On the latest episode of Campaign Middle East’s On The Record podcast, Nicolas Khoury, Associate Director – Agency Partnerships, MBC Media Solutions (MMS), discusses the incredible value and success for Ramadan marketing that can be unlocked by kick-starting client and agency collaborative efforts well ahead of time.
Khoury reveals fascinating ways in which not only products, but also brand positioning and brand messaging can be weaved into the very scripts and narratives of seamlessly integrated content – including several different types of shows, mini series, short-form videos and other formats – which draw millions of eyeballs and sustains active attention within channels, platforms and devices during Ramadan.
He also opens up about how consumer behaviour, preferences, purchase intent, screen time and watching patterns change during the Holy Month, and how brands and agencies need to pivot accordingly during this ‘Superbowl of the Middle East’ period, for which brands allocate almost a quarter of their annual marketing budgets and media spend and families gather around screens the way fans gather at a stadium.
Khoury reveals how MMS’s approach is to treat content not as a single campaign asset but as a living, cross-platform narrative that can move with viewers across linear TV, streaming, radio, and social media, while offering how brands the most value for the dollars, dirhams and riyals spent on marketing and advertising during Ramadan.
What follows is an in-depth look at the podcast conversation — from the cadence of Ramadan viewing to the mechanics of measurement, and from the art of integration to the discipline of early, collaborative planning.
Khoury says, “If you are producing an ad, whether it’s a simple regular spot or whether it’s a carefully crafted content integration into a show, make it resonate with the audience; make it as culturally relevant as possible; make it specifically for the month of Ramadan. We’re a huge content network, and we’ve got linear TV, radio, streaming, CTV, and social media. What we tell brands is that we already are present across every platform where the consumers are during Ramadan. We are already creating the exact type of content they want to watch during Ramadan, from humorous shows, to social media clips, to intense late-night dramas, to DIY cooking shows, and so much more. We also have precise measurement frameworks, including BLS and MMMs that show precisely how impactful and effective this can be for brands.”
He adds, “However, for brands to make the most of us, they need to understand that some of these Ramadan programmes are shot up to six or seven months before Ramadan. It’s not about simple product placement in the show anymore. If they want their brand positioning or messaging to be integrated seamlessly into the script of the show, they need to start working with us very early to have the most impact. The earlier we have the brief and the earlier we can sit and have a coffee with the clients, agencies and partners to discuss what the options are and what needs to be done, and why it will work better in a certain way, the better the outcome will be.”
The underlying message is that collaborative briefs that offer all stakeholders sufficient time to ideate, strategise, execute and integrate the right messages into the right content on the right platforms for the right audience will have the right outcomes.
The conversation reveals how Ramadan is less of a sprint and more a seasonal orchestra, where timing, tone and tone of voice matter as much as tone of reach. MMS’ frame — start early, tailor content to each platform, bring data into the creative brief, and seek bespoke content that lives across MBC Shahid and the broader network — offers a pragmatic blueprint for brands aiming to balance brand equity with performance.
In a landscape crowded with campaigns, the real victory lies in campaigns that feel inevitable, culturally anchored, and scientifically measured — a harmony of heart and metrics that turns attention into intention and intention into growth.
Watch the full video podcast here.
CREDITS:
Guest: Nicolas Khoury, Associate Director – Agency Partnerships, MBC Media Solutions (MMS)
Host: Anup Oommen, Editor, Campaign Middle East
Production: Surajit Dutta, Content Production Manager, Motivate Media Group
Videography: Mark Mathew, Creative Content Producer, Motivate Media Group
Studio: Ekaterina Shirshova, Creative Content Producer, Motivate Media Group
Editing: John Melencion, Content Producer, Motivate Media Group
