Are brands not celebrating Ramzan this year?

Be it Diwali, Christmas, Gurpurab or Ramadan, brands across the board in India eagerly look forward to the festive season. They all want to make the most of the season through their advertising.

As per industry reports, in 2022, ad budgets went by 15-20% during the October-December quarter that included festivals like Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas.

This is the holy month of Ramadan. The festival began on March 23. During Ramadan, Muslims head back home to celebrate the month-long festive period with their families.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen brands launch campaigns ahead of Ramadan. These include Big Bazaar’s ‘Neki ka Mahina’ (2020), Surf Excel’s ‘Ek Neki Rozana’ (2018), #SaareMaelDhoDaalo by Ghadi Detergent (2019), Tata Motors’ #CelebratingGoodness (2020), McDonald’s in Every Celebration (2022), etc.

Brands across the globe also release heart-warming campaigns to connect with their customers. Ramadan ads have themes of love, family and togetherness.

This year, however, we could only spot the following ads:

McDonald’s #FestivalsMakeFamilies campaign

The realisation of not being at home, hits one harder during the festive season. Just imagine this: all your loved ones are fasting together back home and you can’t be there.

Fast food giant McDonald’s campaign #FestivalsMakeFamilies, is all about creating a new ‘Iftar’ (fast-breaking evening meal) experience.

KitKat’s limited-edition bar

To be a part of Ramadan celebrations, Nestle’s chocolate-covered wafer bar KitKat has partnered with Muslim content creators. They will try out KitKat’s new limited-edition 30-piece bar - one piece per day.

Coca-Cola’s donation program

Soft drink giant Coca-Cola has launched a donation program. It will provide food to those in need during Ramadan. When one purchases a Coke bottle, the label on it can be turned into a currency that can be used to donate a meal. The campaign was created by Ogilvy New York and Ogilvy India which are part of parent company WPP’s dedicated Coca-Cola team, OpenX.

According to the brand, the campaign’s aim is to bring people together for a cause that signifies the spirit of Ramadan.

Tata Motors’ Ramadan Kareem 2023

Tata Motors, one of the leading auto manufacturers, launched a campaign at the start of Ramadan month. The campaign is an emotional tale of a cafeteria owner, and is built around the theme: ‘no one is left behind’.

Digital campaign by APIS

APIS India, manufacturer of natural honey, dates, jam, pickle, green tea and preserves, has launched a digital campaign, titled ‘Ibadat Ka Is Mahine Rakhe Sehat Ka Saath’. The campaign’s philosophy is that Ramadan brings family and friends together, and strengthens their bond. A part of that bond is built when you share food together.

‘Rishte Bunte Hain Dil Se Hi’ by Surat’s Julahaa Sarees

Surat’s Julahaa Sarees launched a campaign, titled ‘Rishte Bunte Hain Dil Se Hi’. It focusses on the fact that traditional sarees are an integral part of India’s gifting culture. The campaign is a story of two women from different religions, ages and backgrounds. On the day of Eid, they choose to transcend barriers and build a bond of love and understanding.

Every year, Ramadan ads are often all about a sense of togetherness, family, love and sentiment. This year seems no different.