Introduction: The Bitter Aftertaste of Failure

So your last Eid campaign gave you a sour taste – like overcooked biryani. But fear not! We’ve dissected our mistakes, marinated in insights, and cooked up a recipe for success. It’s never too early to lick your wounds and strategize for next year, Let’s dive into the spices that’ll turn our next Eid campaign into a feast for the senses.

1. Cultural Sensitivity: The Missing Ingredient

From Generic to Genuine: Crafting an Authentic Eid Campaign

Many Eid campaigns resemble a confetti shower of clichéd greetings. Both Muslim and mainstream toss around “Eid Mubarak” like a handful of glitter – pretty but lacking substance. But Eid isn’t just about dates and desserts; it’s a rich tapestry of emotions, traditions, and connections.

The Solution: Authenticity as Our Secret Spice

1. Understand Eid Traditions

Qurbani (Sacrifice): Dive into the significance. Explore how families prepare, perform, and distribute sacrificial meat. Highlight the aspect of giving to the less fortunate – how it reaches those in need.

Prayers and Reflection: Capture the communal prayers – the rows of worshippers, the whispered supplications. Show the serenity of the mosque during Eid Salah. The spiritual side of things is essential to avoid commercializing Eid like Christmas is and your brand drowning in the noise.

Feasting and Togetherness: Showcase families gathered around tables, sharing biryani, kebabs, and sheer khurma (a festival vermicelli pudding ). It’s not just food; it’s love served on plates.

2. Avoid Stereotypes, Embrace Authentic Imagery

No More Stock Photos: Minimize generic images of crescent moons and lanterns. Instead, capture real moments – a child’s wide-eyed excitement, an elder’s wrinkled smile during Eid hugs.

Diverse Faces: Eid isn’t a monolith. It’s celebrated by Muslims worldwide – from Indonesia to Morocco. Show diverse faces, clothing, and traditions. Let every Muslim feel seen.

3. Collaborate with Muslim Creators

Invite Creativity: Partner with Muslim artists, photographers, and writers. They’ll infuse your campaign with cultural nuances, personal stories, and genuine passion.

User-Generated Content: Encourage your community to share their Eid moments. Their authenticity will resonate far more than staged photos.

All of the above is also true for Eid Ul Fitr with a true understanding of both, Ramadan and Eid Ul Fitr.

Remember, your Eid campaign isn’t just about marketing; it’s about celebrating a beautiful tapestry of faith, family, and festivity. Let’s season it with authenticity, and watch it unfold like a heartfelt dua.

• Mistake: We sprinkled generic Eid greetings like confetti. But Eid isn’t just about dates and desserts; it’s about sacrifice, gratitude, and family.
• Solution: Authenticity is our secret spice. Understand Eid traditions – the Qurbani (sacrifice), communal prayers, and feasting. Avoid stereotypes; instead, embrace the spirit of giving and community. Collaborate with Muslim creators – they’ll add the right flavors.

Read: Crafting an Impactful Eid ul Adha Marketing Campaign: A Guide for Brands Targeting Muslim Audiences

2. Product Offerings: The Undercooked Kebabs

Spicing Up Our Offerings: A Recipe for Success

In the flavorful world of product offerings, we’ve all tasted the blandness of monotony. Our mistake? Serving up the same old dishes – predictable, forgettable, and lacking that zing. But fear not! 

The Solution: Diversify Your Product Offerings

1. Limited-Edition Delight Examples

Eid Mubarak Macarons: Picture delicate Eid Mubarak macarons in vibrant colors – each one whispering festive greetings. These little treats are not just desserts; they’re joy-filled moments.

Halal and Tayyab Crisps: Crispy, bold, and Halal-certified! Imagine chips with flavors inspired by global cuisines – from tangy tandoori to aromatic za’atar. Make casual Eid snacking an adventure to accommodate those who are less inclined to traditional Eid snacks.

Discounts with Heart: Yes, discounts! But let’s frame them as gifts. “Share the Eid spirit – 20% off for your loved ones!” It’s not just about saving money; it’s about sharing blessings.

Unwrap Joy: To enhance your Eid campaign, create thoughtful Eid-themed packaging. Instead of overwhelming designs, subtly incorporate crescent moons, henna-inspired motifs, and personalized heartfelt messages. This way, whether unboxed by a young student in New York or an elder in Lahore, your packaging will evoke joy and resonate with both traditional and modern sensibilities.

3. The London Eid Festival Magic

Replicate the Buzz: Remember the London Eid Festival? The vibrant stalls, the laughter, the aroma of samosas – let’s capture that energy. Virtual or in-store, let your creativity go wild and create the ultimate Eid wonderland for your customers.

Interactive Experiences: Virtual tastings, live cooking demos, or DIY decorating kits – let customers be part of the festival. Engage their senses and create lasting memories.

Remember, our Eid campaign isn’t just about products; it’s about creating moments that linger on taste buds and in hearts. Let’s season it with love and watch it sizzle!

• Mistake: Your product lineup was as bland as unsalted rice. No special editions, no Eid-themed packaging.
• Solution: Spice up our offerings! Launch limited-edition Halal-certified goodies – think “Eid Mubarak Macarons” or “Halal and Tayyab Crisps.” Discounts? Yes, please! Frame them as gifts – sharing is caring. Remember the London Eid Festival? Let’s replicate that buzz.

3. Digital Campaigns: The Stale Samosas

From Flat to Fabulous: Elevating Our Eid Social Media Game

Your social media presence during Eid resembled a tray of stale samosas – unappetizing, lacking spice, and gathering dust. Engagement? Minimal. Storytelling? Nonexistent. But fear not! We’re about to change all of that with creativity, authenticity, and heart.

The Solution: Ignite the Platforms

Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: These platforms are your magic wands. Fire them up! Post vibrant visuals, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and heartfelt messages. Show the hustle in the kitchen, the joy of family reunions, and the sparkle in kids’ eyes.

