Dubai and the UAE · Guide for brands, creators and content teams
“In Ramadan the feed follows the fast. Post for the evening, speak with care, keep the hard sell for Eid.”
Ramadan content for brands in Dubai is less about a bigger campaign and more about better manners. The days slow down, the evenings come alive, and audiences notice quickly when a brand gets the tone wrong. This guide covers the etiquette of posting during the holy month, when people are actually online around iftar and suhoor, content ideas that fit the month, how to work with creators while they may be fasting, and what to keep in mind when you film in public. For the campaign calendar and the big shoot that happens before the month starts, see planning a Ramadan and Eid campaign shoot.
Warm, low evening light and covered arms: the mood most Ramadan content lives in · SwainUK, Dubai
01 · Etiquette
How brands should post during Ramadan
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic year. Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, and the month is about reflection, family and generosity. Non-Muslims are not expected to fast, but everyone is expected to respect it, and that includes brand accounts. A few rules hold for almost every category.
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Lead with generosity, family, gathering and calm | Hard-sell countdowns and loud "deal" creative in the first days |
| Greet your audience: "Ramadan Kareem" or "Ramadan Mubarak" | Jokes about hunger or fasting, or food shown as a tease during the day |
| Modest styling: shoulders and knees covered | Revealing wardrobe, even on accounts that usually post it |
| Soft music, or none | Loud, aggressive tracks and party energy |
| Arabic checked by a native speaker | Machine-translated greetings on images |
The same guidance appears in what UAE outlets and the government portal tell residents and visitors: dress modestly, keep music and voices down in public, and avoid eating, drinking or smoking in front of people who are fasting. A brand's feed is a public space too.
Sources: UAE Government portal, Ramadan · Gulf News, Ramadan dos and don'ts in Dubai · Khaleej Times, Ramadan rules and etiquette in the UAE.
02 · Timing
When people are online during Ramadan
Daily routines change completely, so the usual lunchtime posting slot stops working. Platform data from the region points the same way: viewing rises during the month, there is a spike in the hour before iftar, and a second, longer one late at night until suhoor. Facebook's then managing director for the Middle East and North Africa put the peaks at around 6pm to 7pm, before iftar, and from midnight to 4am. TikTok reported that video viewing and engagement both rose during Ramadan, with users active on their phones while waiting for iftar.
| Time of day | What people are doing | What to post |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime fast | Working shorter hours, conserving energy | Little. Light, useful content; no food |
| The hour before iftar | Waiting, scrolling, preparing the table | Short, calm video; recipes and gifting ideas |
| After iftar | Family, visits, prayers, TV | Your strongest post of the day |
| Late night to suhoor | Out with friends, at home, awake longer | Longer content, Stories, creator collaborations, offers |
Use these as a starting point, then check your own account insights after the first week. Iftar moves a minute or two earlier or later each day, so schedule posts relative to sunset, not to a fixed clock time.
Sources: The National, why social media use spikes during Ramadan · Campaign Middle East, TikTok's Ramadan community trends in MENA.
03 · Ideas
Iftar and suhoor content that fits the month
From SwainUK's Charlotte Tilbury Eid shoot in Dubai: covered, soft styling and a night-sky set, with the make-up process as content in its own right.
The content that works in Ramadan sits around the two meals and the evenings in between. A few formats that suit most brands:
The iftar table
Dates and water first, then the meal. For food and hospitality brands it's the hero shot; for everyone else, a gathering your product belongs at. Get the order right: audiences notice when a table looks staged.
Getting ready for the evening
Beauty, fashion and fragrance fit naturally into getting ready for iftar visits and Eid. The Charlotte Tilbury Eid films used exactly this: make-up in progress, then the finished look.
Suhoor and late nights
Relaxed, lounge-style content: friends, tea, quiet conversation. Longer videos and Stories land better here than at any other time of the day.
Giving and gifting
Charity drives, gift guides and behind the scenes of a team giving back. Show the act, not the brand taking credit for it.
One production can cover the month: shoot the Ramadan evening and Eid looks together before the month starts, then publish in step with the calendar. The shoot side is in the Ramadan and Eid planning guide, and the vertical formats in social media video production in Dubai.
04 · Creators
Working with creators during the month
Creator collaborations are a big part of Ramadan marketing in the UAE, and they need more care than usual, because many creators are fasting and their own audiences expect a certain tone from them in this month.
