Halal holidays in the sun | |||||||
ADVERTISEMENT Mizan Raja and Nazma Begum talk about their experience of a 'halal holiday'
 If you see a veiled Muslim woman sitting on a beach watching her husband and children splashing in the waves, don't assume it's her religion that keeps her from joining in the fun. Muslim women can often be seen swimming while veiled - though they may not want to on beaches where most women are wearing bikinis. The problem also occurs in some resorts in Muslim countries with an international tourist trade. Expensive hotels in some Arab countries actually ban veiled women from their pools so that Western guests feel at home. One answer for Muslim families who want to play in the water together is Halal tourism. The idea took off several years ago, as hotel companies witnessed the success of the Sharia-compliant banking and investment sector and saw their opportunity. It encompasses the main aspects of Sharia-compliant living such as no alcohol, Halal food, separate mosques for prayer and modest dressing. And with nearly 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, the potential market is huge.
Mizan Raja, his wife Nazma Begum and their four children travelled this summer from the UK to Alanya, on Turkey's southern, Mediterranean coast, for a beach holiday. They had been to British resorts before - such as Brighton and Southend-on-Sea - but Nazma could only watch while the others played. "I really thought I was missing out to be honest, like I was held back from doing something that was really fun and enjoyable. "But here, everybody has been getting involved and having lots of fun," she said. Women-only facilities Large screens in the reception area of the family's four-star hotel advertised the hotel's facilities, without using female models. Between enjoying the beach, the restaurants, the segregated spa facilities and pool areas, guests hear the call to prayer five times a day.
Another feature that many women consider the highlight is an open-air women-only swimming pool on the sixth floor, at the very top of the hotel. Even the elevator accessing the pool is for women alone. Before Nazma and I got into the pool we were both checked for cameras and mobile phones. Nazma's experience of women-only pools in England was quite different, she said. "I've actually been to a women-only pool session and all of a sudden a man walked in and he was going to be the lifeguard, which contradicted what it was all about," she said. A remarkable thing about the women-only pool area is how relaxed the women look. Most of the women in the hotel were covered. They either wore a headscarf (hijab) or full-face veil (niqab). In the ladies' pool however, none of the women were covered, and some were wearing regular swimming costumes. "One person, the other day, I didn't recognise her!" Nazma said. "She was wearing the burkini but she looked so different because she (normally) wears the niqab. "I could see her face and she was smiling. You could tell she felt safe and secure in this environment," Nazma added. Growing market On the beach I met Thuraya Al Haj Mustafa, a Palestinian-German who has been coming to Turkey with her family for the past five years. They were one of the first families to try the Halal beach holidays. "What I enjoy myself is being able to go to the beach with my whole family, not just my husband, to go to the sea. I can go as well. I can swim with my children," she said. "I can have fun with them… you know in Arab countries like Palestine it's normal for ladies to sit by the beach but not to swim. Here I can do everything I like," Thuraya said. With countries like Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia leading the way in Halal tourism, the Middle East has yet to exploit this young, growing market.
Only a handful of Sharia or Halal hotel developments have so far materialised in the region - yet the World Tourism Organisation says Gulf travellers spend $12bn (£7.7bn) annually on leisure travel. Abdul Sahib Al Shakiry, an Iraqi tourism expert and founder of Islamic Tourism Magazine, said that a good chunk of this money could be channelled into the Halal tourism industry. "People want to spend money and if you give them what they want, they'll spend money in this direction and there will be business," he said. But while some welcome the arrival of the Islamic beach holiday, others see it as a form of isolationism. 'Double standards' "I find it very alarming," says Muslim writer and columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown. "Cultural racism or religious racism, which is what this to me is, is saying there is no common humanity. That we have to, even on holiday, be apart from the rest of you. "You can go on holiday anywhere in the world and you don't have to drink, nobody forces you to drink.