Hashtags: #EidVibes and #HalalFeast – sprinkle them like confetti. Hashtags are your secret sauce. They connect you to the global Eid party. When Muslims search for #EidInspo, be there, serving up inspiration.

Embrace the Flock: Muslims flock to social media during Eid – it’s your digital Eid market. Let’s serve them content that resonates. Eid fashion, home decor, recipes – it’s all on the menu.

Storytelling Time: Share heartwarming tales. Remember Grandma’s secret biryani recipe? Or that time the whole neighborhood pitched in for a surprise Eid gift? Stir emotions; let nostalgia simmer.

Authenticity Garnish: Sprinkle authenticity generously. Real stories, real people. Auntie Fatima’s henna-stained hands, Uncle Ahmed’s contagious laughter – they’re our stars. No stock photos; just genuine moments.

Remember, our social media isn’t just a megaphone; it’s a cozy corner where hearts connect. Let’s inflate that balloon, tie it with a ribbon of authenticity, and watch it soar!

• Mistake: Your social media game was flatter than a deflated balloon. No engagement, no storytelling.
• Solution: Fire up Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok! Use hashtags like #EidVibes and #HalalFeast. Muslims flock to social media during Eid – let’s serve them content. 

4. Inclusivity: The Burnt Biryani

From Tunnel Vision to Visionary and Diverse

Your previous approach to Eid overlooked the rich tapestry of diverse Muslim communities. You served a burnt biryani – lacking nuance, depth, and cultural variety. But fear not! We’re about to create a feast that celebrates unity in diversity.

The Solution: A Global Eid Palette

Indonesian Ketupat: Imagine woven rice cakes, steamed in coconut leaves. They symbolize unity and gratitude. Let’s showcase them – a taste of Indonesia for our global audience.

Somali Anjero: These spongy, pancake-like delights are a staple during Eid. Their tangy flavor and versatility make them a must-try. Let’s introduce our community to Somali culinary artistry.

Visual Feast: Your social media and packaging will be a gallery of colors, patterns, and stories. From Moroccan henna to Syrian Kibbeh – let’s celebrate the beauty of diversity.

Spotlight on Communities: Feature real families celebrating Eid – from Sao Paolo to Seoul. Their smiles, their traditions – they’re your stars. Show communities from different backgrounds sharing meals, laughter, and love. It’s not just about food; it’s about connection.

• Mistake: You overlooked diverse Muslim communities. Eid isn’t a monolith; it’s a mosaic of cultures.
• Solution: Let’s create an inclusive spread. Highlight different Eid traditions – from Indonesian ketupat to Somali anjero. Celebrate unity in diversity.Team Spirit: The Messy Kitchen

• Solution: Let’s create an inclusive spread. Highlight different Eid traditions – from Indonesian ketupat to Somali anjero. Celebrate unity in diversity. 

5. Team Spirit: The Messy Kitchen

Too Many (Solo) Chefs Spoil the Halwa

Your team resembled solo chefs – each stirring their pot but missing out on the magic of collaboration. No fusion of flavors, no culinary breakthroughs. But fear not! We’re about to turn our kitchen into a bustling bazaar of ideas.

The Solution: Stir the Pot!

Empower Ownership: Let team members own their dishes. The designer crafts the plating, the writer sprinkles storytelling, and the data wizard adds the secret spice of insights.

Innovation Buffet: Encourage experimentation. Your kitchen isn’t a fixed menu; it’s a buffet. Let’s serve up new techniques, fresh ingredients, and unexpected pairings.

Cross-Functional Dance: Imagine your designers salsa-ing with data, your writers waltzing with developers. Cross-functional collaboration isn’t just a buzzword; it’s your flavor enhancer.

• Mistake: Your team worked like solo chefs – no collaboration, no innovation.
• Solution: Stir the pot! Encourage experimentation. Let team members own their dishes. Empower creativity. Cross-functional collaboration? Yes, please! Your designers, writers, and data wizards need to dance together – like a synchronized biryani-making flash mob.

Bonus Ideas for Celebrating Diversity During Eid

Virtual Cultural Exchange: Organize virtual events where people from different backgrounds share their unique Eid traditions. Whether it’s a live cooking demonstration, storytelling session, or music performance, these exchanges foster understanding and appreciation.

Eid Recipe Swap: Encourage families to exchange traditional Eid recipes. An Italian family might share their lemon ricotta cake recipe with a Mexican family, who reciprocate with Dulce De Leche pastry pockets recipe. It’s a delightful way to taste the world’s flavors.

Eid Art Exhibition: Invite artists from diverse backgrounds to create Eid-themed art. Paintings, calligraphy, or digital illustrations – each piece reflects a different cultural lens. Display these artworks online or in a physical gallery.

Multilingual Greetings: Create Eid greeting cards or social media posts that feature “Eid Mubarak” in various languages. Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Swahili, Malay, and more – let’s celebrate linguistic diversity.

Eid Storybook: Collaborate with writers and illustrators to create a children’s storybook that highlights Eid celebrations across cultures. Each story introduces young readers to different traditions and values.

Conclusion: From Failures to Feasts

Your next Eid campaign won’t be a soggy samosa. It’ll be a flavor explosion – saffron-infused, rose-scented, and community-approved. Work with the most prominent and most experienced team of Muslim advertising experts at MAN. Let’s cook up success, one authentic ingredient at a time together. Bismillah!

The post Why Your Last Eid Campaign Flopped: 5 Ways to Make the Next One Spectacular appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

On December 6, 2022, The Drum announced on its website that “Tesco’s Ramadan billboard wins top prize at The Drum Awards for Out of Home”. The campaign titled “Together this Ramadan” promoted solidarity with Muslims and was very well thought out and planned.

Tesco is one of the biggest supermarket chains in the United Kingdom. There are about 4 million Muslims in the country who observe fasting during Ramadan. In 2018, Ramadan spending in the UK was worth more than £200m to the UK economy.

However, the festival is frequently misrepresented or completely absent in British media, with many UK Muslims believing they are frequently portrayed negatively or stereotyped.

