McDonald’s: Iftar Sand Clock / Leo Burnett, Saudi Arabia

Ramadan, the holy month of fasting during the daily hours, starts on the 24th of April. This begins a month where food companies must abstain from showing food in their ads to avoid temptation during fasting. Despite this, McDonald’s Saudi Arabia have created a novel new way to advertise its products without being disrespectful to the Muslim faith.

Turning outdoor McDonald’s Drive-Thru screens into Ramadan Iftar Sand Clocks, falling grains of sand slowly reveal the exact time customers can break their fast. Taking 12 hours for the sand to fall – exactly the period of fasting – the grains of sand come together to form a McDonald’s meal. When the meal is complete, customers are free to order and enjoy it… just in time for Iftar! The Iftar Sand Clock is also running on McDonald’s social media stories, with special promocodes that are only revealed once the sand completely falls. By doing this, it supports their McDelivery operation to increase sales for a quarantined nation.