An Exploratory Study of Halal Advertising in Brunei Darussalam
摘要
Halal advertising, which is based on principles sourced from the Qur’an and Sunna, has the potential to curb advertising malpractices and counter unethical advertising internationally. The growth of the Muslim market has driven the overwhelming demand for halal products and services which signals the need for a business ecosystem in which halal advertising would play a crucial role. Against this background, this chapter explores the extent to which Brunei Darussalam’s Code of Practice for Advertising adheres to halal principles. The study attempts to uncover halal advertising from the perspective of Muslim consumers in Brunei and its influence on their purchase intention. The analysis suggests that the Code of Practice adheres to all six elements of halal advertising with a strict regulatory process in place. It further reports that Muslim consumers perceive halal advertisements as portraying honesty, simplicity and a humane use of appropriate language with no elements of sexism and racism, in which honesty and the avoidance of sexism were ranked as the two most important elements. Despite this, only the element of language significantly influences purchasing intention. This implies the superiority of verbal stimuli (such as captions) and the language used in advertisements. Findings from the study provide valuable insights for advertisers to understand and appreciate the centrality of Islam and develop advertising packages to attract and serve Muslim consumers.