Ramadan Party Unexpectedly Moves to the Parking Lot

Just like many other events around the world, Ramadan and all the traditions surrounding the holiday were affected by the health global crisis as well. Two years of pandemic-induced lockdowns prevented family members to meet and celebrate the Holy Month properly. With things returning to normal, Muslims are finally able to sit in the same parking lot with the rest of the family, honking at each other, and asking uncles, grandparents, or cousins to move their cars.

Wait… What?

People across the Middle East reuniting to celebrate Ramadan is a common sight. However, while inside the house the event unfolds harmoniously, with family members gathering over iftar, things outside the building are not that coherent. Because when a big family reunites, the outside is nothing but a crowded parking lot.

While most brands narrate the priceless moments families create during Ramadan via emotional ads, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors (Toyota sector) observes this year’s celebrations from a different angle. Developed with the help of the Serviceplan Experience agency and directed by Omar El Zoheiry via Big Kahuna Films, the campaign video communicates togetherness while adding a funny twist to these memorable times.

Munir Khoja, Managing Director, Marketing Communication, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors (an authorized distributor of Toyota) explains: “Ramadan is a busy time for marketers. It’s important to stay authentic but easy to fall into a sea of sameness. We wanted to do something entertaining and relevant, without ignoring our products. And we believe we’ve achieved that.”

Saleh El Ghatit, Creative Director, Serviceplan Experience, adds: “I wanted to capture the true dynamics of a Saudi family in Ramadan. Being half Saudi myself I felt the true dynamics aren’t represented as well as they could be. We tend to see cookie cutter families in a lot of these Ramadan ads, and that was the first thing we needed to avoid. The truth is Ramadan can be funny, the moments we share are ones of joy, happiness, and a little bit of banter. The challenge for us was making it feel like a Ramadan ad while keeping it insightful as to why the ad coming from a car brand.”

The spot — which will most probably put a smile on viewers’ faces — opens with the first-arrived attendee trying to leave the iftar. If it happens to be the first one to arrive at a festivity, you’re likely to discover that your car is overparked by other family members. So, you have two options: You either accept that you’ll be the last one to leave or you’ll try to untangle this story by asking the others to please move their cars.

This second scenario is what the brand settled on: The spot humorously narrates a Ramadan party unexpectedly moving to the parking lot, spontaneously “planned” by that member who is trying to leave earlier than the rest. Yet, one thing stops him: His car is being blocked by another, the next one by another vehicle, and so on. Eventually, all the guests wind up in the parking lot, either moving their Toyotas, admiring them, or serving desserts.

Although the campaign’s focus is on Ramadan, anyone who owns a car can relate to the ad’s plot. Next time you find yourself unable to leave a social gathering because some other driver parked where they shouldn’t, look at the bright side: There’s always room to create new, funny stories. “We hope people enjoy watching [the commercial] as much as we enjoyed making it,” explains Khoja. Well, we certainly did have a good laugh watching this spot.