"I accept the Halal food argument but there are always other thing you can eat. "How would we feel if there were Christian-White only holidays advertised?" she said. "We would be appalled. You can't have double standards." Thuraya, on the other hand, said that such holidays are not isolating but rather bring people together. "You see Muslim people from all over the world. You have Muslim people from China, Russia, Belgium, France. "The other thing is that when I go to any other normal vacation or hotel they wouldn't accept me wearing the burkini," she added. "They don't make me feel comfortable so why should I go there? "I'm not searching for isolation but there's no other possibility for me as a Muslim lady," she said. Whether or not Halal tourism drives people apart, or brings them together, one thing is for sure - Mizan, Nazma and their children had a fantastic time on this beach holiday. On their last day in Alanya, Nazma told me that the one thing that has given her a sense of freedom she had not had before, is the burkini. "I'm not held back any more. I've been able to go in the sea and take part and not think twice. "Everyone I've seen has been wearing burkinis, so I don't feel like the odd one out," she said. "It's been a really good experience and something that we want to come back and enjoy next year." | |||||||
Friday, October 8, 2010
Halal holidays in the sun
Muslim Futurism and Islamic Branding
Muslim Futurism and Islamic BrandingSpeech by Miles Young at the Inaugural Oxford Global Islamic Branding and Marketing Forum
The world is re-balancing, but it might be fair to say that the business of marketing and branding is only just beginning to acknowledge this, and catch up. But, numbers talk; and big numbers talk loudly. In fact, it was when we sent out a mailer recently, describing Muslim consumers conservatively as the ‘third one billion’ that the bells started finally to ring in the global HQs of some of our clients. Yes, this is a market bigger than India or China is, and yet it receives a tiny fraction of the attention. And it is not just that the numbers are there, but the value is also. The GDP of the five large Middle Eastern countries is the same size as India, but on a population which is one-third of it. Most global enterprises, whether from the West or the East, have a BRIC strategy, and many are starting to look at N-11 in the same way. 53% of the population of the N-11 are Muslim. Finally, Muslim countries are some of the youngest in the world. There are more than 750 million Muslims under the age of 25, representing 43% of the global Muslim population, and 11% of the world’s.
But the numbers alone do not tell the whole story. From the 1970s on we have witnessed an Islamic Renaissance, perhaps as profound as its European counterpart of the 16th century. The reassertion of thought and culture which this has produced, at a time of technological change, means that this is an active, creative and innovative constituency, and one which is on the move. It is also one which we in the West can learn from.
There are two challenges which Western marketers face when contemplating this opportunity.
The first is that global enterprises still operate within matrix structures in which the primary axis is geographic. However, the Islamic world is a powerful vertical segment which unifies attitudes and behaviours, but not always by geography. This causes significant issues of sponsorship within organisations. Where does the Islamic conscience rest? If I may venture an answer, I suspect it will increasingly be with global product management, another vertical function; whereas, if at all, it lies currently within local markets in product management. In other words, the big transition needs to be from a local/ tactical function to a global/ strategic one.
And the second is the tendency of the marketing and advertising industry to see it as just another interesting segment. In this mindset, it becomes equated with ‘greys’, or the ‘Pink Dollar; or Latinos in the US. Of course, all these are very valid targets for segmentation strategies, but the Islamic opportunity surely differs qualitatively. We are not looking here at a segment which is qualified by one primary difference, be it age, orientation, language or skin colour, and then whether attitudes and behaviour vary from a norm in accordance with that. Rather, we are looking at an alternative norm, one where the starting point is Islamic identity, and everything else fits into it. An American Muslim is a Muslim first and an American second. An American grey is an American first, and grey is a qualifier. In other words, much of the conventional marketing canon, the textbook thinking of Kotler and others, does not really cope intellectually with the Islamic opportunity.
About the Author
Miles Young is global CEO of Ogilvy.
Download Muslim Futurism and Islamic Branding (pdf, 144Kb)
Putting the Halal into Brands, or Branding the Halal?
by Jonathan A. J. Wilson
Extracts from: Wilson, J.A.J and Liu, J. (2010), “Shaping the Halal into a brand?”, Journal of Islamic Marketing, (to appear in July, issue No.2, 2010).
In business, the doctrine of what is halal has culminated in the creation of ingredient brands and in some cases forms of co-branding. Where the termHalal is recognised as a brand element, its evaluation often has functional and materialist interpretations. These deviate from more contemporary marketing and branding constructs – which instead look to focus on aspirational, tacit and intangible components (Keller 1993, 1998; Freling and Forbes 2005; Hayes, et al 2006).
