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Muslim brands keep faith with their audience
12 OCTOBER 2010
If Muslim products stand a chance of going head-to-head with their Westernised counterparts, they need ethical branding and mainstream global positioning, writes Josh Colley.
“Every product in the Muslim market is a mainstream product.” On paper it seems so simple. In practice, however, the number of Muslim brands managing to marrythe ethics inherent within the religion with the capitalist beliefs that typify the Western world are few and far between.
For JWT Middle East chairman Roy Haddad, the issue is one that can appear more complex than it actually is. “Whether it [a Muslim brand] will be accepted in the West depends on how you position it and how you market it against the competitive brands,” he says.
Globalrelevance
Muslim lifestyle network Muxlim maintains a global perspective by pulling together relevant content from around the world. With more than 20 million unique visitors each year and around 20 million monthly ad impressions, it is labelled the ‘Facebook of the Muslim world’. International advertisers such as MoneyGram and Wilson Basketball look to it to reach a global Muslim audience.

Muxlim’srapid growth and global positioning can be traced to its Finnish roots and Egyptian entrepreneur Mohamed El-Fatatry. It has been ranked the second most-recognised Finnish brand behind Nokia and its English language reach now extends across 15 European markets. It has certainly helped sports manufacturer Wilson become one of the most popular brands in its sector. A tie-up between the two partiesoffers users the chance to track Muslim basketball players from different professional leagues.
Transcending religion
It isn’t just the internet that is helping Muslim brands grow. The ethical expectations placed on food production has aided the likes of confectionary specialist Bateel expand across 25 markets, as Muslim consumers look to purchase halal food with confidence. This growth hasfacilitated an expanded offering across four continents, including dedicated cafés.
Building on Muslim consumers’ desire for a Sharia-compliant product is another vehicle that brands are using to help separate themselves in competitive industries. Islamic businesswoman Layla Mandi’s OnePure beauty products look to instil ethical principles at the heart of its products. So far, the brand has stores inEygpt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and it has deals to place its products in French department store Galeries Lafayette. A travel range is also available on Saudi Airlines.
For Haddad, the one thing that connects the growing success of these brands is the fact that their model transcends any notions about religion. “I’m a great believer that absolutely everything goes back to understanding theconsumer. It can be a Muslim consumer or a Christian consumer,” he says. “I’ve never heard of Christian marketing actually. If you’re not relevant to the consumer, you don’t stand a chance. It’s true all over the world.
 
M&M VIEWPOINT
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It’s easy to make the hurdles and challenges that lie ahead of a business seem greater than they are. The Muslimmarket offers as diverse a market as any brand is likely to face, whether they’re looking to attract Muslim consumers or open themselves to a wider market. The key for any brand is to follow the same processes they would for any audience and deliver a product that meets expectations
I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Holly for allowing me to guest post here today. I feel she shares someof the most thorough and current research on how brands can benefit from collaborating with and seeking critical input from Social Media Moms; while adding thoughtful commentary in the process. I am honored to share my experiences for my niche within a niche–the Muslim Social MediaMom Market.
Top Ten Reasons Why Brands Can Benefit From Working with a Muslim Social Media Mom
1. 1. Untapped...