Tesco is not immune to making mistakes and if you are from the UK, you may remember the 2017 Christmas TV ad that made both Islamophobes and Muslims unhappy. They, however, seem to have gotten their 2022 Ramadan advertising right.

Top-Notch Digital Billboard Advertising Strategy

The Drum, who are the initiators of “The Drum Awards for Out of Home”, which Tesco won in 2022, explain:

… with the Muslim community often feeling misunderstood or unheard, the brand set out to change this and Ramadan was the most important moment to do so, celebrating and supporting the Muslim community while educating and raising awareness among non-Muslims.

Tesco used smart data to place their digital billboard in key Muslim hotspot areas in West London, Birmingham, and Bradford. However, what was really fantastic about their billboards is that they used day-and-night technology to display images and messages appropriate for when Muslims were still fasting and different ones after Muslims broke their fast. That way, no fasting Muslim would look up and see a 14 feet high and 48 feet wide digital version of pulao or biryani (popular rice dishes from South Asia) while they were still fasting.

This is what the digital billboards looked like:

According to The Drum, the campaign resulted in a 275% increase in Tesco and Ramadan mentions on social media, and Muslim consumers absolutely loved it. The net sentiment (the net value of total positive mentions minus total negative mentions on social media) was even stronger than that of Tesco’s 2021 Christmas campaign +13 versus +12.

There Was More!

Along with the billboard campaign, there was a social media campaign that featured Tesco stocking up on relevant products and sharing recipes. The social media campaign and in-store presence expanded on the billboard message by offering practical and entertaining ideas for enjoying Iftar (the meal that breaks the fast), throughout Ramadan.

Tesco’s Ramadan campaign digital board was created by BBH London. Helen Rhodes, who joined BBH London as Executive Creative Director, from BBC, in 2021 said:

Our creative ambition was simple, to create work that is not only representative but also gave a voice to our Muslim creative industry.

In an interview on LBB Online, BBH London’s Ciara Boyle (Creative Art Director) and Chloe Neal (Copywriter) summed up the following:

The response has been incredible. This campaign has sparked conversation amongst both Muslim and non-Muslim communities across the UK and further afield. It’s been shared by numerous publications with a combined reach of 10.4 million in the UK, France, and Turkey, with lots of positive sentiments across social media.

Do you want to create great marketing campaigns for your brand in Ramadan and beyond?

Take the next necessary next step and click on the button below.

The post Tesco’s Ramadan 2022 Campaign Wins the Praise of Experts and the Hearts of Muslims appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

While mainstream advertising has recently started to take diversity and inclusion into account, Islam has been advocating it for one and a half millennia.

Yet today most of the advertising targeted toward Muslims is very monotonous in nature and ethnocentric (to apply one’s own culture or ethnicity as a frame of reference) at best.

This may partly be caused by brands consulting or working with Muslim marketing agencies or in-house marketing teams that lack diversity themselves.

In our last blog post on how to choose the right Muslim marketing agency, we addressed this issue:

“Make sure that the agency has a thorough knowledge of the composition of the Muslim consumer market. The Muslim market is made up of people from all ethnic backgrounds, and when we say “all” we mean “ALL”!”

In this blog post, we take a look at how to create inclusive Eid ad campaigns so that you don’t isolate any group within the Muslim community. After all, the more Muslims you resonate with, the better your ROI.

April is Diversity Month

At Muslim Ad Network we are keen to bring back the spirit of diversity in Islam. At a time when Muslims are a fragmented community, we want to play our part in changing that.

It all starts with making sure everyone is included and no Muslim is left out. 

This blog post coincides with Diversity Month (April):

We take a look at how you can create a more inclusive Eid ad campaign this year based on:

• Using Neutral Messaging
• Diversifying Your Ad Content While Avoiding Tokenism
• Making Your Ad Content Accessible

#1: Use Neutral Messaging in Your Eid Advertising

While many Muslims celebrate Eid ul Fitr (celebration after Ramadan ends) and Eid ul Adha (celebration during the pilgrimage season) as religious holidays, some celebrate it as a cultural holiday rather than a religious one.

Keeping this in mind, it makes sense to think about the language you use to promote your Eid ad campaign this year.

You may want to consider different messaging to serve the variety of perceptions people have of Eid. However, this could get a bit complicated. Focusing on common values allows you to be inclusive to all Muslims, regardless of religiosity levels, sects, or ethnic backgrounds.

With neutral messaging, you can focus on themes like community, family, and giving back; all of which are highly revered in Islam.

Your ad could, for instance, focus on the importance of connection and unplugging from our phones and social media. Such ad campaigns would be relatable given how hooked we are to our phones. It is also a clever way of celebrating the spirit of Eid and connecting with family whilst offering a  neutral message.

#2: Diversify Eid Ad Content But Avoid Tokenism

Create ads that include and speak to more than one demographic. This is an important factor when planning your Eid marketing campaign. You should also be aware of the type of Muslim consumers that are out there and incorporate that into your strategy.

However, be careful not to tokenize any group within the Muslim community. Your Eid ad content should authentically reflect the Muslim community. Think about how your Muslim audience intersects with various races, dress codes, body types, ages, and (dis)abilities.

Creating fully inclusive and diverse Eid content cannot be debated as Muslims from all walks of life celebrate this joyous day; it is a must!

Your diversity efforts should be at the forefront of your marketing strategy – not just at the top of your Instagram feed during Eid. You can learn more about this by reading How to Target Advertisements to Muslims with Impactful Diversity and Inclusion Marketing.

“It’s not enough to simply cast diversity and inclusion…you need to build it into the fabric of your brand.” – Larry Milstein, LaterCon speaker, and Gen Z expert, 

Your inclusive Eid marketing campaigns must be an extension of your everyday content, so it becomes business as usual once Eid comes around. The takeaway? Your Muslim advertising should be inclusive all year-round.

If you can’t afford your own photoshoots, purchase stock images that represent diversity. In addition to that, expand your network of influencers so that your influencer marketing strategy is more representative of your diverse Muslim audience.

