By Marcus Lu
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
And despite it being first and foremost a spiritual period, business activity in certain sectors—food, retail, and entertainment—tends to rise in Muslim-majority countries.
TGM Research conducted a survey in 2023, asking 9,672 respondents in 15 countries a variety of questions. One of them included:
Which brands come to mind first when thinking of Ramadan?
Ranked: Global Brands Associated With Ramadan
Coca-Cola leads the lists with 8.1% of those surveyed picking the beverage giant as the brand they most associate with Ramadan.
In case this comes as a surprise, Coca-Cola has launched numerous ad campaigns for Ramadan in previous years, focusing on spreading happiness and kindness, drawing upon the power of human connection to create a positive image of the brand.
Rank | Brand | % of respondents |
---|---|---|
1 | Coca-Cola | 8.1% |
2 | Marjan Group | 4.3% |
3 | Vimto | 3.7% |
4 | Almarai | 3.5% |
5 | Nestle | 3.2% |
5 | Pepsi | 3.2% |
5 | Nike | 3.2% |
8 | Yusuf Taiyoob | 2.9% |
9 | Amazon | 2.7% |
9 | Adidas | 2.7% |
At third, is another beverage company, Vimto, founded in 1908 in the United Kingdom. In 1927 Vimto introduced its cordial to the Middle East, which has become a key part of breaking fasts during the holy month.
Saudi Arabian multinational dairy company, Almarai was picked fourth by 3.5% of the respondents, and after it, comes three global brands—Nestle, Pepsi, Nike—all sitting at 3.2%.
The shoe was created in collaboration with Lebanese artist, Ali Chaaban, who aimed to “create a new essence to running in the Arab world.”
Nike has also created several campaigns featuring Muslim athletes, including Zahra Lari, an Emirati figure skater who was the first woman to compete internationally while wearing a hijab.
Source: Visual Capitalist