New Canadians are open, optimistic and digitally connected—an ideal combination for marketers who want to make inroads with this valuable audience.
In a new report, Digital Acculturation, Yahoo Canada delves into the lives and experiences of new Canadians, those who have arrived in Canada in the last five years, zeroing in on digital as the first touch point in the process of cultural transition.
“We really wanted to understand the role of digital in the acculturation process,” says Yahoo Canada research manager Sarah Bradley. “It is how they find out about Canada before they move, it’s where they go to for news, sports, cooking information, it’s how they decide on banking services, cars to buy and how they maintain connections with their friends and family in their country of origin.”
The research, which provides valuable insights for brands and marketers into how they should tailor their outreach, messaging and media plans to connect in appropriate and relevant ways, will be presented during the Talking Multicultural event at the Arcadian Loft in Toronto on November 12.
Attendees will develop a deeper understanding of the new immigrant journey by exploring their cultural mindset, media consumption, shopping habits and key purchase decision-making.
One in five Canadians and one in two in major urban centres are foreign born, making for a valuable demographic that can’t be ignored.
The research looks at different groups and finds most new Canadians aim to create a balance between adopting Canadian lifestyle and maintaining their culture and traditions using a variety of strategies. It takes about a year for people to settle in and one of the first things they do is buy a phone, followed closely by opening a bank account.
New Canadians consume media equally in English and in their native language. However, this demographic is not easy for marketers to reach via traditional methods. Newcomers spend much less time watching TV and listening to the radio than those who are Canadian-born, taking instead a digital-first approach to media consumption. One-fifth spends more than eight hours per day on their smartphone, while many don’t have a television for more than a year after their arrival.
Those first months are a prime time for companies to make strong connections, as newcomers start forging brand loyalties right away, whether it’s selecting a telecom provider and bank to buying groceries and beauty products.
“They see Canada as a world of opportunity. They are very open to new brands,” says Bradley.
Yahoo is a key touch point for new Canadians: one in four Yahoo users were born outside of Canada and studies show Yahoo reaches 62% of those in Canada less than five years. It’s proven to be one of their main communication, navigational, and news sources.
“We see new Canadians as an opportunity for Yahoo, but also for marketers,” says Bradley. “As populations change, brands want to think about new strategies to reach this audience.”
For such strategies and more insight into the diverse attitudes, media habits, and purchase decisions of these highly influential consumers, you’re invited to Yahoo’s exclusive invitation only event, Talking Multicultural. To register, visit http://yahooadvertisingca.tumblr.com/tagged/events