#3: Make Your Content Accessible

“People with disabilities are the largest and most diverse minority globally. Disabilities are represented by all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds.”

Source: Muslim Brands Must Be at the Forefront of Disability-Inclusive Marketing

The creation of accessible content is not only beneficial to those with visual and hearing impairments but can also strengthen your digital community and improve engagement.

Accessibility doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive.

Subtitles are a quick win for all of your video content, whether it’s for YouTube, TikTok, or IGTV. The majority of videos (85%) on Facebook are watched without sound, so you need to make sure your video is streamlined for silent viewing.

Another way to create accessible content easily is by using engaging image descriptions in your social media captions. These are helpful for people with visual impairments.

You can include alternative (Alt) text in your social media posts, including on LinkedIn and Instagram. It goes without saying that this should be the case for website images.

Alternative (Alt) text is meant to convey the “why” of the image as it relates to the content of a document or webpage. It is read aloud to users by screen reader software, and it is indexed by search engines.

Source: Harvard University – Digital Accessibility

For everything you want to know about accessibility please check out the WCAG Accessibility Check List

Conclusion
Access to the internet has turned the world into a global village and the new generation of Muslims see the world differently from how our parents saw it. No longer is ethnic culture the driver of Islamic identity as deemed by first-generation Muslim immigrants to the West.

If our marketing and advertising content do not catch up, we will waste a lot of time and money creating campaigns that for the most part fall on deaf ears.

We must also remember those who have disabilities, but of course, deserve as much attention as everyone else. This is especially true because compared to mainstream advertising, Muslim advertising is far behind on this issue.

If you are looking for a partner to advertise to Muslims for Eid and beyond who embodies what we mentioned in this blog post contact Muslim Ad Network. We have been advertising to Muslims for over a decade.

The post How to Create an Inclusive Eid Ad Campaign appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

“In 2018, the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2018/19 reported that in 2017, the global Islamic economy reached $2.1 trillion and is expected to reach $3 trillion in 2023.”

Yet today many mainstream businesses still have no formal plan of entering the Muslim market.

In 2016, Tabish Hasan, Chief Executive of Muslim Ad Network, was featured in The Guardian as he compared the failure of established mainstream brands to tap into the Muslim market today to the same sentiment regarding the Hispanic market in the United States in the 1980s.

Source: Hispanic American Muslim Consumers – What You Need to Know

The General Cost of Indecision

If it is common sense for businesses to go after the next wave of untapped markets that are growing exponentially, why is the decision to enter those markets so slow?

Well, it turns out that indecision is a silent parasite in many businesses –  big and small.

Decision-makers worry about making the wrong decisions which often leads to a lot of back and forth. In today’s world of business, decision-making is more complex than ever. Not only that, more people are involved in making decisions.

The Dollar-cost of Indecision

According to a McKinsey report, Decision Making in the Age of Urgency, more than 50% of the time businesses spend in making decisions is inefficient.

“…more than half of this time was thought to be spent ineffectively. For managers at an average Fortune 500 company, this could translate into more than 530,000 days of lost working time and roughly $250 million of wasted labor costs per year.”

Source: McKinsey

The Employee-cost of Indecision

Methodify breaks down the cost of indecision in working hours lost per employee:

Source: The Cost of Indecision – Methodify

An Example of How Businesses Miss Out on Muslim Markets 

A company is planning to expand its market reach by targeting minority groups with impressive buying power and strong growth.

The marketing team has a substantial budget and has singled out the Muslim consumer market as a vital target for their campaign during the upcoming “Ramadan consumer season”. The marketing team brings in an external Muslim consumer market advertising expert to help with the campaigns.

Both the in-house marketing team and the external expert present to the senior management their plans and data that shows the opportunities in targeting Muslim customers.

Then it happens! None of the senior managers can agree on whether Muslim consumers will understand the marketing team’s approach. They also debate on how Muslims will be represented on collateral without causing them to feel patronized.

After hours of debating, the issue is unresolved and everyone leaves the meeting because of other commitments. This goes on a couple of times and before you know it, Ramadan has come and gone and the campaign is abandoned.

Does this sound familiar?

Don’t Miss Out Anymore

Time is the one asset that your business has that you can’t recover or compensate once you waste it. So let us look at how to solve the indecision dilemma.

Going back to the same meeting in our previous example. Let’s say that this time one of the marketing team members has insights into Ramadan Muslim consumer behavior, the most efficient way to prepare products for Ramadan, and more.

Let’s say the team conducted a Ramadan consumer market survey and understands how both Muslim customers and brands that target them during Ramadan behave.

The issue of Muslim consumers not understanding the marketing team’s approach and the concern about patronizing them is easily resolved.

Getting the right data from the right sources is the answer to inefficient decision-making.

Conclusion

Inefficient-decision making is costing many companies and organizations time and money. The best way to avoid this is through gathering relevant data from the right sources. The Muslim consumer market is one of the biggest and fastest-growing untapped markets in the world. 

​​Ramadan is the pinnacle of Muslim consumer activity. According to Google, “Better with Ramadan” search queries in the week before the holy month grew 16% year-on-year. Content consumption and online shopping are also up. 

Get in touch and let us help you penetrate one of the biggest untapped markets during its peak buying season. Also, Muslim consumers don’t magically disappear after Ramadan. Subscribe to the MAN newsletter and stay in the know about the Muslim market trends throughout the year.

The post At Risk of Missing Out on the $3 Trillion Muslim Market During Peak Season Again? appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Six-Part Series

Part 1: Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior

Part 2: Preparing Your Products and Services for Ramadan

Part 3: Using Your Blog to Promote Your Brand for Ramadan

Part 4: Using Social Media to Gain Ramadan Buyers

Part 5: Mail and Email as Promoting Tools for Ramadan

Part 6: Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Bonus: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

The community has been an integral aspect of Muslim life and culture from the onset of Islam. There is no better time to amplify community activities for Muslims than in Ramadan.