With halal, organisations either appear to see it as a brand component of sorts; or recognise that within it lies the potential to become a brand – both of which can help increase market share. In contrast, for Muslims, Halal is not merely a brand element. Instead, it is part of a belief system and moral code of conduct, integral in daily living. Current literature indicates literalist and uniform definitions of what is halal; largely housed within product marketing. However, the authors assert that Halal, as a concept, contains within it attributes which render it both a phenomenon and a noumenon. What is deemed halal is ultimately governed by the heavens and subsequently therefore can never remain in its entirety within materialist branding frameworks. Following this, management practices and processes concerned with the halal, should also take into account the implicit views of all stakeholders – and this is where its true potential lies. In addition, whilst there are numerous denominations within the Islamic faith, agreeing upon one paradigm in principle; in practice they struggle to both agree and implement such universals. In light of these factors, conclusions that bring forward one halal brand as something that will fit all, are somewhat naïve and perhaps due to a lack of depth in understanding,
The importance of Ethical Supply Chains in Halal Branding
The suggestion here is that supply chain optimisation will encounter difficulties, when addressing fully management issues surrounding brand value, if halal components are introduced. This is in contrast to Maklan and Knox’s (1997) general principle of brand management – which identifies supply chains as being significant. Reasons are that better quality products, delivered more quickly, for lower costs, and with a stronger brand presence, do not constitute what is considered halal – according to definitions derived from Islam. Illustrating this, the following two hadith and a chapter in the Qur’an form the cornerstone of Islamic judgements:
“All actions are judged by intention”
(First phrase extract from a hadith related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, as a reported saying of The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)
“Whoever commits an act, or introduces a matter into our religion (Islam), which is not part of it, will have it rejected”
(Hadith related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, as a reported saying of The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)
“I (Allah) swear by time, that I have created, that all of mankind is at loss; except for those that (do all of the following): believe (in Islam), do good deeds, guide people to truth and have patience”
(Qur’an, chapter 103)
(Translation by the authors, from the texts, in Arabic)
It appears to be the case that the drivers for halal lie in someone being a Muslim, followed by correct thinking and intentions. Only once these have been achieved, can a review of the supply chain process occur, with its subsequent optimisation.
Therefore, building on the suggestions by Maklan and Knox (1997) and del Rio, et al (2001), the authors assert that ethics also play a pivotal role. Evidence for this is taken from the following:
“Allah’s Messenger (Prophet Muhammad) cursed ten people in connection with (alcoholic) wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought.”
(Hadith related by Al-Tirmidhi).
Whilst the drinking of alcohol for recreational purposes, is prohibited in Islam; this hadith also demonstrates that the involvement in, encouragement and consumption of this commodity is also forbidden. Therefore an argument is made to encourage the decommoditisation of halal concepts; in favour of treating them as processes – where the behaviour and intentions of those involved also fall under scrutiny. This would push practices towards approaches such as: Fair Trade, corporate altruism, sustainability and green marketing. In doing so however, further consideration would have to be made as to which products and services would credibly still remain within this reworked halal framework. Products which profess such levels of ethical practice tend to position themselves as carrying a premium. In contrast, many current halal offerings adopt strategies which price them below their non-halal equivalents, if not cheaper. This is to encourage their consumption – either for religious or commercial reasons (and in some cases both).
Halal branding as a means of reducing Muslim consumer dissonance
Within Muslim countries and especially those which have Arabic as their mother tongue, many products have previously taken their halal status as a given. However, more offerings now seek to brand themselves as halal; even within Arab speaking and Muslim nations. This is especially in cases where products are viewed as being foreign, or potentially contentious. For example it may be more crucial to brand Han originating Chinese food (largely hailing from a non-Muslim majority) as halal; in comparison to popular dishes native to Chinese Muslim tribes and Muslim countries. Due to the concept of avoidance of doubt, halal branding is in some way differentiated from other ingredient brands, such as ‘Fair Trade’ or ‘sugar free’ and is more comparable to: ‘sugar free’(for diabetics), ‘suitable for vegetarians’, or ‘nut free’ – where consumers have indelible laws of guidance. Therefore halal often represents something of a “hygiene factor” (Hertzberg et al 1959), and thus presents itself as a potential deal breaker, if absent.
Halal branding as an offensive and/or defensive corporate strategy
The halal market has seen a growing number of products outside of the food sector, overtly carrying Islamic classifications. Examples range from halal soap, halal perfume, halal chocolate and Islamic Hip-Hop. Traditionally seen as being non-contentious commodities, explanations for this phenomenon can be viewed in two ways: Optimistically, they serve as a positive reinforcement of the demand for such commodities and their economic market potential. However a polemical case can be argued for increased concerns driving such growth, within the Muslim community. Muslims may feel that not enough of their needs are being catered for; perhaps there remains a mistrust of larger organisations; or feelings of a lack of control over the Islamic standard. In support of this pessimism, there are cases where minute trace elements of alcohol or haramanimal products have been found in commodities – despite carrying labelling indicating otherwise. This shows that whilst not considered significant within general manufacturing practices, they are still areas of concern for Muslims. Either way, their presence forms part of both offensive and defensive strategies – regardless of any optimism or pessimism. In a quest for Islamic purity, the purification of both wealth and actions lead to levels of spirituality. These sentiments provide admirable aspirations and great potential, for marketers and brands – whereby consumers sees themselves as being one with the product or service in question, by collectively and if possible collaboratively, achieving halal credentials.
