Why Brands Must Not Fast This Ramadan

It is mid-April and the Ramadan fervour is at its peak. However, it has been evident through past years that creatives and marketers do not come out heavy on this festival. They lack success in carrying out Ramadan related campaigns, fearing Muslim sentiments or perhaps, frightening the approach needed to capture the depth of the religion. 

While it is important for brands to stay connected with consumers throughout the year, regardless of any special occasion, Ramadan is indeed a special time to be celebrated too. Apart from the purity of purpose and the austerity of lifestyle that it inspires, brands would also do well to remember that the community breaking of fast at sunset, called Iftar, is a great platform to connect with people and promote their offerings. 

“Brands need to engage with consumers on an ongoing basis and any important event – religious or otherwise-  that is relevant to their consumers are a good moment to reach out with meaningful messaging.  Also given the overhang of the pandemic, reaching out to Muslim consumers positively will be both uplifting and relevant and work well for a brand,” agrees Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and former Marketing head of HP Asia-Pacific.

Convinced that Ramadan is a missed opportunity for most brands, Dawinder Pal, ‎Head of Marketing, Bikano Foods shares, “Somehow, one does get the feeling that brands do not do enough in this direction and thereby, this holy occasion becoming a missed opportunity of sorts. So, it is time that brands leverage this occasion and promote products and offerings in keeping with the overall spirit of sacrifice, yearning for good health, and the pursuit of cleansing of body and soul.”

How Can Brands Prepare For Ramadan In The Year Of Covid?

The last 12-14 months have been particularly difficult due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown. Ramadan is a holy month that creates a feeling of togetherness and unity. While people aspire to do good work, brands that support them in this also do well, believe experts.

With many consumers working and studying from home, reliance on the digital world is indeed heavy. “Brands have to restrain to digital engagement only but it also has provided many to deliver an emotional impact with sincere, comforting and honest messaging. Standout content that connects with audiences boosts brand favourability and drives decisions for the rest of the year,” says a Tata Motors Spokesperson.

The brand decided to inject a spirit of positivity and goodness among people with this year’s campaign, #NekiHiDariya, that is a heart-warming story based in the Middle East, depicting goodness, positivity and generosity among employees and employers from different nationalities and races, and spreading joy and happiness during these unprecedented times. The aim was to overcome the man-made barriers, come closer to one-another and celebrate the spirit of Ramadan that is experienced better when its celebrated together.

Vikram Agarwal, MD, Cornitos also asserts that in the current scenario, building up and banking on your own e-commerce website is the optimal way to stay in touch with the consumers. “Social media can be used as an effective medium to promote new launches. We too have recently launched Cornitos DIY Kits in three variants. These easy to cook packaged products are the best sellers since they can be enjoyed after breaking fast or in the morning time when there are too many things to take care of and less time. A perfect match for Ramadan.”

How Can Brands Tap The Global Nature Of Ramadan?

All Indian brands are promoting themselves at par with global standards today. Brands are always keen to be a part of the conversation globally at all times to create a recall value. “The celebration serves as an exciting opportunity for brands to advertise their products, since believers celebrate Ramadan in more than 30 countries. This is a pivotal time for all the brands to come up with innovative digital ideas and connect to consumers globally using interesting content,” adds Agarwal.

Talking of the kind of messaging that brands must be conscious of, Mathias expresses, “Communication needs to be crafted based on quality insight in a way that is relevant to Muslim consumers and not just slapping a crescent moon logo in the corner.” He goes on to recall his favorite Ramadan campaigns of all times, Bata’s #LetsWalkTogether campaign in 2019, that was set in an office where all the employees are avoiding food and beverages in front of a colleague who was observing Ramadan. For him, it was moving and yet so inclusive.

Given the universal spread of the Muslim community across the continent and the global appeal of Ramadan coupled with the unprecedented surge in online shopping in a globalised marketplace thanks to the ongoing pandemic, Pal suggests that brands can contemplate making global strategies with regional or country-wise variants. Yet, at the same time, brands would also need to be sensitive to the solemnity of the occasion and so they must be circumspect in anything they say or do.