logo
Ramadan branding - Economy - Al-Ahram Weekly

Ramadan branding - Economy - Al-Ahram Weekly

Al-Ahram Weekly19-03-2025

'Ramadan in Egypt is something else' is one of the popular songs by UAE singer Hussein Al-Jassmi associated with the holy month of Ramadan. Listening to it one would imagine it was promoting tourism to Egypt, encouraging tourists from other Arab countries to experience Egypt's Ramadan traditions. Instead, it was the song that accompanied the television Ramadan advertisement of one of the four telecommunications companies. That was back in 2021 and even though the song has lingered, no one remembers the ad.
Four years on, the same trend of advertising through catchy songs warm with feeling continues during the month of fasting. Even a public service advertisement promoting new simplified tax regulations targeted at small business has two young comedians singing a message encouraging businesses from dry cleaners and tailors to doctors and lawyers to present their books to the Ministry of Finance.
Over the years, telecommunications companies, real estate developers and charity organisations have become the top three categories advertising heavily throughout the month, says professor of advertising Nagwa Al-Gazzar. 'It is their annual opportunity to remind viewers of the identity of their companies,' Al-Gazzar explained. Some of the ads are not promoting a specific product, she pointed out, but they are branding themselves.
Real estate developers, especially newcomers to the market, also take the opportunity to present their projects and financing incentives, Al-Gazzar said, especially at a time when buying real estate has become prohibitively expensive.
Ramadan is the ultimate primetime TV for advertising. Over 35 new TV series are airing this year throughout the month. A 30-second spot could cost over LE1 million depending on their placement. Millions of families coming together for the Iftar (dusk meal after fasting) often with friends, gather to watch the shows. They are a captive audience; advertisers' message is bound to reach them, says Fatma Halim, senior communications consultant at Egyptian public relations firm Publicist Inc. Even the younger generations who prefer to watch streaming services cannot escape the messages being aired around Iftar, Halim said. That is why companies invest heavily in Ramadan ads, often employing multiple celebrities, and paying millions of pounds for television airtime. They want to create what is called a 'top-of-mind awareness' so that their brand or product is the first to come to a consumer's mind when thinking of a particular industry or product category, she explained, adding however, that some fail to deliver a message about the product or brand, leaving viewers at odds despite having invested heavily in the production of the ad.
The songs and dances associated with the advertisements have made them entertainment in themselves. At the outset of every Ramadan many people look forward to seeing what the ads look like and how brands have topped each other. 'Ramadan ads are prepared five months ahead and companies do their best to try to find out what the others are doing and how many celebrities they are using,' Al-Gazzar said.
But why is it that songs dominate Ramadan ads? 'Advertisers are betting on what works' even if there is a risk that viewers might not remember the product, noted Halim.
Even charity organisations have their jingles. 'They are all competing for the attention of donors,' said Al-Gazzar, explaining that Ramadan is often the time when Muslims pay their annual zakat al-mal which entails giving away a small percentage of one's wealth to the needy.
While in the past, charity ads used to feature heart-wrenching but at times cringe-worthy cases, be they burn victims or cancer patients, seeking the sympathy of viewers, in recent years they have changed tactics, Halim said. Now their ads often feature celebrities singing and dancing happily with survivors. They must have changed their tactics based on market research, explained Halim, adding that the tragedies displayed in the past were putting off viewers.
Another factor putting off viewers is the length of ads, often extending beyond the ideal length of 30 seconds. 'The advertising breaks are also exceptionally long,' said Al-Gazzar, 'and viewers forget what they were watching when the show resumes,' she noted, adding that some give up on continuing to watch and just leave.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 20 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Follow us on:
Facebook
Instagram
Whatsapp
Short link:

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Egypt, Nigeria FMs discuss economic ties and African security
Egypt, Nigeria FMs discuss economic ties and African security

Egypt Independent

time4 hours ago

  • Egypt Independent

Egypt, Nigeria FMs discuss economic ties and African security

CAIRO, June 7 (MENA) – Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Expatriates Minister Badr Abdelatty praised the strong ties and historical relationship between Egypt and Nigeria, highlighting a shared commitment to building on existing opportunities to advance cooperation—particularly in economic, trade, and investment sectors, with a focus on agriculture. During a phone call on Saturday with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Abdelatty pointed to the significant presence of Egyptian companies across Africa and voiced interest in exploring new joint investment opportunities that offer mutual benefit. The two ministers exchanged views on developments across the African continent and discussed ways to deepen cooperation and coordinate positions within the African Union to strengthen peace and security—especially in the Sahel region. Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt's readiness to support efforts to counter terrorism and extremism in light of security threats in the Sahel. He also emphasized Egypt's commitment to supporting Nigeria through capacity-building programs, including cooperation with Al-Azhar in combating extremist ideologies. The conversation also included an exchange of perspectives on Middle East developments, particularly the situation in Gaza. Abdelatty briefed his Nigerian counterpart on Egypt's ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, while condemning Israel's continued violations of international law and international humanitarian law and its actions against Palestinian civilians, which he said run counter to global calls for an immediate end to the war and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Egypt localizes Metro manufacturing, contracts for 189 cars for Alexandria Metro
Egypt localizes Metro manufacturing, contracts for 189 cars for Alexandria Metro

Egypt Today

time5 hours ago

  • Egypt Today

Egypt localizes Metro manufacturing, contracts for 189 cars for Alexandria Metro

CAIRO – 9 June 2025: An agreement was signed in Alexandria Governorate to localize and supply 21 metro train units, comprising 189 cars, for the Alexandria Metro project. The project which is currently in its first phase is expected to be extending 21.7 km from Abu Qir Railway Station to Misr Station in Alexandria. The project comes as part of the Ministry of Transport's comprehensive plan to establish a sustainable, green, and environmentally friendly mass transit network in Alexandria, along with plans to localize several industries, rely on local manufacturing, and reduce the import bill. The Metro project units are scheduled to be manufactured at the National Egyptian Railway Industries Company (NERIC). The metro and all types of trains are among the industries the Egyptian government is working to localize. The Ministry of Transport is cooperating with South Korea's Hyundai Rotem, through a partnership with (NERC), to establish a factory for the production of metro trains. The Ministry has contracted with the National Authority for Tunnels to manufacture and localize the production of 40 metro trains, totaling 320 cars, for the second and third lines of the Greater Cairo Metro. The factory is currently being constructed in East Port Said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store