Ramadan just like Christmas has become a season of increased consumerism and attention to shopping. With Ramadan sales reaching upwards of USD $144 Billion, marketers need to understand how to effectively market during this season and take advantage of many of the opportunities it offers. This article will tell you all you need to know about Ramadan marketing, as well as give an overview of common Ramadan marketing mistakes that could be costly. We cover the various aspects of Ramadan marketing to help you be more successful with your seasonal marketing efforts in Muslim regions.
Image credit: Mai Shaheen
Brief Background on Ramadan
Ramadan is the Islamic holiday that takes place during the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Practicing Muslims refrain from consuming anything from sunrise to sundown, meaning they fast from food, water, and smoking cigarettes. Families get together each evening when the sun sets to break the fast together, and they often stay up until the early hours of the morning enjoying time with family and friends. You can read details about the holiday here.
Consumer Behaviour During Ramadan
There is a massive group of potential Ramadan consumers spanning all demographics: while we may associate the Middle East with the “Muslim world”, remember that it spans far and wide including countries in West Africa and Southeast Asia as well. In fact, only about 46% of the total Ramadan sales revenue comes from the MENA region, with the rest coming from global shoppers who also celebrate. This means that for your Ramadan marketing campaign, you might want to target a specific section of consumers to maximize success. What we know for certain is that Ramadan equals increased spending, wherever that may be. According to this year’s Google Ramadan 2025 Consumer Insights Report, 72% of survey respondents from across the globe think that Ramadan is the best time to find deals, with 78% reporting that they are open to trying new brands while shopping during this period. In terms of shopping behavior, we are seeing a major push towards e-commerce, though in-person shopping is still a top choice, especially in the Middle East.
Social media apps like TikTok are further contributing to the growth in Ramadan spending: according to a recent report, there is 1.6x growth in the average user spend on TikTok during the holy month. Other social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube are massively popular in the Muslim world and great choices for Ramadan ad placement. In fact, user engagement on these apps universally increases during Ramadan by 30%. A 2023 survey across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia indicates that 74% of people plan to spend more time on social media during Ramadan. Considering that nearly 25% of the world population is Muslim, these figures are pretty convincing for the importance of social media advertising during the holy month.
Ramadan 2025 Marketing
Before we get into various aspects of marketing during Ramadan we should mention that this year, Ramadan 2025 is predicted to start on February 28th and end on the evening of March 299th, marking Eid al-Fitr as Ramadan comes to a close. These dates could shift by a day and won’t be fixed for certain until the night before. Companies that are thinking of advertising during this period need to plan ahead because some publications can get booked months ahead of time. Though it is possible to even start marketing campaigns in some circumstances after Ramadan has already started, you may find that the outlets you wish to advertise with are understaffed or extremely slow to respond because of decreased working hours during Ramadan; this is especially the case in more traditional Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia. Also, consumer reports from 14 different Muslim countries in 2024 indicated that people celebrating tend to begin preparations in the 3-4 weeks before the start of Ramadan, with the majority of people doing most of their shopping in the week before the start. Because of this, we recommend that you start your Ramadan planning two months before the holiday.
Eid Marketing
For some companies, marketing the entire month of Ramadan isn’t feasible or doesn’t make sense, given the industry they are in. For these companies, it may make sense to just advertise at the close of Ramadan during the fast-breaking celebration of Eid al Fitr. Depending on the country this celebration can last from just a few days to more than a week in other countries. This year, Eid al-Fitr is predicted to start on the evening of March 29th and continue throughout March 30th. For more specific information about Eid al-Fitr marketing, check out IstiZada’s complete guide.
Iconic Symbols of Ramadan Commonly Used in Advertisements
The Crescent Moon
Widely seen to be one of the most common symbols of Islam, today the crescent moon is used on flags for various countries, Muslim organizations, and even the Red Crescent. The first visible crescent moon marks the beginning of each month, including Ramadan and Shawwal which is the start of Eid al-Fitr. Given its clear connection with Islam in the minds of most people today the crescent is probably the most common symbol used in Ramadan ads and marketing today. If you are planning on doing any type of visual marketing during Ramadan, consider using the crescent moon.
Dates
Dates are an essential part of the breaking fast meal each evening during Ramadan and due to this they can commonly be found in Ramadan ad campaigns. Dates are the first food that is eaten when breaking the fast and have been part of the Ramadan tradition going back to the origins of the religion.
Lanterns
Lanterns are commonly strung up in many Muslim countries due to the late hours Muslims keep during this season. As a result of this lanterns have become iconic of the Ramadan season especially in countries like Egypt where the tradition began. Though the lantern isn’t as common as the crescent moon many marketing campaigns utilize lanterns in various ad formats to convey the spirit of Ramadan.