Here are a few simple but impactful ways to create a community around your brand in Ramadan.

Organize a Family Activity

Host a family activity and invite members of the community to bring their kids in for a fun day or contest. Since it’s Ramadan, keep in mind that it should not be too close to iftar time, unless you are hosting iftar. 

Have some giveaways that are connected to your business. If that is not possible, give away branded gifts.

Not sure of where to start with family events? Here are some ideas to get you started:

Family Volunteer Day

A family volunteer day helps parents spend the day with their kids, the kids learn about the joy of helping others, and your organization gets exposure.

Family Green Day

“If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him.”

Source: Bukhari

Organize a plant-a-tree day to help your community become greener.

Cookery Day

Hosting a cooking event, especially baking will be a fun way of getting families in your community to engage with your brand. This one is definitely one for times close to iftar.

Support Local Charities  

Contribute a percentage of your profits, donate your products or services, or offer customers discounts when they contribute to the charity as well.

When supporting local charities and nonprofit organizations during Ramadan keep the following in mind:

Find a Good Match 

Work with a charity that is a good match to your business so that there is a common purpose. For example, if you are a food brand, you would want to work with your local food bank.

Support a Fundraising Event

This is a must-do because it is a highly visible way to support a charity. Your business can offer to collect donations at your offices or stores.

Get and Maintain Exposure

Your charitable efforts in the community during Ramadan should help you obtain meaningful exposure to influential people. Working with established nonprofits can get you connected to influential people in the community and beyond.

Do it for the Hereafter

Forget everything I said about influential people, exposure, and promoting your brand. Do it to please The Creator and He shall reward you here and when you are standing in front of Him on the day of judgment.

If your organization is a charity download the free Ramadan Charity Campaign Report:

Volunteer 

Get your most energetic employees and together volunteer at a local food bank. Give back to your community and strengthen your relationships with the people that form it.

Helping the most vulnerable people in your community shows everyone that you care. This will increase your likeability. And as they say, “ people buy from people they like”.

No one wants to hand their precious dollars to some faceless corporation or sign a contract with someone they have never heard of..

We all want to buy from people and businesses we can trust. Spending your valuable time during Ramadan to help others will certainly raise your likeability profile.

Here are some quick and easy volunteer ideas:

Serve Seniors in your Community. 

You may volunteer at a nursing home, work with Meals on Wheels or help the elderly by doing their shopping at the local store.

Mentor Kids 

Create a program to help children from all walks of life. You can help guide them in everything from the completion of homework to major life choices like applying to college. 

Clean your Community

Litter and graffiti lower the quality of life for everyone in a community. By joining organizations committed to keeping the neighborhood clean, or organizing your own efforts with your employees, you help raise the quality of life in your community.

Lastly, remember that you may be promoting your business or organization but if you are a Muslim organization, you are also promoting Islam during the holy month of Ramadan.

For a complete strategy for marketing and especially digital marketing to Muslims during Ramadan please read all six parts of this series. We also advise you to contact us so we can help you with your specific Muslim and halal advertising needs during Ramadan and beyond.

Read the full Ramadan Survey Report  2022 (no email or download required).

The post Preparing Your Marketing for Ramadan – Part 6 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Six-Part Series

Part 1: Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior

Part 2: Preparing Your Products and Services for Ramadan

Part 3: Using Your Blog to Promote Your Brand for Ramadan

Part 4: Using Social Media to Gain Ramadan Buyers

Part 5: Mail and Email as Promoting Tools for Ramadan

Part 6: Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Bonus: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

Traditional mail is like radio, it never seems to go away despite all the advancements in technology. In fact, traditional mail nowadays has a romantic feeling to it. Especially during the holiday season.

With Ramadan fast approaching at the time of writing this blog post, we take a look at how to utilize both traditional mail and email to engage and convert Muslim consumers during this holy month.

Ramadan Cards or Gifts

Yes, it’s not quite customary for Muslims to receive ‘Ramadan cards’. But that’s what makes it even more special. As the first brand out there or one of the first few doing so may keep you top of mind for quite some time. Design and send ‘Ramadan cards’ or small gifts to loyal customers and vendors through traditional mail. They will appreciate the thoughtful and personalized approach.

Ramadan eCards  

It’s not just about gaining new Muslim customers during Ramadan. Delight your current customers by sending them an eCard, thanking them for being a customer, and providing them with a special offer.

This can be done separately or in tandem with the first item on this list: “Ramadan Cards or Gifts”.

Pre/Post Ramadan Email  

Send out an email before and after the holy month of Ramadan, announcing pre/post-Ramadan deals, or encouraging your Muslim audience to redeem gift cards and offers.

You can make it even more special by sending the gift cards through traditional mail.

Ramadan Themed Newsletter

Create catchy Ramadan- themed newsletters with engaging titles such as below (make sure it is in line with your brand personality):

• “How to keep focus at work during long summer Ramadan days” – HR Agency
• “How to lose weight instead of gaining weight in Ramadan” – Nutritionist
• “What happens to your muscle mass when you fast in Ramadan?” – Fitness Coach

Promote Social Media 

Promote your Ramadan-based social media campaigns via email, with screenshots to pique interest. On the flip side, you can let people know via social media if there’s a special offer waiting for them in their inbox.

Local Event Email Bulletin

Ramadan is a great time to connect with people who live and work in your community. Plan a special event for local shoppers. Even if you do not have a brick-and-mortar store you can still do something virtual. A virtual event is very relevant during these post-COVID-19 times.

Charity Event Email Promo

If you plan to organize a charitable event, promote your charity event via TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram hashtag via email. If you don’t have a dedicated hashtag you can always create one just for Ramadan and promote this in your newsletter. Otherwise, you can piggyback on a hashtag like  #GivingTuesday (Twitter).

Anything you can do to promote your business or organization can be promoted via email. However, for you to maximize engagement make sure you do the following:

Subscriber Validation

This is for those who have large lists of subscribers that they have collected over the years. Make sure you clean up your list. Especially if some of the subscribers came from lists that you bought.

