• Reuters , Thursday, October 12, 2006 12 PM

Advertisers are using religion to win over consumers in conservative Saudi Arabia during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. While most Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, they celebrate each evening with family gatherings around the television and dinner table. Religion plays a central role in the Kingdom, home to Islam's holiest shrines.

"Some brands are riding the wave of Ramadan and how families are gathered around food ... It's a very religious society," says Ramzi Ghanem, Riyadh chief of Starcom Mediavest. Brands use messages that portray them as reminding people that 'this is what you should do.' This is the month of faith. So it's like a social responsibility," Ghanem adds.

Read the whole story at Reuters »