Arab Tea Pots
Like the dates, tea is a common drink during Ramadan. The drinking of tea conjures up images of spending long evening hours drinking and talking with friends and loved ones. So in light of this the Arab tea kettle has become a common symbol used in all types of Ramadan advertising campaigns.
Cannons
Traditionally and still up until this day in many Muslim countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and other countries, a canon is fired to mark the beginning of breakfast time during Ramadan. The canon is a remnant from a time most Muslims didn’t have watches or clocks but it still remains today as an iconic symbol of Ramadan. Many companies have thought of some very creative ways to incorporate a canon into their Ramadan marketing commercials and promotions.
Prayer Hands
Above all, Ramadan is a time for increased spirituality and religious reflection. There is an emphasis on prayer during Ramadan, so many people attend the mosque and make time for extra prayers. The prayer hands are an important symbol: usually showing as two hands open with the palms facing up. This is how Muslims begin their prayers, and used as a symbol in Ramadan ads, it is a clear link to the religious significance of the holiday.
Family Gatherings
One of the biggest parts of Ramadan globally is a focus on family, community, and togetherness. Of course this is especially big on Eid al Fitr, when families and friends go to visit and celebrate with each other, but even throughout the whole month of Ramadan, there is a strong increase in group events like community iftars and group trips to the mosque to pray together.
Ramadan Advertising Budgets
Given the growing connection between the month of Ramadan and increased consumerism throughout the season, consumer-focused companies typically increase their advertising spending during the month. Studies show the average increase is around 20% during the month of Ramadan over normal monthly ad spends. With the increased demand for ad space, it is crucial that advertisers understand where to get the most for their ad spend investment or they could easily see their additional spending result in decreased results.
Respecting Culture in Your Marketing Messaging
According to a 2023 survey, 92% of consumers in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE agreed that they want their spending during the holy month to be in line with the spirit of Ramadan. Marketers should be cautious when determining what ad messaging to use during Ramadan and should make sure their ads are always respectful of Muslim culture and tradition. In an attempt to create a catchy ad some marketers could go wrong by depicting something or saying something that some Muslims will find offensive. Marketers have to remember that Ramadan is a religious tradition with strong emotional ties in the society that must be respected. All marketing messaging should be reviewed by multiple locals to confirm it will not be taken in the wrong way and damage a brand’s identity.
Ramadan Commercials
In light of increased budgets for advertising during Ramadan, some of the best commercials come out during Ramadan. Below are a couple of Ramadan commercials we enjoyed.
2024 Commercial
2023 Commercial
2021 Commercials
2020 Commercials
Messages to use
It’s essential that your Ramadan marketing campaign is sensitive and appropriate. This is always true of advertising in the Middle East, but especially during Ramadan, given the increased importance placed on Islamic values. According to a 2024 survey, 82% of Muslim consumers believe brands should display religious awareness when marketing products during Ramadan. In addition to the previous section on important Ramadan symbols, this next section will give you more tips on how to craft a religiously appropriate Ramadan marketing campaign.
Ramadan Kareem
Ramadan Kareem (Ramadan is Generous) is probably the most commonly used saying during Ramadan with its response Allah Akram (God is more generous). Most ads you will see during Ramadan have this saying somewhere on the ad. Some advertisers try to use the saying to convey that Ramadan is a time you should be generous to yourself with a new car, clothes, or some other product.
Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak technically means “blessed festival” and is used not just during Ramadan but during other Muslim Holidays as well. It is more common to hear it once Ramadan is over and the Eid al-Fitr has started. Eid Mubarak is also used throughout Ramadan advertising and seems to be a little bit more of a generic message like “Seasons Greetings” for Christmas.
Ramadan Mubarak
Clearly, a derivation of the above two sayings Ramadan Mubarak means “Blessed Month of Ramadan.” It is much less common to see this phrase in ads during the season but there are some times you see it used.
Happy Ramadan
In countries that are heavily influenced by the west, you do see examples of the greeting Happy Ramadan, but it is probably the least recommended or the least used saying we found in Ramadan ads.
Final Note: Given that many of these seasonal sayings are directly taken from Arabic, there are variations in the English spellings of the words in many cases.
Ramadan 2025: Trends and Consumer Preferences
Each year consumerism in Muslim markets like the Middle East during Ramadan increases and as it increases we see more marketing budget being allotted to Ramadan ads to take advantage of this growth. With that there are a few product categories that tend to perform the best during this season that we cover below, but this is by no means a comprehensive list.
