I am an advisor and speaker on Asia's biggest commercial trends

You have a strategy for China, India, and perhaps even Africa. But what’s next ?
What’s the next big consumer play?

The world’s Muslim consumers number 1.7 billion. They are twice the number of
consumers in Africa and account for nearly 30 percent of the emerging market
total. For all the current political issues, it’s hard for any multinational to claim
they are truly international if they don’t have a strategy for selling to the Muslim
world.
But it also means checking our assumptions. This isn’t just a halal story. It’s a
story about digital GUMmies and marketing strategies.

How so? The problem is those billion-plus consumers are spread across more
than 50 countries, each with their own local preferences; many are also found in
low-income countries. In short, they are a more complex commercial opportunity
than selling to China, India, or even multi-country Africa.

I spoke a few weeks ago on the subject at a global summit in Kuala Lumpur and
was joined by experts and business owners from around the world. I was struck by
how digital technologies have turned the debate upside down and how quickly
strategies are evolving. Four points stood out.

GUMmies are the first step in a large, but fragmented, market

Most exciting are the opportunities selling to global urban Muslim consumers (or
GUMmies for short). Incomes tend to be higher among this group. But more
importantly many have studied abroad at universities in the U.K or U.S and so
share similar buying preferences, whether Emirati or Indonesian.

Digital strategies are critical given the segment’s geographic dispersion. Take
Alchemiya.com, an on-demand video platform screening Muslim lifestyle
programs which recently crowdfunded near $100,000, or consumer site
Zilzar.com, the online retailer aiming to be the Muslim world’s Amazon.

It’s about marketing strategies, not just halal

“We don’t do halal” is a common response when asked whether a company might
target the Muslim consumer. But that’s missing the point. It’s as important to
recognize that Muslim consumers shop at different times and for different
reasons, even if they are ultimately buying the same goods and services.
My favorite example is Nicorette, a popular brand of nicotine patches. The global
brand owner, Johnson & Johnson

, has always enjoyed a New Year sales bump, but also noticed a Ramadan sales
bump as Muslims used the patches to stop smoking during the month-long fast.
Marketing campaigns now specifically target this segment.

The Muslim travel market is both a digital and marketing play

The Muslim travel market isn’t a new story. The surge in visitors to Malaysia and
Turkey, for instance, has been a major opportunity for over a decade. But the
convergence with digital technologies will change the way millions of increasingly
affluent Muslim families book their holidays.

To this end, Halaltrip.com is worth a look. It shares similarities with

Tripadvisor.com, but it specifically targets Muslims. Hotels are rated on their
quality and service, but they also receive a rating on other features, such as
whether they are located near mosques or halal restaurants.

The challenges of halal in the non-Muslim world

I heard many speakers in Kuala Lumpur worry that the idea of ‘halal’ has
branding challenges in the non-Muslim world. It’s become an emotional topic and
many brand owners would be keen to promote their products in another way,
such as emphasizing the higher level of checks imposed on ingredients.

So why not take a look at China? I recently turned up halal-certified Kit Kat
chocolate bars and Oreo cookies among a range of products during a quick survey
of supermarket shelves in Shanghai. For a country with food safety issues, halal
adds an extra level of credibility and the benefits of selling to China’s huge market.