by Kai Cui
As we are approaching Halloween, the holiday season is not that far away. When Canadians think about the holiday season, the images that usually come to mind are twinkling lights, Christmas trees, and countdowns to the New Year. But that’s only part of the picture now.
According to Statistics Canada’s 2021 census, almost one in four people in Canada (23%) are immigrants—the largest percentage in 150 years. Over the recent years, India, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Iran have often been among the top ten source countries of immigrants. As Canada’s demographic landscape is changing rapidly, so is the holiday calendar for marketers. With growing cultural diversity, ethnic minority festivals and certain non-Christian religious holidays are becoming increasingly common.
With this context, Shaharyar Irfan, Director, Global Business Development & Partnerships, AVCommunications, was invited to speak at IAB Canada’s Skills Lab entitled “Win the Season: The Holiday Edition” to share in-depth insights on how demographic changes are reshaping the way that Canadians spend during festivals and how marketers should react accordingly with their campaigns.
“Multicultural marketing isn’t just a diversity box to tick anymore. Statistics Canada’s Centre for Demography projected that, if current trends continue, half of the Canadian population will be made up of immigrants and their Canadian-born children by 2041,”said Shaharyar Irfan: “In this case, multicultural marketing will be your business strategy. The most successful brands are the ones that speak to people where they are, in ways that reflect who they are.”
Why Cultural Holidays Matter to Brands
Source: Statistics Canada
In 2024 alone, nearly 500,000 new permanent residents arrived in Canada—the majority from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. These communities don’t just bring traditions with them; they bring spending power. As 62.7% of immigrants were in the middle-income range or above, for Canadian brands, this is more than a cultural footnote—it’s a marketing opportunity.
On average, consumer spending during the holidays in Canada varies among different cultural groups, with Canadians typically spending around $972. South Asian households, in particular, have a growing middle-class consumer base and tend to spend more than the national average, with an average holiday spending of $1,060.
For the East Asian communities, Lunar New Year celebrations often involve gift-giving, travel, and festive shopping, mirroring the spending patterns typically seen during Christmas. In this context, Chinese Canadians report an average holiday spending of $1,215, one of the highest among the cultural groups.
Religious and cultural events, including Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Nowruz, Hanukkah, and Passover, often drive family-oriented shopping and food spending. Thus, for brands, showing up during these moments isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s becoming essential.
How to Connect with Cultural Communities the Right Way
Source: IAB Canada
1. Through Cultural Media
Cultural and ethnic media are trusted information sources in many communities. Advertising through language-specific media channels such as Simplified Chinese WeChat public accounts, Cantonese radio stations, South Asian influencers, and Muslim community newspapers can build credibility and reach audiences that mainstream channels often miss.
2. Through Holiday-Themed Ad Creatives
Representation matters. Advertising creatives that reflect real cultural nuances, from in-language greetings like “Eid mubarak” to festive symbols like the Haft-Sin arrangement, and from iconic food like Kaju Katli to family moments like moon viewing, resonate far more deeply than a generic holiday greeting.
3. By Sponsoring Cultural Events
Many Canadian cities host large-scale cultural festivals, from the Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey, BC, to the Taste of Asia in Markham, ON. Thinking further, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has proclaimed October 20th as “Diwali Day,” which highlights the importance of cultural festivals and event sponsorship and presence as a way for brands to show up in the community(not just on screens), to build consumer trust, create experiential touchpoints, and generate organic content and word-of-mouth marketing.
When Cultural Marketing Goes Wrong
The flip side of this opportunity is cultural missteps, which can go viral for all the wrong reasons. The following examples that happened in Canada illustrate the risk of superficial or tone-deaf execution:
1. No representation: In 2022, Canada Dry launched a Diwali Contest for consumers where customers could win $2,500 worth of home gift cards. However, the TV commercial did not include any South Asian faces.
2. Violating cultural taboos: Although its original intention was sending Ramadan greetings, Walmart Canada’s “Ramadan Mubarak” sign was placed above a beer section, which is culturally insensitive given alcohol’s prohibition in Islam.
Source: Azfar Khan
3. Misuse of cultural elements: Sobeys’ post about Lunar New Year included a picture of “longevity noodles,” which are traditionally associated with birthdays in Chinese culture. This gave the impression that the brand lacked cultural awareness and authenticity.
Source: Sobeys
Each of these cases reinforces a key point: representation without understanding is not representation at all.
Takeaway: Cultural Alignment Builds Trust
Cultural holidays are becoming part of the Canadian marketing calendar. But tapping into these moments successfully requires more than sticking a festive label on a campaign.
Brands that win do three things well:
1. Listen — Engage communities, not just target them.
2.Learn — Know the cultural meaning in depth, not just on the surface.
3.Show up authentically — Collaborate with community voices and respect traditions.
As Canada grows more diverse, cultural holidays offer brands a way to connect more meaningfully. If you do not want to miss this opportunity or you do not want your good intentions to backfire, just contact us!