This is not only safer for your brand with all the privacy regulations popping up, but it also helps you focus on subscribers who actually want to hear from you. Just send out an email asking those who have not been actively opening your emails if they still want to receive your emails.

Most if not all of the email vendors like MailChimp rate your subscribers based on their engagement with the emails you send them. So you should be able to segment and send your validation emails. Do this way before Ramadan.

Many may unsubscribe, but you will have more quality subscribers in the end.

Encourage Engagement

Add an email share button to your email template. This may encourage your subscribers to share your content within their network. This will help increase awareness of your brand as well as expand your reach.

Call to Action

Your email or newsletter must always have an impeccably clear call to action. If your email is focused on generating sales, tell your customers exactly what you’d like them to purchase and remind them of the benefits they will gain by doing so.

The “From” Field

When users check their inboxes, the first thing they notice is the “from” field. Campaign Monitor, recently stated that 68% of Americans base their decision to open an email on the ‘from’ name. 

Compelling Subject Line

The relevance of your subject line can make the difference between someone opening your email or relegating it to the spam folder. Write a subject line that resonates with your Muslim audience.

Make it creative and engaging, and relevant to what you talk about in the email. Avoid click baits at all costs. That will probably get your subscribers unsubscribing as it can be annoying.

Email Marketing to Muslim Consumers

At Muslim Ad Network we have access to targeted email lists. We can organize custom e-mail solutions for your needs. 

E-mail marketing to Muslim consumers is a great compliment to the banner advertising campaigns we offer. It allows your brand and your message to stay top of mind for an already opted-in consumer.

Feel free to contact MAN to learn more about our special Ramadan offers.

Read the full Ramadan Survey Report  2022 (no email or download required).

The post Preparing Your Marketing for Ramadan – Part 5 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Six-Part Series

Part 1: Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior

Part 2: Preparing Your Products and Services for Ramadan

Part 3: Using Your Blog to Promote Your Brand for Ramadan

Part 4: Using Social Media to Gain Ramadan Buyers

Part 5: Mail and Email as Promoting Tools for Ramadan

Part 6: Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Bonus: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

In part 4 of our Ramadan series, we take a look at utilizing social media to gain more Ramadan engagement and buyers. You may also be interested in our article posted in October 2020 where we discuss “How to Leverage Muslim Consumer Behavior Online with Social Media Marketing”.

Here is a list of what you can do to boost your entity’s presence during the holy month of Ramadan and gain more engagement and buyers.

1- Adapt Your Social Media Images to the Season

Adapt your social media banner and cover photos on your social media platforms to reflect the Ramadan atmosphere and mood. Make sure the images resonate with fasting Muslims and don’t just go crazy with images of crescents and lanterns.

2- Show the Human Side of Your Organization 

Post some behind-the-scenes images and videos to capture the human side of your business. Share moments like having iftar together or going to the mosque together. If you are a mainstream organization you can ask some of your Muslim employees to share a moment at the office for example.

3- Become More Engaging

Boost engagement on social media by getting your followers conversing with you and even with one another. Post fun questions like “What is your favorite Ramadan moment?” User-generated content is a great way to create engagement.

4- Create  a Product or Service of the Day

Feature a product or service of the day on your social media platforms. Then have one mega offer for the first ten days, the twenty-day threshold, and the last ten days of Ramadan. Muslims are very conscious of these milestones, so it is a great way to get their attention and offer discounts.

5- Make a Ramadan Video 

Create a Ramadan video with your team and share it on all social media platforms. It doesn’t need to look professional! A simple video with real people and a sincere message from the heart may do wonders.

6- Start a Ramadan-Themed Hashtag  

Post a photo to Instagram and Twitter or start a contest with a custom Ramadan-themed hashtag for your organization. Encourage your followers to post their own photos or take part in the contest and use the hashtag.

Prepare Your Social Media Early

Prepare Your Ramadan Social Media Calendar

During this time of year, you’ve got more on your plate than usual. I am not talking about your iftar. I mean there are more things to do than you have time for. When that happens, social media is usually one of the first things to lose out on.

Your brand, business, or organization can’t afford to let that happen.

The solution is to create a fully developed social media marketing calendar and plug posts into that calendar very early on.

You want every single post to be scheduled to go live at peak posting times for optimal traction so that you don’t have to manually do it yourself. Remember though that Muslim consumers are online at very odd hours during the month of Ramadan. Typically very late at night as mentioned in the first part of this series: “Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior”.

Make sure to have all the following ready:

• Your branded images
• Strong, engaging captions
• Calls-to-action
• Landing page URLs 
• Teasers
• Approvals received for all of the above

Also, when creating your Ramadan social media calendar, be mindful of planning sales and promotions.

Your campaigns will be more impactful when you systematically coordinate them well across multiple platforms. This includes featuring your products and services on stories and in-feed posts and showcasing them in different ways.

Get Your Ramadan Ads Approved Today

If you want to run social media ads for Ramadan to increase sales by targeting both first-time traffic and running retargeting campaigns, get your ad campaigns approved ahead of time.

Create them today, and submit them for approval.

You can easily schedule start and end dates for each ad campaign on most platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok.

Your campaigns will not start running until the designated dates as long as you schedule them that way. Therefore there’s no risk of accidentally launching early.

The same isn’t true for waiting until the last minute. Especially if there are approval issues, you might end up losing valuable time.

This may sound repetitive but you really don’t want to risk losing even a few hours on a prime selling day let alone an entire day or more. And just because your ads took too long to get approved. 

You will find yourself in an even worse predicament if they are rejected as you will need to contact support or create a new ad from scratch. That equals even more time wasted and revenue lost.

Partner with Muslim Ad Network Early

During the busiest season for Muslim consumers, you need to work with partners who will help you gain maximum visibility in front of them. 

With over ten years of experience and over 1 billion ads served to Muslims globally, we are in a great position to help you get the most bang for your buck during this Ramadan season.

We get you in front of Muslim consumers on publisher websites and amplify your social media presence by posting on our channels and promoting you through our email list.