The Global market potential of halal offerings
Mintel Oxygen (2002), values the UK Muslim population as having a combined spending power of £20.5 billion. The Grocer (2007), states that the halal food market in the UK alone is worth £700 million; with Tesco looking to bring £148 million of Malaysian halal products to the UK over the next five years. Abdullah (2008) cites predictions of Muslims becoming a significant religious group in America; hailing from over 80 different countries. Within this African Americans will make up the majority. However despite this conspicuous presence, Abdullah (2008) asserts that, “the orientalist stereotypes many Westerners consume about Islam, prevent them from understanding the complex ways these Muslims negotiate their religious, racial, and ethnic identities” (Abdullah, 2008, p.5).
Abdullah (2008) also states that Muslims define their respective identities through a process of boundary shifting which “does not only include a dichotomy between inclusion and exclusion, but refers to those situations where people negotiate multiple belongings or hybrid identities. This means individuals often navigate their personalities in ways that cause two, three or more identity markers to overlap. In other instances, they may revert to a single identity” (Abdullah, 2008, p.9).
Knight (2006) reported that banks offering such products as Islamic Finance (which by its very nature carries halal status), have attracted British non-Muslims. Malaysia also states that “up to 25% of Islamic accounts are opened by non-Muslims” (Knight 2006). It could be argued that this is surprising – considering that these financial products are non-interest bearing and whilst they may be considered a necessity to someone following the Muslim faith; begs the question why others would want to adopt them? This is especially because economic gains seem to take a back seat. Non-Muslim consumers in Knight’s (2006) article equated Islamic finance with ethical living. Haron, et al(1994), find in Malaysia,
“about 39 per cent of the Muslim respondents believe that religion is the only reason why people patronize the Islamic bank, and, surprisingly, the percentage is much lower for non-Muslims. More than half of both respondent groups have indicated the possibility of establishing a relationship with the Islamic bank if they have a complete understanding about the operations of an Islamic bank” (Haron et al 1994, p.38).
Future thoughts and areas for consideration
Fan (2000) identifies Confucianism as being the most influential school of thought, when looking to understand Chinese culture. By using Confucianism and the 40 key cultural values developed by the Chinese Culture Collection in 1987, Fan (2000) created 71 values which were grouped under 8 categories of: national traits, inter-personal relations, family (social) orientation, work attitude, business philosophy, personal traits, time orientation and relationship with nature. Upon analysis, it is felt by the authors that these values in fact also translate to the Muslim community remarkably well. The suggestion is that they contain within them an appreciation worthy of the materialistic, philosophical, spiritual and metaphysical – experienced by Muslims alike. As such, the investigation of comparable cross-cultural phenomena would provide useful insight and platforms.
Abdullah, Z. (2008), “Negotiating Identities: A History of Islamization in Black West Africa”, Journal of Islamic Law and Culture,10:1,5 — 18
del Rio, A. B., Vazquez, R. and Iglesias, V. (2001), “The effects of brand associations on consumer response”, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 410-425.
Fan, Y. (2000), “A Classification of Chinese Culture”, Cross Cultural Management – An International Journal, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp.3-10.
Freling, T. H. and Forbes, L. P. (2005), “An empirical analysis of the brand personality effect”, Journal of Product & Brand Management, 14/7 (2005) pp. 404–413.
Hayes, B., Alford, B. L., Silver, L. and York, R. P. (2006), “Looks matter in developing consumer-brand Relationships”, Journal of Product & Brand Management 15/5, pp. 306–315.
Hertzberg, F., Mausner, B. and Snyderman, B.B. (1959), The Motivation to Work, Wiley, New York, NY.
Haron, S., Ahmad, N. and Planisek, S. L. (1994), “Bank Patronage Factors of Muslim and Non-Muslim Customers”, International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 12 No. 1, 1994, pp. 32-40.
Keller, K.L. (1993), “Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity”, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57, pp. 1-22.
Keller, K. L. (1998), Strategic Brand Management. Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Knight, J. (2006), “Non-Muslims snap up Islamic accounts”, BBC News online Business section. [online] (Updated Sunday 17th December 2006) Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6168800.stm [Last viewed: 6th July 2008, 23:24].
Maklan, S. and Knox, S. (1997), “Reinventing the brand: bridging the gap between customer and brand value”, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 6, No. 2 1997 pp. 119-129.
Mintel Oxygen (2002), “Halal Foods – UK – January 2002”.
The Grocer (2007a), “Growing appetite for halal food”, The Grocer, 02-06-2007.
Jon Wilson is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Advertising and Marketing Communications Management, at the University of Greenwich, London, UK. Jon is also on the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Islamic Marketing.
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