UK brands are celebrating Eid – here’s what makes an effective and inclusive campaign
- Written by Afshan Jalil, PhD Candidate in Consumer Behaviour and Muslim Fashion, University of the West of Scotland
In the run-up to Eid al-Adha[1] – a major Muslim festival that celebrates the prophet Ibrahim’s devotion and coincides with the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca – UK retailers are joining the celebrations.
Big brands like Next have launched festive collections[2] of clothing, accessories and gifts, sharing social media messages aimed at Muslim consumers. But while this growing recognition of Eid’s commercial importance reflects a welcome shift, some campaigns still fall flat.
As a researcher of Muslim fashion and identity in the UK, I study how Muslim consumers express themselves through clothing and how brands respond to their values. Despite a rise in Eid-related marketing, much of it feels superficial or disconnected from the community it targets.
So, what makes for effective marketing to Muslim consumers during Eid and where do brands go wrong?
References
- ^ Eid al-Adha (www.abc.net.au)
- ^ launched festive collections (www.next.co.uk)
- ^ Sign up to our daily newsletter (theconversation.com)
- ^ around 6.5% of the UK population (aboutislam.net)
- ^ estimated £31 billion to the UK economy (www.business-standard.com)
- ^ Consumer culture theory (www.ebsco.com)
- ^ without involving Muslim designers (muslimgirl.com)
- ^ came under fire (www.bbc.com)
- ^ inclusive approach (lbbonline.com)
- ^ Iftar (www.islamic-relief.org.uk)
- ^ frequently praised (www.nike.com)
- ^ Aab (aabcollection.com)
- ^ Inaya (inayacollections.com)
- ^ Eid Al-Fitr (www.islamic-relief.org.uk)
