muslim consumer market is expanding, realize the opportunities in this market better, and make more efforts to connect with young Muslim consumers that consists of a big percentage of this market.

The post Muslim Consumer Market is Expanding: Be Aware of the New Muslim Consumer Landscape appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.