Arts & Culture

A Blast from Ramadan Pasts: Egypt’s Nostalgic Song Commercials

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A Blast from Ramadan Pasts: Egypt’s Nostalgic Song Commercials

The Ramadan season comes bearing warmth, peace, and felicity. Over family iftar gatherings and late night suhoors, Egyptians gather around discussing the unending flow of mosalsalat (TV series) that air in Ramadan—interrupted only through small, though frequent, commercial breaks.

During Ramadan, commercials are almost as important as the mosalsalat. Over the past years, commercials and adverts have shone in high-budgets, all-star actors, and catchy songs.

Yet, beyond the sometimes extravagant sets and often monotonous songs, some Ramadan commercials in the past were warm, familiar, and guaranteed to leave viewers giddy—etched in people’s heads for years onwards. For many Egyptians, TV commercials seep into human emotions, and remind watchers of the beauty of coming together in the holy month of Ramadan.

From the 1990s until present day, here is a collection of Ramadan songs from decades back that bring back hints of nostalgia and remembrance to a life once lived.

Gold Star — 1990

Faragallah — 1999

Olympic — 2006

Mobinil — 2009

Etisalat — 2010

Vodafone — 2010

Pepsi — 2011

Vodafone –2011

CocaCola — 2011

Mobinil — 2012

Pepsi and Chipsy – 2013

CocaCola — 2013

Pepsi — 2014

Vodafone — 2015

Vodafone — 2016

Orange — 2018

500 500 – 2018

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Farah Rafik is a graduate from the American University in Cairo (AUC) with a dual degree in Multimedia Journalism and Political Science. After being an active participant in Model United Nation (MUN) conferences both locally and internationally, Farah discovered her love for writing. When she isn’t writing about Arts & Culture for Egyptian Streets, she is busy watching films and shows to review. Writing isn’t completed without a coffee or an iced matcha latte in hand—that she regularly spills. She occasionally challenges herself in reading challenges on Goodreads, and can easily read a book a day.

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