During Ramadan, a month of reflection and community, it’s vital to move beyond performative gestures. That’s why I put together ‘Muslim Voices in Marketing & Media,’ a candid conversation about the realities of Muslim representation. This panel, featuring industry trailblazers, wasn’t just another discussion—it was a much-needed reality check, exposing the surface-level marketing that often misses the mark.
Last night’s Iftar and panel featured:
- Hussein Houta, CEO at F42 Global
- Nabihah Parkar, Head of TikTok at The Times
- Nas Ahmadi, Co-founder at Camel Talent
- Zainab Khan, Strategy Director
- Saffana Monajed, Copywriter and Communication Strategist
The conversation doubled down on some hard truths: marketing aimed at Muslim audiences feels performative and driven by commercial motives. So we created a safe space for honest dialogues, a space where we could redefine what authentic engagement looks like in our industry and, frankly, call out the BS.
Key Takeaways: Beyond Ramadan Campaigns
Here’s what we learned:
- Ramadan is Not Just a Marketing Holiday: Brands, stop treating Ramadan as a mere sales opportunity. It’s about community, not consumption. Support grassroots initiatives instead of just pushing products.
- Year-Round Engagement Matters: Muslim consumers are savvy. They see through performative gestures. Show up all year, not just during Ramadan.
- Diversity Behind the Scenes: True representation starts in your teams. If there are no Muslims in your creative departments, boardrooms, or decision-making spaces, your efforts will always ring hollow.
- Ethical Marketing is Non-Negotiable: Saffana Monajed nailed it: “If your supply chain is garbage, consumers will sniff it out.” Ethical practices aren’t a trend; they’re a responsibility.
- Muslims Are Not a Niche: With over $3 trillion in global spending power, brands need to look beyond seasonal campaigns. Long-term engagement is key.
As Kostie Kontorravdis put it, “Far too many panels feel like an echo chamber of similar opinions. But yesterday’s panel was full of hard truths, conflicting opinions, personal stories, debunked myths, and beautifully insightful learnings about a massively underrepresented community.”
A Buzzing Q&A and Empowering Conversations
The energy in the room was electric. The panelists’ contributions sparked incredible conversations, with the audience chiming in at every opportunity. The Q&A session was a true highlight, buzzing with insightful back-and-forth discussion from a super engaged audience. It was amazing to see the impact of hosting a safe space where Muslim voices felt empowered to share their honest thoughts and opinions—something we desperately need more of in our industry.
It’s clear: we need more Muslims at the table, not just during Ramadan, but year-round. This event was a step towards building a more inclusive industry, reflecting the very essence of DEI that we champion, and ensuring that the values of community and authentic representation, especially highlighted during Ramadan, continue to drive our efforts.
—Masuma Ali, Creative Strategist and VaynerMuslims Co-Lead, VaynerMedia EMEA