1. Check the permit. Anyone publishing promotional content in the UAE needs an Advertiser Permit from the UAE Media Council, paid or gifted. Ask for it before the brief. See the UAE Advertiser Permit guide.
2. Brief before the month. Agree concepts, wardrobe and captions in advance, so nobody is rewriting scripts while fasting.
3. Respect the fast on set. Don't ask a fasting creator to eat or drink on camera during the day. Shoot iftar scenes at iftar, or before the month.
4. Book around prayer and iftar. Avoid calls and shoots close to sunset, and keep daytime sessions short.
5. Let creators shape the tone. They know how their audience wants to hear from them in Ramadan. Approve the message, not every word.
6. Label it. Paid partnerships should be clearly marked as advertising, as the platform requires.
05 · Filming in public
Shooting content in Dubai during Ramadan
Interiors carry most Ramadan shoots: a palace location filmed by SwainUK for Damas in Dubai.
The rules for filming in Dubai don't change in Ramadan, but how a crew behaves in public matters more. Eating, drinking and smoking in front of people who are fasting is discouraged, and many restaurants and malls offer dining away from public view during the day. Loud music in public is frowned upon, and modest dress is expected.
Keep food and water out of shot
Hydrate the crew out of public view, and never stage eating outdoors in daylight.
No playback outdoors
Use earpieces for talent cues and keep the music for the edit.
Dress the crew too
The crew is in public as much as the talent. Shoulders and knees covered.
Ask before filming people
Privacy rules in the UAE are strict at any time of year. Get releases from everyone identifiable; see model release forms for UK and UAE shoots.
Locations still need permission and, for commercial work, a permit. The process is in the Dubai photoshoot permit guide.
06 · Shoot hours
Planning a shoot day inside the month
A lighting set-up on a Dubai shoot. During Ramadan, the hours after iftar can be the most productive of the day.
Private-sector working hours in the UAE are reduced by two hours a day during Ramadan, and fasting crew and talent have less energy late in the afternoon. Two patterns work well:
| Pattern | How it runs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Morning day | Start early, wrap a few hours before sunset | Product, studio, interiors, interviews |
| Split day | A short afternoon prep, break for iftar, shoot after the meal | Iftar tables, night exteriors, lit interiors, events |
Whichever you choose, stop for iftar, have dates and water ready for the team, and don't plan the most demanding set-up for the last hour before sunset.
Source: UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Ramadan working hours. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February, depending on the moon sighting: The National, Ramadan 2027 dates.
07 · Checklist
Before the first night
Content: Ramadan evening and Eid assets shot and approved, with Arabic checked by a native speaker.
Schedule: posting times set relative to sunset, strongest posts after iftar and late at night.
Creators: permits checked, briefs signed off, no daytime eating or drinking on camera.
Tone: greetings ready, music and captions reviewed, styling modest.
Community: someone on the account in the evenings, when comments and messages arrive.
Watch
Eid and evening content
Charlotte Tilbury Eid campaign
Charlotte Tilbury Eid campaign, second film
Ido Raphael x Balqees Fathi x Vogue Arabia, Dubai
Charlotte Tilbury Eid billboard filmMore guides
Keep reading
FAQ
Common questions
What is the best time to post during Ramadan in the UAE?
After iftar and late at night until suhoor, with a smaller peak in the hour before iftar. Daytime engagement drops. Schedule relative to sunset and check your own insights after the first week.
What should brands avoid posting during Ramadan?
Food shown as a tease during fasting hours, jokes about fasting, revealing styling, loud music and aggressive sales creative. Lead with generosity, family and calm, and keep the big offers for late nights and Eid.
Can influencers post ads during Ramadan in Dubai?
Yes, with the same rules as the rest of the year: a UAE Advertiser Permit and clear labelling. Brief them before the month, respect the fast on set, and let them set a tone that suits their audience.
Can you film in public in Dubai during Ramadan?
Yes, with the usual permissions and permits. Keep eating and drinking out of public view during the day, avoid loud music, dress modestly and get releases from anyone identifiable.
Written by Joshua Swain, who shoots beauty and campaign content in Dubai and London. The Eid films are in the Charlotte Tilbury Eid campaign portfolio. This is general guidance, not legal or religious advice.