Facebook, Twitter, TikTok execs weigh in on this year’s Ramadan trends DUBAI: Ramadan is as much a time for shopping and entertainment as it is for charity and togetherness. According to data from online advertising company Criteo, consumers in the Middle East start searching for retail products well before the start of the holy month of fasting. Consumers also spend more time on the internet, especially on social media. Undoubtedly, this makes Ramadan an important month for advertisers and digital platforms. Arab News spoke to three social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to learn what worked this year and how it differed from previous years. AHMED HAFEZ YOUNIS (FIZO), CREATIVE SHOP LEAD FOR MENA, FACEBOOK What were the top trends you noticed this year? There are no surprises when it comes to Ramadan communication. We still witnessed our fair share of emotional songs and funny TV ads, but what was different is how many advertisers embraced a mobile-first strategy rather than just building for TV and then adapting or optimizing for all the other mediums later. This Ramadan we’ve seen various AR (augmented reality) filters, Messenger bots, and mobile video ads as well as a great deal of campaigns utilizing content creators in interesting ways. What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on Ramadan advertising? The direct effect of the pandemic was very much felt and seen last Ramadan as most advertisers didn’t know what to do or say. This year it’s different; COVID-19 is a reality. Some brands, like Maggi, embraced the spirit of Ramadan reflecting on how it will always bring us together even if it’s not physically, while others chose to portray hope in general without mentioning COVID-19 directly. What kind of content and ads performed the best during Ramadan? It is too early to tell from a business impact point of view, but I would like to reiterate on mobile-first advertising. What can brands learn from this year’s success stories? Thinking mobile-first will always be more rewarding than adapting content created for a different medium such as TV. In today’s attention economy one size does not fit all. If brands want to capture people’s attention, they have to think people-first. BENJAMIN AMPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TWITTER MENA What were the top trends you noticed this year? Some of the top general hashtags that trended during Ramadan this year included Ramadan kareem, sahoor, and iftar. What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on Ramadan advertising? The campaigns were in line with the results of a pre-Ramadan survey that we conducted with those on Twitter in the region. Sixty percent of respondents said that Twitter is their go-to platform to discover what is happening during the holy month, and their most sought-after content is entertainment, comedy, food, and health. We also found that watching videos during Ramadan is within the top three activities on the platform. This is reflected in the campaigns that have taken place this year, as the general themes of Ramadan were still prevalent despite the pandemic. We also saw that video ad formats were quite successful in the creative used for ads and limited Ramadan offers were common. Notable campaigns, however, such as Zain KSA’s vaccine song did surface, which celebrated the holy month through an important and timely message. What kind of content and ads performed the best during Ramadan? Since our research found that watching videos during Ramadan is within the top three activities on Twitter by those using the platform in the region, we expected video ad formats to perform well. In addition, campaign objectives that optimized toward building awareness and reach performed strongly this Ramadan. This campaign type maximizes the number of people who see the ad within a set period of time, and also gets the brand’s name out there, drives awareness, and connects it with potential new customers. On the direct response front, carousel ads saw a lot of success. This ad format provides an immersive experience through horizontally swipeable images or videos, to drive people to a brand’s app or website. Campaigns that leveraged our new amplify pre-roll Ramadan curated categories also saw great success. What can brands learn from this year’s success stories? To start, video is an ad format that is continuously performing strongly on the platform. Research conducted by Hall and Partners for those on Twitter in Saudi Arabia and the UAE reinforced the increase in usage of video as a format for content discovery. Sixty-six percent of KSA respondents watch videos multiple times a week, and almost half in the UAE see Twitter as their main source of video content. The next step is for advertisers to clearly define whether they are launching something new or connecting with what’s happening on Twitter. Lastly, building a phased approach to campaigns is important. We encourage brands to find their unique angle as part of their messaging strategy. SHANT OKNAYAN, GENERAL MANAGER, GLOBAL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS AT BYTEDANCE MENAT What were the top trends you noticed this year? We saw the TikTok community in the region focus on the traditions and celebrations associated with Ramadan, especially as Ramadan gatherings turned virtual. Both creators and brands focused on capturing key Ramadan moments on TikTok, from people decorating their homes, to preparing iftars and trying new recipes, to spending time with family. In both Arabic and English, the Ramadan moments hashtags were the top two most trending hashtags on TikTok with the highest video views and publishing rate. It is common knowledge that Ramadan shows are a highlight of the holy month, and hence we saw the Ramadan series hashtag trending. We also saw #ramadancheck and #ramadanpreps perform well, with the community sharing their preparations for the holy month. What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on Ramadan advertising this year? With the pandemic bringing on restrictions for gatherings, we saw brands tapping into people’s passions virtually. Ramadan is also widely recognized as a time to give back to the communities we operate within, and as such, we saw brands increasing their social efforts through special campaigns, especially in light of the hardships faced by people during the pandemic. What kind of content and ads performed the best during Ramadan? In this region, Arabic creators and content saw a dramatic increase in engagement as they tapped into trending conversations around food, fashion, and entertainment. Simultaneously, branded hashtags allowed businesses to generate more engagement on their content. What can brands learn from this year’s success stories? Our research shows that TikTok’s users are clearly in a discovery mindset. According to a study done by TikTok for Business on content engagement patterns during Ramadan last year, 52 percent of users said they learn about new products via brand video ads on TikTok. This mindset demands that brands stay relevant, which allows them to be discovered. This is increasingly true during Ramadan; the audience has more time and appetite for discovery, but there is also more content to be discovered. As such, brands have a big opportunity to optimize and localize their content and campaigns to the interests of the region, which will allow for better exposure, higher retention, and strong engagement among their followers, especially during key moments like Ramadan.