Mention was made in a recent posting of the way commercial pressures impact on festivals such as Ramadan.Here is a classic example in the Gulf News, 10 September 2008.
After a report on the record 40% sales growth for the first half of 2008 and a summary of the factors that have contributed to this ‘dramatic growth’ comes this Ramadan sales pitch:
Following the results, Audi Abu Dhabi has announced a special offer on the Audi A4, A6 and A8 during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Customers purchasing their new vehicle before October 4 receive a preferential interest rate of only 3.5 percent and make no repayments until 2009, along with benefiting from the five years / 105,000 km free servicing.
Before you jump to the Audi web site to see whether the A4, the A6 or the A8 would look best outside your home, consider the timing of this special advertising.
This is a month of going without (as much as possible) the ordinary, everyday, material things.
As hinted earlier, going without food and drink (and possibly extra spending and entertainment) for this period has the capacity to get minds centred on the things that nourish and satisfy our deepest urges.
It is interesting to see some business people in the UAE pulling back from doing deals until the special month is over.
Dangling special offers like an Audi A8 maybe like presenting a plate of scrumptious cakes to people who are fasting or getting them to think that with so much self-denial they deserve to be rewarded by something special.
What do you think of special Ramadan offers? Fair enough or not appropriate in this season?
Further ETE articles and photographs of desired cars in the UAE:
Flash New Cars Roll into Emirates
Abu Dhabi Billionaires Obsessed with Lavish Lifestyle
Old Cars in UAE Get the Chop
Dream Car of the UAE
Hummer Facing End of the Road in UAE?
Dr Geoff Pound
Image: The Audi range (A4, A6 and A8) reduced to reward in Ramadan.
