Ramadan is more than a month of fasting.

It is a time of reflection, generosity, and community. For brands, it is a powerful period to connect with audiences across the Middle East in meaningful ways. Your approach should be thoughtful, culturally aware, and audience-first.

Why Ramadan matters for marketers

• Online activity in MENA increases by up to 30% during Ramadan.
• People spend more time watching videos, shopping online, and sharing content.
• Ads and campaigns that align with the values of giving and togetherness perform best.

Key principles to follow

1. Respect the cultural context

• Avoid humor or content that might seem insensitive during fasting hours.
• Focus on family, generosity, gratitude, and community themes.
• Schedule lighter, uplifting content during the day and more engaging offers after Iftar.

2. Adjust your posting schedule

• Peak engagement happens between 9 PM and 2 AM.
• Test evening and Suhoor-time posts for better reach.
• Align your ad delivery times with these activity peaks.

3. Tell authentic stories

• Highlight local stories of kindness or small community wins.
• Use real customers or employees in your visuals.
• Keep messages sincere, simple, and connected to the spirit of Ramadan.

4. Offer value, not only promotions

• Create Ramadan bundles or limited offers that help, not exploit.
• Share tips, recipes, or guides that make people’s lives easier during the month.
• Support social causes or donations. People engage more when brands give back.

5. Localize visuals and language

• Use Arabic in your captions and creative assets.
• Incorporate traditional patterns, lanterns, or crescent motifs in subtle ways.
• Avoid overusing religious symbols for commercial gain.

6. Use video content wisely

• Short videos and Reels perform best after Iftar.
• Tell simple, emotional stories that resonate across cultures.
• Consider Arabic subtitles even if your video is in English.

Examples

• A food brand in Egypt shares daily Iftar recipe Reels, sponsored by local chefs.
• A telecom company in Saudi Arabia runs a campaign promoting calls to loved ones abroad.
• A fashion brand in the UAE offers Ramadan gift sets with a donation to local charities.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating Ramadan only as a sales opportunity.
• Posting insensitive or overly commercial content.
• Ignoring Arabic-speaking audiences.

How to measure success

• Track engagement spikes after Iftar.
• Monitor click-through and conversion rates on special offers.
• Analyze comments and shares for emotional response and tone.

Checklist for your campaign

• Have you adjusted posting times?
• Are your visuals and tone culturally appropriate?
• Does your message focus on community and gratitude?
• Have you included Arabic versions of your posts or ads?

Ramadan is a time to build trust, not only awareness. When your message aligns with shared values, audiences in the Middle East notice and remember.