From Surf Excel to Big Bazaar, brands have leveraged the sentiments around Ramadan, over the years. We go down the memory lane to revisit some of the best stories brands have weaved on this occasion.

Some of the most iconic Ramadan campaigns have been introduced over the years, which have left a lasting memory and created a benchmark in storytelling and emotionally taxing, yet smile inducing efforts.

We bring you some of the most well made Ramadan Campaigns from brands all over the world that embody the values that the holy month represents.

1. Surf Excel Pakistan

#MadadEkIbadat is one of Surf Excel Pakistan’s triumphs in advertising, and their campaign video from 2016 was highly appreciated. A beautiful message that urges everyone to reach out and help one another, #MadadEkIbadat is hard to watch without ending up being teary eyed.

2. Almarai

The largest dairy company in the Middle East, Almarai’s, Ramadan campaign video in 2015 is creative brilliance backed up with effortless acting and a moving background score. With not a single dialogue or word uttered throughout the video, it reflects the values that are synonymous with the month of Ramadan, compassion, giving, charity, and helping others.

3. Lipton Pakistan

#MakeItHappen from Ramadan 2016 boasts of another beautifully produced video with a benevolent thought behind it that preaches kindness, the spirit of giving and putting our noble thoughts into action. The video shows a number of people noticing folks in need and wishing to help them, like many of us do but rarely follow through with, and encourages them to #MakeItHappen.

Also Read: 9 times brands added joy to Ramadan and Eid with glorious campaigns

4. Big Bazaar

Big Bazaar’s Ramadan campaign from last year titled #NekiKaMahina features Archana Puran Singh and Sayani Gupta playing the parts of a concerned and worried to-be grandmother and a doctor. Archana Puran Singh’s daughter in law is rushed into the hospital as she is in labour and the doctor is about to end her fast, but immediately hurries to help the woman in need.

5. Coca Cola

Coca Cola Middle East’s campaign 'Remove Labels this Ramadan' is an attempt at removing the prejudice that people develop towards one another based on their appearance. An innovative initiative, it involved 6 strangers to sit in a dark room and talk to one another about themselves, and eventually turning the lights on to reveal an awakening insight.

6. Wall’s Pakistan

A part of Unilever, Wall’s Pakistan’s Sorry Abbu from 2016 tells the story of a little boy who is unhappy with his father being away from home during Ramadan, and explaining it to his father in a letter. Later when the child understands that his father, a doctor is away, helping underprivileged children in third world countries, and apologizes to his father for being unhappy with him.

7. Pepsi Pakistan

Featuring a compelling background score from Abida Parveen, the Lighting Up Lives campaign follows up in the footsteps of global movement, Litre of Light which was aimed at providing free lighting to villages and places with no access to electricity using 2 litre bottles of sodas, filled with water and some bleach. Pepsi’s Lighting Up Lives shows volunteers using Pepsi bottles with a different apparatus to bring light to villages during the month of Ramadan.

These campaigns represent not only the undying Ramadan spirit, but boast of mastery in terms of thick story-lines, smart casting, and complementing background scores and cinematography. Celebrating such well-made campaigns, Yearbook of Social Media campaigns by Social Samosa is back. Aiding the industry to learn from the best work executed in 2016-17, #SSYearbook17, is a compilation of some path-breaking work. Stay tuned in, #SSYearbook17 comes soon.

Is your favourite Ramadan campaign on the list? If no, share it with us on team@socialsamosa.com in the comments below.

Till then, Happy Ramadan!