If you want to know more please contact MAN.

Read the Ramadan Survey Report  2022 (no email or download required).

The post Preparing Your Marketing for Ramadan – Part 4 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Six-Part Series

Part 1: Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior

Part 2: Preparing Your Products and Services for Ramadan

Part 3: Using Your Blog to Promote Your Brand for Ramadan

Part 4: Using Social Media to Gain Ramadan Buyers

Part 5: Mail and Email as Promoting Tools for Ramadan

Part 6: Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Bonus: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

One of the most interesting ways of promoting brands during Ramadan is blogging. In this article, we take a look at some simple yet impactful ways of using your blog to promote your brand during Ramadan.

Ramadan Gift Guide  

Create a Ramadan gift guide for your products or services. This will match well with your special Ramadan combinations or Ramadan bundles that we mentioned in the previous article in this series.

In order to make your gift guide even more appealing, apart from promoting your own products or services, offer some generic advice. For example, you can offer tips about when to expect the best deals: start of Ramadan or close to Eid, etc. 

If you have a vast category of products you may create a complete series of tips in your guide as below:

• A Gift for Every Type of Fasting Muslim
• Gifts for Every Type of Mosque-Goer in Ramadan
• The Best Gifts for New Muslim Reverts in Ramadan
• The Best Gifts for Every Type of Ramadan Home Cook
• The Best Gifts to Help Raise One’s Faith in the Holy Month
• 10 Things You Shouldn’t Gift Someone in Ramadan and Alternatives

Wish List Article

Do a round-up of the most popular “wish list” items you provide, your bestsellers of the year, or upcoming products or services of the new year. 

Yes, a wish list is probably more relevant to Muslim businesses with an eCommerce characteristic. However, even if you do not own an eCommerce website, you can still create a wish list article. It won’t be as easy as with eCommerce to find out since you can’t check who added a product to their wish list. 

The good news is that with a little bit of digging and investigating, you will know which items are most appealing to your customers. Better yet, ask them directly!

As for bestsellers or upcoming products, it’s something you already know.

Ramadan How-To’s  

Write Ramadan-related how-to articles. Home cleaning, preparation for breaking fast, budget guides for Ramadan shopping, preparing your wardrobe for Ramadan events, and so on. 

The sky’s the limit and it all depends on the type of business you run. Whatever you are selling and whatever service you provide, you can always create a how-to article related to Ramadan and fasting. 

See for yourself:

Recap Article  

Recap the last twelve months before Ramadan for your business. Make sure it is very comprehensive and include;

• events, 
• achievements, 
• awards, and 
• milestones. 

Depending on your audience, you could even share challenges you faced, and talk about how you overcame them and the lessons you derived from them.

If relevant, you might also want to compile your most popular blog posts from the last 12 months with brief summaries and links to each post. Or take your most popular post and write an update with a Ramadan twist if possible.

At Muslim Ad Network we have had the honor of connecting brands, organizations, and businesses to Muslims online for over a decade. We are always excited when Ramadan comes along because there is a surge in Muslim consumer behavior and demand. 

If you are looking to capitalize on that surge, there is no better, more experienced, partner for you than Muslim Ad Network, which can help you connect with millions of Muslim consumers within a few minutes

So get in touch with MAN and let us help you make this Ramadan a great success.

Read the Ramadan Survey Report  2022 (no email or download required).

The post Preparing Your Marketing for Ramadan – Part 3 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Six-Part Series

Part 1: Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior

Part 2: Preparing Your Products and Services for Ramadan

Part 3: Using Your Blog to Promote Your Brand for Ramadan

Part 4: Using Social Media to Gain Ramadan Buyers

Part 5: Mail and Email as Promoting Tools for Ramadan

Part 6: Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Bonus: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

In part 1 of this series, we looked at Muslim consumer behavior during the month of Ramadan. In this article, we take a look at how to prepare your products and services for Ramadan so that you can:

• Create a positive shopping experience
• Set your business apart from its competitors
• Catch the attention of the Muslim shopper
• Entice them to buy your product or service

1. Special Ramadan Combinations

A great way to attract more buyers or clients is by combining products; i.e. giving away something for free. Think of the following formula:

• free services with the purchase of your product, or 
• free products with the purchase of a service.

For example, offer free installation, delivery, maintenance, etc. for household appliances or you may offer free Arabian perfume to customers at your Henna salon. If you can only provide one part of the deal, join forces with another local business that can provide the other part!

2. Limited-Time Coupons

At the peak of the Muslim shopping season, any Muslim consumer would love to have a discount or gift coupon. We confirmed this in the Ramadan 2022 Survey Report as seen below:

Use such coupons with purchases to incentivize Muslim shoppers to return. Make sure they are redeemable all the way to Eid ul Adha (Eid of the pilgrimage that comes two months after Eid ul Fitr [the holiday after the end of Ramadan]).

You can use the following tactics to entice your customers to come back and use the coupon.

1. Give coupons away that offer the customers a chance to use them on a once-in-a-lifetime deal and make sure this is highlighted.
2. It’s best to define an exact end date instead of a period. Without this, your audience will take a chance that your offer will still be available when they check back. So a proper copy to emphasize the end date would be something like: “ offer ends on Friday 20th February at 12:00  AM C.E.T.”.
3. Making the limited-time coupon feel personal is a great way to retain customers. Use call-to-action language on the coupon like: ”Claim Your Free Handbag”.

3. New Product or Service 

Introduce a new product or service during this season. Ramadan is a good time to experiment with new inventory since people are looking for shopping inspiration and new ideas. In fact, you can even go all out and call it “The Ramadan Edition”.

Just make sure that you are launching a product or service that is worthwhile. Put the focus on the Muslim consumers, not the product by emphasizing how the product or service benefits them.

Create a buzz well before the Ramadan launch. Start marketing to Muslim consumers by using companies like Muslim Ad Network. Get opinion leaders and influencers on board early. For example, a well-known Quran reciter talking about the launch of your new Quran-memorization app coming out in Ramadan can give you an enormous boost.

