What is Diwali?
Diwali is a festival of lights, which is celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs in India and around the world. Diwali celebrations last for five days and symbolize new beginnings. During this time, people exchange sweets and decorate their homes with flowers, rangoli (bright and colourful designs and patterns made of rice powder, chalk powder, flowered petals, etc.), warm lamps, and light firecrackers.
Diwali is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in India. Diwali literally means “row of lighted lamps.” It is one of the biggest Hindu festivals in India and Nepal, and it is celebrated across the globe by Indians and other South Asian diaspora communities. It is a national holiday observed in India, Fiji, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
It celebrates the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.
To celebrate Diwali, we’ve curated some interesting facts about how Diwali is celebrated around the world and how it has been used in marketing strategies by global brands to engage their target audiences.
Source – The Fact Life
How and where is Diwali celebrated around the world?
Canada: Although Diwali isn’t observed as an official national holiday in Canada, there are many communities across the country that celebrate. Several gatherings and events are organized in cities with a higher concentration of Indian communities such as Mississauga, Brampton, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, and many more.
Check out this video of an amazing event of fireworks in Toronto for Diwali celebrations!
United Kingdom: Diwali celebrations in cities such as Leicester and Birmingham happen in a grand manner. As the areas have a huge number of Indian communities, the festivities are celebrated as they are celebrated in India with Diwali light decorations and sweets.
Source – The Fact Life
Thailand: Thailand celebrates Diwali as Lam Kriyongh, and the celebrations are similar. Carrying the same essence as Diwali with a different name, the island observes Diwali celebrations by lighting lamps made from banana leaves and candles. Celebrated on the full moon day of the 12th month according to the Thai calendar, the festival is normally celebrated with extraordinary fireworks!
Malaysia: Malaysia celebrates Diwali as Hari Diwali with a few different rituals than that of India. The word Hari Diwali originated as a result of the similar timing of the Hindu festival Deepavali and the Muslim festival Eid ul-Fitr, called Hari Raya Aidilfitri in the Malay language. People start by bathing in oil and going to the temple to offer prayers. Since fireworks are prohibited in Malaysia, people celebrate here by exchanging sweets, gifts, and good wishes.
Sri Lanka: Since the festival is significant for the country, it is a public holiday. It is one of the most rejoiced festivals in Sri Lanka. People light small lamps to ward off evil spirits. It is also believed that the lamps reflect the hope for a brighter and better future.
Nepal: In Nepal, the festival is celebrated as Tihar. Similar to the Diwali celebrations, the festival rejoices in the victory of good over evil. People exchange gifts, thank animals for the harvest, decorate the house with lights, and offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi. It is the second biggest festival in Nepal after Dashain.
USA: As there are many communities of Asian descent in the country, from New Jersey to Texas, to California, you can find temples in many cities that host Diwali celebrations with priests offering prayers followed by a vegetarian dinner. Apart from this, people also exchange gifts and spend time with friends and family during the celebrations.
Watch this video to see how buildings across NYC light up for Diwali celebrations!
Since Diwali is a festival that celebrates light, it has been an important event for marketing and advertising campaigns as it provides many metaphors and eye-catching imagery that appeals to many viewers.
There are many ways to create marketing campaigns around Diwali. For example, featuring brands alongside the important message of hope and the triumph of light over darkness can be relevant to many businesses and organizations.
Also Read: Modern Advertising and marketing need inclusion of diversity – Here’s Why
Here’s a snapshot of how brands in Canada are connecting to Indian audiences with culturally relevant messages during Diwali Celebrations!
Ford: In 2021, Ford had a clear message for the Indo-Canadian population: “No Escape Like Home”. The company came up with a video commercial showcasing a South Asian woman taking a short trip from Toronto to London to visit her father to celebrate Diwali. This story connected Ford’s mission of selling cars to being able to drive home to see family for Diwali.
IKEA: In 2021, the company brought their Diwali campaign to life with an amazing television advertisement. IKEA wanted to portray the universal story of Canadians getting together for the holidays through the story of a South Asian family preparing for the Diwali festivities. The ad featured IKEA’s furniture as part of a family moment where people come together and create memorable moments.
Canada Post: In 2022, Canada Post issued a new commemorative stamp to celebrate the Diwali festival. The stamp showcases two traditions that are the heart and soul of Diwali celebrations – fireworks and the lighting of lamps. This is Canada Post’s fourth Diwali stamp to celebrate the country’s cultural diversity by recognizing events important to the large population of people from South Asia.
Diwali stamp (CNW Group/Canada Post)
Sephora: The campaign, “Reignite the Light,” was launched by Sephora last year during Diwali to celebrate diverse cultural occasions in the Canadian community. They touched the Indian audience with Diwali inspiration and tips to create their own look using Sephora makeup during the festivities.
Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous Diwali!
We hope you have learned about how different cultures around the world celebrate Diwali and what it means to each community.
As a company, we hope you have a stronger understanding of how companies can embrace Diwali in their marketing strategies to reach Indian audiences here, in North America.
Looking for ways to promote your business to reach diverse audiences with culturally relevant communications? We’ve got you covered! Get in touch with us now and let our team of experts help you with your translation and multicultural marketing services needs.
