There is a serious problem with Brand Halal. The “halal” market is expected to reach more than $2.4 trillion dollars by 20241. That is more than the combined total GDP of what the top 10 MENA countries produce annually2. The Halal brand is used across a variety of sectors primarily consumer focused products and services such as food & beverage, leisure, and finance.
Not all consumers are the same, we all have unique habits of consumption, and we all share similar morsels of behaviour when buying certain products. But what is true across the board is when consumers choose a product, it’s a complex process to figure out. Companies spend billions of dollars on marketing and advertising to influence choice. However, when it comes to marketing for Muslim consumers, many fall short. It seems like marketing departments of companies targeting Muslims conserve their marketing dollars by simply slapping “Halal” or a “Shariah Compliant” on their product and service and that is it.
This infuriates me as a customer – granted I get a little heated because I have extensive experience in the marketing space, and I am a little more aware of the nuances of marketing messages – nonetheless it is a horror show when it comes to creating a sophisticated marketing message to promote products and services to Muslims.
The message implicit with all Halal messaging is, Hey It’s Halal. I am not afforded a greater explanation or incentive other than that…Hey it’s halal…be grateful that there are companies willing to create products for you. Be grateful that we’ve created a range of food or FMCG products sourced from countries with environmental and ethical rap sheets longer than most violent criminals. Don’t be such a traditionalist, our profit rate is reasonable, otherwise you will have to violate your sacred covenant and use ribawi (conventional) banks.
Many of my fellow Muslims living their lives across this globe are content with the product offerings because it is difficult living as a Muslim in non-muslim majority countries. Try to find products that suit your dietary, financial, and leisure needs – it’s not easy. Similarly, my hijaby sisters run laps through shopping malls, trying to piece together an outfit from 10 different stores so that she can express her individuality modestly. Most of the online Hijab stores I’ve come across in search of gifts for my female family members, friends, and relatives, border on extortion!
I choose not be content with subpar products priced at astronomically high prices just because I’m seeking Halal. I demand more than that. My demand is subject to all the influences all consumers on this planet share, and more. Because Halal is not just a label. It is not a sticker you can slap on a product and service. It is a movement, or at least it should be. It is an aspiration to do better, to live better. The economics of ethical business are feasible. Market demand mechanisms elevate what is good and demote what is not. As consumers, and more so as Muslim consumers, we must ask more of businesses trying to influence us to purchase their wares. But it will take more than you just saying it’s halal to get me to open my digital wallet.
1 https://www.statista.com/statistics/796103/global-muslim-market-size/
2https://www.statista.com/statistics/804761/gdp-of-the-mena-countries/