4. Ramadan Product Bundles 

Create branded gift packages based on your most popular products or services.

Yes! gift packages are not just for products. Bundle up services that Muslim customers can use throughout the year and make them easy for them to give away as gifts. 

Use messaging around giving a blessed, accepted, or enjoyable Ramadan with family and friends. You may even create names for each package, such as “Ramadan Survival Kit”.

Here are some product-bundling good practices that you can utilize:

• Cross-selling
• Upselling
• Bundling fast and slow-selling products
• Making sure inventory is kept up-to-date
• Emphasizing the bundle savings
• Offer bundles at the checkout

The combination of well-prepared products for Ramadan and an air-tight advertising campaign can yield some fantastic business results. Partner with Muslim Ad Network, the only advertising network specializing in targeting Muslim audiences efficiently to get the most out of this year’s Ramadan.

Read the full Ramadan Survey Report  2022 (no email or download required).

The post Preparing Your Marketing for Ramadan – Part 2 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Updated on January 2024

Six-Part Series

Part 1: Ramadan Muslim Consumer Behavior

Part 2: Preparing Your Products and Services for Ramadan

Part 3: Using Your Blog to Promote Your Brand for Ramadan

Part 4: Using Social Media to Gain Ramadan Buyers

Part 5: Mail and Email as Promoting Tools for Ramadan

Part 6: Creating a Community Around Your Brand for Ramadan

Bonus: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

In this first part, we will take a look at  Muslim consumers’ behavior during the Ramadan period. There is no better way to start this than recapping our Ramadan 2020 blog’s Ramadan activity timeline.

Ramadan Consumer Activity Timeline

Pre-Ramadan and the Month of Shaban

Muslim consumer Ramadan activities start about a month before Ramadan itself. That means that you as a business owner or marketer need to start strategizing and planning today. In a 2022 survey by Muslim Ad Network, the majority of participants said that they start shopping for Ramadan a month before.

58% –  said that they planned to start shopping for Ramadan 2022 a month ahead. We would advise running the first campaign as soon as you can. Then run another campaign a week before Ramadan since 41% of respondents indicated that they wait till a week before Ramadan to start buying.

Source: What the Ramadan Consumer Survey 2022 Says About Advertising to Muslims During the Holy Month

The First Half of Ramadan

During the initial phase of Ramadan, Muslims are filled with heightened enthusiasm for worship. These initial ten days provide a unique opportunity for your brand to be actively involved, offering emotional support to individuals as they embrace their renewed passion for worship and cherished family values. Make a meaningful presence that resonates with the spiritual essence of this period, fostering a connection with your audience during this special time of devotion and reflection.

By now your brand should have already done the lion’s share of ad campaigns and in this phase it should, for the most part, part should only do enough to motivate Muslim worshippers. Keep in mind that fasting Muslims will be online at some rather late hours and most of them will be on their mobile devices.

The Last Half of Ramadan

As Ramadan’s second half unfolds, consumers pivot towards Eid preparations, intensifying their online shopping activities. This period marks a crucial opportunity for your brand to cater to the heightened demand for products and services that enhance the festive spirit.

Crafting targeted advertising strategies, showcasing special Eid-themed offerings, and providing exclusive deals can establish a strong connection with Muslim families actively preparing for the joyous celebration. This dynamic landscape presents a valuable window for your business to tap into the evolving needs of its audience and contribute to the collective excitement surrounding Eid.

Exit Ramadan – Enter Eid

During Eid, Muslims go out and visit family, walk around shopping malls, eat out, go to amusement parks, and so on. However, they will still be on their devices. It would be best if you considered a good balance between optimizing your online and in-store offers.

Business Opportunities are Plenty During Ramadan

These stats speak for themselves:

Forbes reports from WebPals Group:

…during Ramadan, traffic was up by 230%. And it’s not just users who are only looking, people are buying. The data indicates that conversion is up by 30% during Ramadan. As you might expect, social media is more active as well, primarily at night. The increase peaks at 3 am when it reaches 200%. There is also evidence that customer loyalty, evidenced by repeat online visits and purchases, increases substantially during Ramadan as well.

According to WordBank:

78% of UK Muslim consumers would like to see increased engagement from brands and retailers. Although Muslim-majority countries may be better served, international brands are still lagging behind.

This is reinforced by Google who mention in their article: The super-empowered consumer in Ramadan that:

These changes in consumer behavior online translate into greater expectations from themselves and the brands they engage with. Consumers expect brands to innovate and accommodate their needs with fresh offerings, moving ads, and frictionless online user experiences.

It’s not all about retailers and eCommerce of course. Ramadan is the most spiritual month of the Islamic calendar. This is why according to CharityConnect, UK Muslims donate about £100 million every year at this time.

Sounds too good to be true? Here is some supporting evidence from Google:

Boost the impact of your Ramadan charity campaign donations by downloading the comprehensive Ramadan Charity Campaign Report:

When Ramadan is over, the enhanced Muslim buyer behavior does not just disappear. As mentioned earlier, Ramadan buyer behavior starts weeks before and lasts weeks after it has ended. It is up to you as a brand to keep that flame burning as much and as long as possible.

A point that not many marketing outlets make is that Islam has only two official celebration days. The Eid after Ramadan (Eid ul Fitr), and the Eid of the Pilgrimage to Makkah (Eid ul Adha). There are only two months between the two.

We have established that Muslim consumers before, during, and after Ramadan are very much looking to engage with brands and buy from them. If you can keep your Muslim customers engaged all the way through to Eid ul Adha, the business rewards can be immense.

In the upcoming parts of this blog series, we will tackle how to promote your business, brand, or organization for Ramadan.

Are you a Muslim-based business or a mainstream business looking to target Muslim consumers this Ramadan and beyond? Contact us at Muslim Ad Network to learn more.

Read the full Ramadan Survey Report  2022 (no email or download required).

The post Preparing Your Marketing for Ramadan – Part 1 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.