Food and Grocery
Without having experienced Ramadan one would assume food consumption would be down during the month of Ramadan since it is a month of fasting. This is not the case though; food consumption surges during the month as families feast in the evenings after many hours of not eating. Ramadan also is a time when families tend to spend more on delicacies and meat. It is common to see shortages of certain types of food during this season, and in some countries, some consumers start stockpiling before the holiday. Fast Food is a rapidly growing advertising segment during the season as families move from traditional meals to prepared meals that allow families that don’t have time to cook to celebrate the season as well. Along with this comes spending on meal delivery services, which are becoming increasingly popular throughout the Middle East. According to a 2024 report, 50% of respondents said they intend on allocating most of their Ramadan spending budget to meal delivery services. The Ramadan ad below is from Glovo, a popular meal delivery service throughout North Africa.
Apparel
Clothing is very important in Muslim societies and Ramadan is a peak time for buying clothing. The National states this best for this one:
“The Holy Month of Ramadan is one of the most important periods of the year in the Middle East markets. All retailers, especially apparel retailers, witness growth during this period as the consumers are out shopping for new clothes for Eid.”
Jewelry is also a top-selling product around Ramadan time, and a popular gift given on Eid al-Fitr.
Home and Garden
Because of the increased focus on community and family during Ramadan, many people choose to use this time for home-improvement projects in anticipation of increased visitors and friends around the house. From buying a new refrigerator to adding an addition to a house, Ramadan is a choice time to splurge a little bit in order to make the home more comfortable.
Beauty
Thanks in large part to recent trends on social media, skincare and makeup products have been selling with great success over the past year. Although Muslims typically abstain from using makeup or nail polish during Ramadan, it is very common to purchase beauty products like these in preparation for Eid al-Fitr, when people like to dress and look their best.
Electronics
Given the immense popularity and status symbol that electronics like mobile phones and tablets have become in recent years throughout the Muslim world, Ramadan is a common time for purchasing electronics. Electronics retailers are well known for offering some of the best deals on electronics during Ramadan. To add to this telecom providers often discount their rates or give additional perks like extra minutes during Ramadan which can lead many to invest in new devices.
Travel
The entire travel sector including hotels, rental cars, and plane tickets, enjoys a massive boom during Ramadan. This is mainly because of the Eid holiday, which is traditionally celebrated by gathering together with family. This means that Muslims living outside of the Arab world are especially likely to book plane tickets during this month to be with their families during Ramadan and Eid.
2025 Ramadan Spending Trend: Sustainable Products
In addition to the product categories mentioned above, 2025 brings new shopping trends or preferences to the Middle East. Most significantly, over 83% of people surveyed for a 2024 global Ramadan report indicated that they prefer to shop with brands that offer environmentally friendly choices. Check out Hilton Hotel’s 2023 ‘Green Ramadan’ video ad below to get a feel for this trend.
2025 Ramadan Spending Trend: Mobile Purchases
As we’ve discussed extensively above, smartphone penetration rates are soaring in the Middle East and along with that, social media usage. Reports on smartphone use during Ramadan unanimously agree that smartphone usage increases throughout the Middle East during Ramadan, especially as work and school hours may be decreased. Given that 74% of Muslims consider social media to be the best way to conduct Ramadan shopping, it’s key that your ads are optimized for mobile viewing.
Times to market during Ramadan
It is important that marketers understand that Muslims are fasting from consumables, not smoking, and running low on sleep during the day because of nighttime Ramadan activities. In light of this, if your marketing activities can be set to certain times, daytime might be best avoided. The best TV series tend to run during Ramadan and ad space is at a premium. One study found that social media usage is highest during Ramadan right before or after the breakfast time, roughly 7pm. Other reports indicate that social media use during Ramadan peaks in the early morning hours. Marketers should consider running ads at these times to reach the widest audience.
B2B Marketing in Ramadan
Given that many countries have reduced work hours during Ramadan and many workers are much less productive, B2B marketing during Ramadan isn’t advisable in most situations. Some companies may have some unique services or products that might appeal to other businesses during Ramadan but for most businesses, this isn’t the case. Ad space is at a premium during this season due to increased consumer demand so B2B businesses may want to cut back on some of their marketing during this season unless it is focused on building goodwill for the brand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, successful marketers understand that Ramadan can be a very lucrative season when marketing campaigns are executed properly for the right products and services. These marketers know their target audience, respect their beliefs, and work to develop creative campaigns that align with the theme of Ramadan while driving new interest in their offerings.
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