As Ramadan draws closer, companies are readying themselves for the Ramadan push for advertising space and consumer attention. The Saudi Arabian food and beverage manufacturer, Almarai, has come out with the first noticeable ad of the season, complete with the message of hope and optimism that is abundant during the holy month.
The advert starts off with an emotional buildup, the use of minimal sound as the video progresses emphasizes the sound effects such as the sounds of a dust cloud and the roaring of lightening. The video takes viewers on a monochromatic journey, symbolizing darkness and anxiety, and reveals a bright spot that becomes the hope and joy of the video.
The ad has received over 1.5 million views on Facebook within 5 hours of its release on Almari’s Facebook page, and has almost reached 3 million views within 24 hours.
The Emotions behind Ramadan
The holy month of Ramadan is commonly seen as the top season for advertising among Arab countries, likening it to a month-long version of the Superbowl would give it only a little bit of justice. The month is usually filled with clusters of various companies releasing ad after ad in attempts to improve brand awareness, brand image and corporate responsibility efforts.
The common theme in advertising during this time follows the core of the religious holiday; hope, care, appreciation, being thankful and charity. The Almarai ad follows the unspoken Ramadan tradition and focuses on the hope and optimism that the holiday brings to many.
Ramadan is an exceptional month for marketers and advertisers, due to a shorter working day to provide more rest and time, Egyptians and other Muslims have more time to be online when not pursuing their religious endeavors. Fasters take initiative on finding ways to distract themselves throughout the day, most find themselves online to pass the time until the breaking of the fast.
According to a paper that Google released last year, between the years of 2013 and 2015, daily YouTube video views increased by 200 million in the MENA region. The paper stated a large increase during the celebratory holy month, as well as a double increase in search queries.