Ethical marketing: working in advertising while staying halal

Marketing is a field that leaves many Muslims with questions: can you promote any product, use every advertising technique, work as an influencer? Marketing jobs are not unlawful in themselves; according to mainstream scholarly positions, what matters is the product being promoted, the truthfulness of the message and the means used to persuade.

This page reviews the main jobs in marketing and advertising, the content that raises concerns and ways of working ethically.

Jobs in marketing

• Marketing executive: market research, action plans, sales tracking.
• Product manager: defines the offer, the price and the positioning of a product or range.
• Digital marketing manager: search engine optimisation, paid campaigns, email marketing, data analysis.
• Copywriter: writes advertising messages, slogans and content.
• Art director and graphic designer: designs the visual identity of campaigns.
• Influencer partnerships manager: selects and manages content creators.
• Content creator or influencer: produces sponsored posts on their own channels.

These roles are found in agencies, on the client side, in the media or as a freelancer. Long-term brand positioning is covered separately on our page about halal brand management.

The product being promoted: the first criterion

Promoting a product means contributing to its sale. Scholars therefore generally consider that advertising alcohol, gambling, pork-based products or interest-based financial services is problematic, just as selling them is. Our page on taking part in an unlawful activity explains the distinction between direct and indirect contribution.

In an agency, an employee may be assigned to very different accounts. It is worth finding out about the client portfolio before accepting a job, and raising the question openly with the recruiter.

The message: truthfulness and respect

Even for a lawful product, the way it is sold matters. The points that usually raise concerns are:

• misleading exaggeration or concealing defects;
• fake reviews, fake accounts, invented testimonials;
• deceptive pressure techniques (false urgency, supposedly limited stock);
• using the body and seduction to sell;
• music, on which scholars hold differing views;
• misuse of the word "halal" or of religious symbols as an unfounded selling point.

The law often points in the same direction: in France, misleading commercial practices are penalised, and the advertising industry regulates itself through the ARPP. In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority plays a comparable role, and misleading practices are prohibited throughout the EU.

Influencer marketing

Working as an influencer or running influencer campaigns raises specific questions. In France, a law passed in June 2023 regulates commercial influence: content must clearly be identified as advertising, and the promotion of certain products and services is banned. From a religious standpoint, the same criteria apply as for traditional advertising, with an added dimension: self-image and the staging of one's private life.

Many Muslim content creators choose niches (modest fashion, cooking, education, travel) where their values become an asset rather than a constraint. Opportunities in Islamic media are another avenue.

Building an ethical career

Choosing your employers

Companies in food, cosmetics, fashion, publishing or services offer many positions without any major conflict. Halal brands also recruit marketing professionals who can speak both to Muslim customers and to the general public.

Setting your limits

As an employee you can express your reservations, but refusing a task remains legally delicate; the page on refusing a task on religious grounds sets out the applicable principles.

As a freelancer

Freelancing lets you choose your clients. State your criteria in your terms of engagement to avoid misunderstandings.

Marketing to Muslim consumers

More and more companies are seeking to reach Muslim consumers, particularly during Ramadan or in the run-up to the Eid festivals. This demand creates jobs for professionals who understand this audience from the inside. It also carries risks: caricatured campaigns, commercial exploitation of religious practices, inappropriate use of sacred symbols.

A good marketer knows how to advise the client on striking the right tone: relying on serious research rather than clichés, involving the people concerned in the design, respecting the diversity of practices and backgrounds, and avoiding presenting the community as a uniform bloc. They also know how to say no to a campaign that would exploit religion. The backlash against a badly designed campaign can be severe; conversely, respectful and honest communication builds a lasting relationship with customers.

Skills and training

• marketing fundamentals: research, segmentation, positioning;
• digital tools: audience analytics, online advertising, social media management;
• persuasive yet honest writing;
• knowledge of advertising and data protection rules;
• an understanding of Muslim consumers and their expectations.

Business schools, vocational diplomas in communication, bachelor's degrees and online certifications are the usual routes in. A sound grounding in business ethics, in both the Islamic and the legal sense, will make the difference for positions linked to halal brands.