Ramadan is one of the most important periods of the year for businesses in Oman and across the GCC. Daily routines change, families gather, generosity increases, and spending on food, gifts, clothing and home goods rises ahead of Eid. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, with Eid Al Fitr expected around 9 or 10 March, subject to moon sighting. Brands that plan early and communicate with respect can see strong results.
How behaviour changes during Ramadan
- Daily rhythm shifts. Working hours are shorter, and much activity moves to the evening after iftar and late into the night.
- Screen time rises at night. Many people spend more time on their phones and watching Ramadan TV series and online content after iftar.
- Family and community focus. Content about togetherness, giving and gratitude resonates strongly.
- Pre-Eid shopping peaks. The last ten days and the days before Eid are typically the busiest for clothing, gifts, sweets and home items.
Plan your campaign in phases
Phase 1: Before Ramadan (3 to 4 weeks ahead)
Prepare your creative content, shoot photos and videos, plan offers, update your Google Business Profile with Ramadan hours, and stock up. This is also a good time to run "Ramadan preparation" offers for groceries, home appliances and decoration.
Phase 2: Early Ramadan
Focus on warm, respectful brand messages, Ramadan greetings and helpful content such as iftar recipes, timings or community initiatives. Avoid aggressive selling in the first days.
Phase 3: Mid-Ramadan
Introduce offers, iftar and suhoor deals, corporate gifting packages and charity tie-ins. This is when advertising performance often builds.
Phase 4: Last ten days and Eid
Push Eid gifts, clothing, sweets and family experiences. Make delivery deadlines and opening hours very clear. After Eid, thank your customers and follow up with those who enquired.
Campaign ideas by sector
- Restaurants and cafés: iftar and suhoor menus, family packages, corporate iftar bookings, late-night delivery offers.
- Retail and fashion: Eid collections, gift guides, "complete the look" bundles, gift wrapping.
- Real estate: family-focused messaging about home and stability, and offers timed after Eid when decisions resume.
- Automotive: pre-travel service checks before Eid trips, accessory gift packs.
- B2B companies: Ramadan greetings to clients, corporate gifts, and planning content timed for after Eid when business activity picks up.
- Clinics and wellness: healthy fasting tips (reviewed by qualified professionals), adjusted appointment hours.
Advertising tips
- Schedule ads for the evening and night. Review your data, but expect activity after iftar to be higher.
- Increase budgets gradually towards the last ten days, when competition and purchase intent rise.
- Use Arabic creative written natively, not translated. See our bilingual content guide.
- Make WhatsApp ordering easy. Many Ramadan orders happen through chat.
- Prepare for higher ad costs. More brands advertise during Ramadan, so start early to learn what works.
Cultural do's and don'ts
- Do show respect, generosity and family values.
- Do use culturally appropriate visuals and modest styling.
- Don't show people eating or drinking during daytime scenes in your content.
- Don't use religious symbols or verses lightly in sales messages.
- Don't run loud, hard-selling campaigns that clash with the spirit of the month.
Measure and learn
Ramadan comes once a year, so record what worked: best posting times, best-performing creatives, cost per order and peak sales days. These insights become your playbook for next year.
Plan your Ramadan campaign with us
Fanar Star plans and runs Ramadan and Eid campaigns in Arabic and English for businesses in Oman and the GCC. Contact us early, ideally in December or January, so your creative content is ready before the month begins.