( CNN ) -- For those that live and work in the Middle East , Ramadan is a period of considerable downtime . In many countries , special laws require the working day is reduced to accommodate those fasting ( observers are meant to abstain from food , water , cigarettes -- even gossip -- during the daylight hours of the month-long holiday ) . As a result , TV consumption goes up , and with it , TV advertising budgets . `` It 's like the Super Bowl and Christmas combined , only instead of one week or ten days , it lasts all month , '' explains Khaled Gadallah , the managing partner at Dubai-based advertising firm Tonic International . While many countries in the region lack metrics to measure the ratings , there are several indicators that viewership spikes dramatically . An audience measurement system called Tview was introduced in the UAE last year prior to Ramadan , and found that Emirati viewers watched TV for an average of six hours and nine minutes a day during the first ten days , 32 minutes more than during the first six months . `` Average viewership is a couple of hours during normal days . On Ramadan , it is double that , because people have more downtime ; more me- and we- time , '' says Vatche Keverian , the CEO of J. Walter Thompson 's Middle East headquarters ( JWT MENA ) . Read more : Innovation gets a kick-start . As a result , it is not uncommon for companies in the region to spend a third or more of their advertising budget over Ramadan , according to the Pan Arab Research Center ( PARC ) . If advertisers can hitch themselves to the right program , the benefits can extend well beyond the season . `` Past trends indicate that television media that performs well during Ramadan carry their ratings earned for months to come , '' explains M Shaharyar Umar , PARC 's marketing director . Coca Cola and Pepsi are among the biggest spenders in the Middle East during the month , with telecommunication companies often bringing up the rear . In 2012 , Pepsi spent $ 91 million on Pan-Arabic television spots , Coke $ 40 million , and telephone companies like Vodafone and Etisalat spent between $ 40 and $ 50 million each . A good portion of Ramadan commercials are rife with clichÃ©s , says Gadallah . `` You can expect to see a lot of star-studded skies , night time , lanterns , and some sort of Islamic motif in the background , '' he says . Traditionally , he adds , breaking the mold can prove challenging . `` What stops a lot of agencies from pushing the envelope is this fear of offending people with a new idea . '' Watch : Backstage at Iraq 's hottest TV show . In 2006 , Gadallah decided to try something different with Nando 's , an international fast food chain that wanted to gain more traction with Arab youth . They decided to take a humorous approach to the ritual of fasting , and depicted a man hovering over a Nando 's drumstick , waiting anxiously for the sun to set before taking his first bite . `` The beauty of it was that we showed Muslims have a good sense of humor and enjoy having a good laugh . We did n't rely on a local idea that only people from the region would understand , '' he explains . Though it 's been several years since the Nando 's ad first launched , it remains the most viewed ad during the Ramadan season , thanks to its internet presence . `` The PR Nando 's gained from the ad was great . It was not geographically limited to the Middle East , but went across the globe . '' It is not uncommon for an exceptional ad to take on a cult status during this time of year . JWT MENA accomplished a similar feat last year with a series of commercials for Vodafone Egypt featuring the country 's most famous soap actors . Despite the advert 's kitsch-value , Keverian notes that the themes , which revolve around values and the spirit of giving , rarely change . `` The idea is always caring and sharing . You can show that in the expected way -- using traditional families , moons and smiles -- or you can do it in the unexpected way , '' he adds . Last year , JWT MENA created some community service spots for Zain 's , a telecommunication company . The commercials addressed issues like litter clean-up and respectful line formation . Far from saccharine , however , they depicted people losing their patience and entertaining The Incredible Hulk-like fantasies before reigning in their temper and engaging in the forgiving spirit of Ramadan . `` One of the things that 's so peculiar about Ramadan is that all Muslim countries live the same routine of life for a month ; they go back to the traditional values of their culture -- I would say that 's what 's at the heart of it , '' notes Keverian . In spite of the holiday 's unifying properties , Gadallah notes that regional differences shape the types of ads that run . `` In the Gulf region , you still do n't really have the freedom to explore new ideas when it comes to Ramadan because it 's still a bit more conservative . In cultures such as Egypt , where the season is a lot more festive , you find a lot more engaging content than anywhere else in the world , '' he says .
Islamic holiday of Ramadan seen as opportunity by advertisers . Comment: Coca Cola and Pepsi are biggest spenders in the region .