Major Ramadan trends and three marketing strategies to help your brand excel

Observed by over 2 billion Muslims worldwide,¹ the holy month of Ramadan is not only a season of deep connection and community, it is also a period of heightened consumer activity. During this time, people come together to engage in acts of charity, shop for loved ones and prepare for Eid celebrations. In Southeast Asia, for example, where Ramadan is observed in many markets like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, total consumer spending in the region was forecasted to increase by 43.4% in 2024, according to Statista. By demonstrating a genuine understanding of their needs and aspirations, advertisers can build deeper relationships with Muslim consumers.

To help marketers navigate this season effectively, Microsoft Advertising and InMobi Advertising present reports on Ramadan consumer behavior across Southeast Asia (SEA) and the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META). Each report explores how consumer trends evolved during Ramadan 2024 and covers insights on 7 key verticals that play a role in the life of a Ramadan consumer across 12 countries. Advertisers can leverage these trends by crafting personalized and culturally mindful campaigns that resonate with the spirit of Ramadan.

Ramadan in SEA: The rise in searches and clicks

Across most countries, consumers aged 35 to 64 showed the highest engagement for each category. However, Indonesia and Vietnam saw engagement from younger audiences, especially Gen Z. Here is a closer look at category-specific trends in the region from Ramadan 2024:

• Apparel: The surge in interest for apparel grew at the beginning of Ramadan as consumers sought new outfits for the season.

Countries most interested in the category: Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia 

Peak time for interest and engagement: When Ramadan begins

• Beauty and Personal Care: The greatest increase in interest occurred just before the major holidays, as consumers planned their looks for Eid.

Countries most interested in the category: Indonesia, Malaysia, and The Philippines 

Peak time for interest and engagement: 2 weeks before key holidays

• Computers and Consumer Electronics: Tech enthusiasts were largely under the age of 49, with interest surging nearly a month before Ramadan and dropping around major Muslim holidays.

Countries most interested in the category: Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam 

Peak time for interest and engagement: 3 weeks before the holy month

• Finance: Southeast Asian consumers observing Ramadan were big on searching for finance-related topics and services during the season.

Countries most interested in the category: Thailand, Singapore, and The Philippines 

Peak time for interest and engagement: Throughout Ramadan

• Home and Garden: Decorating living spaces is a key element of Ramadan, which is what led to a spike in interest throughout the season.

Countries most interested in the category: Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia 

Peak time for interest and engagement: Throughout Ramadan

• Occasions and Gifts: With gifting being an important component of the occasion, searches and clicks peaked during the season.

Countries most interested in the category: Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia 

Peak time for interest and engagement: The beginning of Ramadan and a week before the major holiday

• Travel and Tourism: This is a season where millions travel to spend time with loved ones, leading to a lift in searches and clicks.

Countries most interested in the category: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore 

Peak time for interest and engagement: The months before and after Ramadan

Ramadan in META: The rise in searches and clicks

• Apparel: There was a natural quest for new outfits around this season.

Countries most interested in the category: Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt 

Peak time for interest and engagement: The second week of Ramadan

• Beauty and Personal Care: Consumers exhibited great enthusiasm about preparing looks for the occasion.

Countries most interested in the category: Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and South Africa 

Peak time for interest and engagement: The middle and end of Ramadan

• Computers and Consumer Electronics: Naturally, tech-savvy audiences under the age of 34 showed great interest in upgrading their gadgets.

Countries most interested in the category: South Africa, Nigeria, and the UAE 

Peak time for interest and engagement: Before, during, and after Ramadan, avoiding major holidays

• Finance: This was a key topic of interest among Ramadan consumers as they planned their activities.

Countries most interested in the category: Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Egypt 

Peak time for interest and engagement: The middle of Ramadan

• Home and Garden: Naturally, there was great interest in decorating living spaces during this season.

Countries most interested in the category: Turkey, South Africa, and Nigeria 

Peak time for interest and engagement: Before and after Ramadan

• Occasions and Gifts: Gifting was big among consumers in META during Ramadan.

Countries most interested in the category: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt 

Peak time for interest and engagement: The first half of Ramadan

• Travel and Tourism: Consumers in the region showed an interest in traveling around Ramadan.

Countries most interested in the category: South Africa, Turkey, and the UAE 

Peak time for interest and engagement: Before and after Ramadan

Common trends across regions

• Year-on-year growth: Searches and clicks from consumers saw significant lifts across regions during Ramadan in 2024 compared to 2023.
• Precise queries: Most search queries were specific to brands or products. Download the reports for a detailed list of the top queries in each country.
• Extended engagement: Most categories saw engagement both around and throughout the season.

3 marketing strategies to leave an impact

Here is what marketers should consider while creating their Ramadan campaigns:

1. Crafting communication that is thoughtful, targeted and timely: Reaching major demographics and leveraging top keywords will help deepen consumer engagement. It is also important to keep an eye on your category and note when interests and searches peak. When preparing for your Ramadan campaigns, consider Performance Max (PMax) in Microsoft Advertising to efficiently and effectively optimize the campaign in real-time, leveraging Microsoft’s AI innovations for bidding and creative automation to respond to changing consumer trends. Research shows Performance Max can significantly boost performance, achieving 2.6x more site visits and 4.2x more conversions compared to those not exposed to PMax.²
2. Adopting an omnichannel approach: Consumers journey across channels, which makes it critical to reach them on premium platforms they use every day. With Microsoft Advertising’s solutions, you can reach premium audiences across their digital journey, which includes platforms such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Copilot in Bing, and LinkedIn.

Let this season be one of making deeper and more lasting connections for you and your brand. For more insights into your region and category, download your copy of the Ramadan in the Digital World: The Marketer’s Manual.