Khaberni - The Ramadan race is no longer exclusive to the protagonists of series, behind the curtain are "silent wars" spearheaded by telecommunications giants with "astronomical" budgets sometimes exceeding the cost of producing major cinematic films, all for the sake of a single minute ensuring viewer attention.
Behind the scenes, marketing agencies meticulously study the list of nominated stars, where the popularity of each artist, their digital impact, and their connection to the audience are analyzed.
Then, negotiations begin in the language of numbers, and although companies do not officially announce the wages of advertising stars, social media platforms are abuzz with speculations and leaks about astronomical amounts that are rising annually in ways some consider insane.
From 22 million to 78 million... Wages doubling in just a few years
In Ramadan 2019, Egyptian singer Amr Diab topped the list of highest advertising face salaries in Ramadan with an amount of $1.3 million, which was about 22 million pounds at the time.
The figure was shocking then, but it seems modest today compared to what the advertising circles speculate about the 2026 season, in which estimates circulating inside the field indicate that the campaign of the same star this season, which included his four children in a first joint family advertising experience, had a total cost of about 78 million pounds, including 60 million salary for the star, 20 million for broadcast space, 5 million for production, and 3 million for melodies and lyrics.
The comparison is not complete without considering the difference in currency value; because the Egyptian pound has lost about three times its value since 2019 until today, meaning that Amr Diab's salary has multiplied realistically even if monetary inflation is taken into account, and the figure remains much higher than any previous level.
In Ramadan 2025, Sherine Abdel Wahab received an equivalent of $1 million (about 50 million pounds), while Tamir Hosni's salary at that time reached estimates ranging between 20 million pounds, while this season's 2026 estimates indicate an increase to about 35 million pounds, and the increase is linked to the previous season's success rather than the name alone.
Two strategies facing each other
Numbers from 2026 reveal two different models of thinking within the decision-making rooms. The first model anchors the entire campaign on a single popular star, with the largest portion of the budget going to their salary.
The second model adopts a "spread of influence" logic; this was demonstrated in a campaign by Telecom company that recruited veteran actress Abla Kamel after a long absence from the screen, causing some to talk about an estimated list of female star salaries, where it is said that Kamel received (25 million pounds), Yasmin Abdel Aziz (20 million), and Menna Shalabi (15 million), reaching a total of about 48 million pounds spread over several faces instead of being centered around a single name.
Media reports noted that this approach is considered "diversification of impact instead of intensification", as betting on a single star gives the campaign significant momentum but exposes it to risks of saturation or public diversion, while diversity gives the campaign more threads reaching different audience segments.
Billions in a month... and the bill does not end with the star
The salary of the star is not the only item, as the cost of purchasing broadcast spaces during Ramadan alone represents between 30% and 40% of the total campaign budget, with advertising slot prices peaking significantly during peak viewing times compared to the rest of the year.
This also includes production in all its details from shooting locations, visual effects, work teams, and costs for composing and writing.
According to estimates circulating in the media market, the total expenditure of the Egyptian advertising market during Ramadan ranges between 3.5 and 4.5 billion pounds, representing about 70 to 90% of the total annual advertising expenditure.
And the telecommunications sector captured the lion's share of this cake, amid competition from 4 main companies pushing the average cost of a single campaign to tens of millions.
