Diwali, also known as "Festival of Lights", is biggest and most important holiday on the South Asian calendar. It symbolizes the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Indians as the Chinese New Year is to Chinese. Diwali literally means a "Row of Lights, which involves the lighting of small clay lamps to signify the triumph of good over evil. These lamps are lit outside the homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. Lamps, fireworks and bonfires illuminate this beautiful festival. Most of Diwali festivals feature street lighting, dances, and plays.

Diwali signifies many different things in different communities but its spiritual meaning is generally "the awareness of the inner light". It has become a national festival that is enjoyed by most South Asian regardless of faith: Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. They celebrate with family gatherings, sparkling clay lamps, fireworks, flowers, sweets and worship to Lakshmi. Not only South Asian families but also many Canadians celebrate Diwali. Various corporations, associations, media, schools and community groups organize events to participate in this joyous festival. The most popular events are hosted by Diwali Fest in Vancouver. There are also some celebrations in Surrey organized by SFU, Narayan Mandir Hindu Temple and so on.

Some events attract over 15,000 audiences every year. Many businesses and associations have recognized the marketing opportunity. These types of cultural events offer their business significant exposure to the ethnic groups. Many businesses, for example RedFM, unitlize this opportunity to promote their services/products. According to the National Household Survey in 2011, the indo-Canadian residents have reached over 1 million. Around 20% of the entire Indian Community in Canada resides in the Vancouver area. Their communities are considerably different from mainstream Canadians demographically and behaviorally. The purchasing power represented by South Asian is much stronger than mainstream Canadian; about 55% of South Asian have household incomes of more than $60,000, compared to 46% of mainstream Canadians. More than 50% of them prefer to communicate and see marketing messages in their mother tongue. A relationship building with their opinion leaders and decision makers will guide your business to market success.

Establishing your brand to South Asian market does not happen overnight; it requires a long-term effort. However, having marketing professionals who understand this market to guide your business with the effective approaches will save you a lot of money and effort. By and large, there is little doubt that marketing your business to ethnic groups like South Asians is a must.

October 29, 2013
Posted By Amber Liu