Ramadan is a month of faith and reflection, and during it, habits and behaviors naturally change. People buy different things, eat and sleep at different times, and structure their days differently. These shifts create opportunities for Ramadan marketing that don’t exist during the rest of the year.
In this blog, we’ll explore how marketing in Ramadan differs from other months, what marketers should be mindful of during this period, and the key practices that can shape successful Ramadan campaigns.
How Ramadan Changes Consumer Behavior
Ramadan brings changes that are very different from any other month. People focus more on faith, family gatherings, meeting friends and relatives, and personal improvement, spiritually and physically. As priorities shift, spending behavior changes with them.
According to Ipsos’ Ramadan 2025 Handbook (MENA), many consumers save money in the months leading up to Ramadan to prepare for increased expenses. Despite this, overall spending still tends to increase during the month. The same research also shows a strong preference for in-store shopping, with the majority of consumers choosing to buy in-store during Ramadan. This, along with other insights, clearly highlights how marketing in Ramadan differs from marketing in any other month.
For marketers, this points to an important reality: Ramadan should not be treated like any other month. Strategies that work year-round may underperform if they ignore how people actually live and spend during this period.
How Can Marketing Campaigns Be Successful During Ramadan?
Marketing in Ramadan can feel risky. There’s always the concern of overspending without seeing results, or underspending and missing a key opportunity.
Avoiding both comes down to having a well-planned strategy in place well before Ramadan starts, so you have the necessary information available and can take all relevant variables into account.
In the next part, we’ll explore the main points you should keep in mind if you want your Ramadan marketing strategy to be effective.
Research and Analysis Come First
Understanding general consumer behavior is important when marketing for Ramadan, but reviewing how your own audience behaved during previous Ramadan periods is essential. Past performance should guide future decisions, especially during a month where behavior is noticeably different.
Different audiences have different habits, even within the same country. Making sure you adapt your campaigns to suit your own audience is key to making your marketing in Ramadan profitable.
Ramadan Is Not the Same Across Markets
Ramadan looks different from one country to another. Time zones, daily routines, social habits, and spending patterns vary widely across markets.
Because of this, Ramadan marketing should always be adapted to the target audience. A campaign that performs well in one country may not translate effectively to another. Localizing and adapting to a specific market’s habits is a critical part of Ramadan planning, and failing to do so can result in a very disappointing Ramadan marketing.
Product, Price, and Place Still Matter
The classic marketing mix becomes even more important when marketing in Ramadan.
Product relevance plays a major role. Ramadan-themed offerings and products that make daily routines easier tend to resonate more during the month.
Price is also a strong driver. Discounts remain one of the most effective tactics during Ramadan, largely because consumers expect them. Ipsos’ Ramadan Handbook mentions that more than half of consumers (53%) wait for Ramadan offers, while 39% delay big purchases until the month to benefit from these deals. When used thoughtfully, pricing strategies can strongly influence purchase decisions.
Place matters just as much. While e-commerce remains important, data shows that in-store shopping becomes more prominent during Ramadan. This isn’t a call to ditch your e-commerce plans, but if you have a brick-and-mortar store, relying solely on online channels could mean missing a significant portion of demand. A balanced omnichannel approach is often more effective.
Timing Changes Everything
Ramadan differs from other months in both daily rhythm and overall structure. Days are often divided into before and after iftar, with many people staying up later for suhoor.
On a broader level, Ramadan can be split into three parts: the first ten days, the middle ten days, and the last ten days. According to Crowd Analyzer’s data, digital activity tends to decrease during the middle ten days, while activity increases again in the final ten days, aligning with Eid planning and shopping.
This makes it important not to focus all marketing efforts in the middle of the month and to plan ahead for Eid-related campaigns.
For example, travel activity is generally lower during Ramadan but increases significantly during Eid holidays. Allocating budget only to Ramadan while ignoring Eid would likely limit overall impact.
Beware of Fatigue
Ramadan is a time of faith and self-improvement, and audiences are generally less receptive to forced or overly aggressive marketing. Oversaturation can quickly lead to disengagement and even frustration.
Social media usage patterns also change. Mornings are spent fasting, while evenings are often reserved for iftar, prayer, and social visits. Attention windows can be narrower, making precision in timing and frequency essential. Publishing content during iftar, when people are less focused on social media, can reduce its impact.
Choosing the Right Marketing Themes
Different audiences respond to different messaging during Ramadan. According to YouGov’s 2026 Consumer Insights, some markets engage more with storytelling, others respond better to discounts, while some connect more strongly with emotional or heartfelt narratives.
These preferences can vary even within the same market. Testing themes early, reviewing last year’s performance, and adjusting based on real results is often more effective than relying on a single approach. In many cases, a mix of themes delivers the best outcome.
Adapting Digital Services During Ramadan
What changes during Ramadan isn’t which channels brands use, but how those channels are approached. As a full-service digital marketing agency with experience across different industries, we adapt our plans accordingly.
Social media and content are highly flexible during Ramadan, allowing for adjustments in messaging, testing different timings, and quick optimization based on audience response.
Performance marketing requires a more cautious approach. While consumers browse more, they don’t always convert immediately. Without close monitoring, this can lead to overspending without meaningful returns.
SEO and web development also play a strong supporting role. Ramadan-themed landing pages, content updates, and adjusted messaging help signal relevance and effort, which can positively influence buying decisions.
Influencer marketing can also be very beneficial, as it helps brands reach wider audiences through trusted voices. However, choosing the right influencer requires thorough research, and this should be done well before Ramadan starts.
Media Production and Advertising in Ramadan
Ramadan marketing and advertising work well when every effort starts with understanding how people live during the month, and ends with execution that delivers the intended message in a way that fits the context.
This means brands can’t rely on the same messaging, timing, or approach they use during the rest of the year.
Successful Ramadan campaigns are built on insights and shaped by awareness and creativity. When awareness, creativity, and strategy are all aligned, advertising during Ramadan feels relevant and interesting rather than intrusive and annoying.
Common Mistakes in Ramadan Advertising
One of the most common mistakes in Ramadan advertising is allowing storytelling or creativity to take over without clear direction.
Strong emotional narratives are powerful during this month, but when storytelling becomes the goal rather than the vehicle, problems start to appear. Audiences may remember the story but forget the brand. Engagement may increase, but at what cost!
Other common issues include: unclear positioning within the story, and overloading symbolism at the expense of clarity. Creativity is essential, but it still needs to serve a purpose. Advertising is a communication tool first, not an artistic end on its own.
At the end of the day, marketing in Ramadan isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing things differently. People’s routines change, their priorities shift, and how they interact with brands changes with them.
Understanding behavior, planning around timing, and being mindful of how and when you show up can make a real difference during the month. Approaching Ramadan with intention often matters more than relying on discounts alone.
If you’re looking for an agency to support your marketing efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out and see how we can help.
