With just a little over two weeks to go for Ramadan 2018, brands’ preparations for the holy month are in full flow.
Online and television continue to be among the most popular media that marketers are looking at to engage Ramadan audiences.
In its annual study, Publicis Media Middle East looks a closer look at what is buzzing on social in the run up to Ramadan.
Year on year, Ramadan social media conversations center on key topics that are close to consumer’s hearts. This year too, some of these continue to be:
1. Religion & Charity: Altruism, charity and spiritual tips, and bragging rights to match
2. Hunger & Food: Ramadan cuisine cravings are among the most popular conversations in the fasting month
3. Ramadan Moments: Pet peeves, shared joys and the Ramadan sense of community
4. Eid: The countdown to the big festivities during the holy month
5. Social Entertainment: Iftar/ Suhoor hosting, Ramadan tents & visual experience sharing
6. Bulk Buying: Consumer expectations for offers and promotions on staple Ramadan goods
7. Ramadan TV: A heavily instilled, yet ever-changing component in the average Ramadan day.
Ramadan conversations are abuzz across the social space, recording 605000 mentions from March 2018 to date, and counting….
Spotlight Ramadan TV
Publicis Media has also identified four key overlapping topics surrounding pre-Ramadan TV conversations. These include:
The top 2018 Ramadan TV shows based on social mentions are as follows:
Brand Buzz
While brand communications pick up closer to Ramadan, users are already looking forward to key experiences – particularly sensory moments – Ramadan foods, and the anticipation right before Iftar, when certain members of the household watch TV
Before Ramadan, product associations tend to unbranded, as per the study, and span across Ramadan themed food and drinks. The being said, two of the most commonly articulated brands to look forward to consuming are Vimto and Tang, while the brand ads to look forward to are Pepsi and Vodafone – the latter more so in Egypt.
