Why does the global ad industry continue to exclude Muslim talent?

As Ramadan 2025 approaches, it’s time to ask why an industry that thrives on cultural moments continues to overlook one of the most significant global observances and the talent that should be shaping it.

Donald Trump is back, and he’s charging at all things DEI like a bull at a red rag. His executive order has already cut federal DEI jobs, and if you’re not a straight, cis white man, you’ve probably felt the shift for a while.

The creative industry prides itself on being open and progressive but does that include Muslim talent? Not really. With Ramadan 2025 approaching, I’m reminded how unserious this predominantly white, middle-class industry is about Muslim representation.

After nine years in advertising across Belgium, Australia, the UK and China, I can count on one hand the Muslim colleagues or clients I’ve had. That absence has left me feeling out of place and misunderstood. I’m often worried that speaking on representation can be perceived as confrontational, but it’s really about improving the work, ensuring underrepresented communities are seen, heard and authentically represented.

Look at me, and people see a mixed-race woman. Hear me talk and people will take turns guessing where I am from. Watch me speak up for DEI and I can feel people’s energy shift and the discomfort that comes with that. And sharing that I am Muslim often takes people by surprise, because I am not visibly Muslim and don’t fit the society’s simplistic stereotype of what a Muslim looks like.

I have heard the most outrageous things since starting my career. From being asked, "Did you steal your new phone because that's what your people do?" to being told by a creative director, "You shouldn't be allowed in the office without going through extra security checks in case you blow up the building" and even having a team lead actively exclude me and push me aside from most people’s dream client just to give my role to someone they already knew. You can grow tough skin, but how tough do I need to be when I just want to work in the industry I am so passionate about and with people that want to make great work? 

Regardless of how traumatic my experiences have been, I can’t turn a blind eye to my privilege of being a light-skinned African, with a not easily identifiable European accent, whose Muslim identity you can't guess, because it's simply not visible. It then dawns on me… are people more comfortable with their jokes and jabs because they see me as a palatable person of colour?

I thought 2020 would change everything. The Black Lives Matter movement exposed racial inequalities across society, and I had just moved to London, landing a dream job. But on my first day, a colleague dismissed me as a token hire. Tokenism wasn’t new, but it felt like a trend that year.

Still, I stayed motivated. The early, post-2020 years were my best in advertising – POC talent was finally visible, and work felt exciting. But soon, the industry snapped back and we started seeing a mass exodus of POC talent. Companies cut or failed to retain diverse hires, unconscious biases crept in and every joke, every microaggression, became yet another cut pushing me closer to death by a thousand cuts.

Every Ramadan, I watch to see which brands acknowledge the UK’s 3.2 million Muslims. Some, like Uber Eats and Adidas, have stepped up, but these efforts remain rare, despite the Ramadan economy being worth at least £200m annually and Muslims accounting for £20.5 billion of this country’s spending power.

So why aren’t we looking at Ramadan the way we look at Halloween, Easter or, yes, even Christmas? Why is our industry still ignoring this demographic? Shouldn’t we see this as an opportunity for growth from both a marketing, creative and talent point of view?

Agencies and brands overlook emerging black and brown Muslim talent while struggling to authentically engage consumers and improve representation. Research shows 58% of Muslims feel misrepresented by brands, and 97% of young Muslims don’t see themselves accurately reflected in media.

Yet, campaigns like Nike’s "Victory swim", Tesco’s "Together this Ramadan", and Gymbox’s Ramadan fitness tips prove it’s possible. These smart, insight-driven ads connect with the community; more brands need to follow suit.

Boosting diversity in this industry benefits everyone. Brands are struggling to cut through, marketing budgets are shrinking and new business is scarce. Impactful campaigns rely on authentic insights, strong creative ideas and detailed craft, but none of these truly resonate without cultural understanding, which only comes from lived experiences.

Agencies can bridge this gap by partnering diversity-focused organisations such as Brixton Finishing School, Zola Studios and Muslim Sisterhood. Or, better yet, retain and actively and intentionally invest in the diverse talent they already have.

Dan Wieden once said diversity in advertising leads to more diverse ideas and a better understanding of the world—I truly believe that.

Agency leaders, encourage, listen to and amplify diverse voices. See the insights of underrepresented people not as criticism, but as a chance to better understand a powerful consumer demographic that advertising has long overlooked.

And for others like me that are walking around with a thousand cuts, I hope we can let our hope, not our hurts, shape the future.

Siham Zerkak is a senior account director at JVM London