June 3rd this year was the Dragon Boat festival, one of the top four traditional Chinese holidays. Every year, many Chinese people gather with their families and friends to celebrate together. Even in Canada, celebration can be widely seen, especially from Chinese Canadian communities. 

Perhaps unbeknownst to many brands here in Canada, traditional or cultural holidays are not just a time of celebration. But also an important time for marketing. Multicultural marketing, to be specific. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive towards multicultural marketing during holidays: Dragon Boat festival edition.

Brief History

First, let’s understand the significance of the Dragon Boat festival. The Dragon Boat festival, better known as “Duan Wu festival” amongst Chinese communities, falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This is usually during late May to June on the Gregorian calendar. 

It is widely believed that the Dragon Boat festival was done out of respect and commemoration of the famous Chinese poet Qu Yuan, who was revered for his patriotism and contributions to Chinese classical poetry. Qu Yuan drowned himself in a river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, so people threw the Chinese rice dumplings into the water so that the fish would eat the dumplings instead of Qu Yuan’s body, so he could rest in peace. People would also beat drums and ride dragon boats to keep evil spirits away from his soul. As time went on, this day would become a national and cultural tradition.

Chinese Rice Dumplings

Let’s talk more about the Chinese rice dumplings, one of the most commonly known cultural foods that are eaten during the Dragon Boat festival. They are better known as “Zongzi” amongst Chinese communities. 

Chinese rice dumplings are made with sticky rice with different fillings. There are a wide variety of options for the fillings, with certain examples being red bean paste, jujubes, brown sugar, for sweet dumplings. If you want salty dumplings, you can choose pork, chicken, or salty boiled eggs for fillings. Either way, they are wrapped up in bamboo leaves and then tied in string to hold everything together. The rice dumplings are then steamed for a finishing touch. 

These sticky rice dumplings are incredibly delicious, and they are a popular food item that holds a significant place in Chinese culture.

Marketing Opportunities

So, how does this all tie in with multicultural marketing? It’s important to remember that multicultural marketing is marketing done for visible minorities. In the case of the Dragon Boat festival, this primarily means the Chinese communities.

Multicultural Marketing Agencies

When it comes to multicultural marketing, there is no better place to look for guidance and assistance than multicultural marketing agencies. Here is where you can find people with professional and reliable knowledge, skills and experience for marketing towards multiple ethnic and cultural groups. If you would like some expertise on developing plans and strategies for 

The best part about multicultural marketing agencies is that usually they’re composed of  diverse members from all sorts of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. That way, you can get raw perspectives with people who are much more familiar with the culture, if they weren’t brought up in that cultural environment. And thus, your multicultural marketing strategies are more effective and sincere. 

Multicultural marketing agencies offer the best expertise for marketing to culture groups you may not be so familiar with. In a place as culturally diverse as Canada, multicultural marketing agencies are especially important. Many cultural holidays are still widely celebrated in Canada, and the Dragon Boat festival certainly is an example of such. Get your multicultural marketing consultancy so you won’t miss out on valuable opportunities in the future!

Connect with Communities

Multicultural marketing is all about connecting. If you can offer something that appeals to visible minority groups, your multicultural marketing is effective. And products that appropriately fit with a culture are an excellent option. 

Let’s use the Dragon Boat Festival as an example. As mentioned before, this is a time for celebration amongst families and friends, so it’s an excellent opportunity to promote and market relevant products that appeal to people, especially in a cultural sense. After all, the Dragon Boat Festival is a cultural holiday. 

So, understanding the cultural background and significance of holidays will let you know what to market and how. Make sure you’re being mindful and sensitive when doing so. Again, if you need help, multicultural marketing agencies are your best friend.

Special Events

Holidays are an excellent time for hosting special events. These events can be something as simple as a sale or a giveaway. It’s best if the events are fitting with the holiday itself. But you can also use the special time as an opportunity for something joyful in general.  

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many multicultural marketing options you have. Holidays are a time of fun and happiness, thus making it an excellent opportunity for you to promote products that will bring both to your visible minority customers!

The dragon boat festival, like many other cultural holidays, is a fun time for both people and brands. So, definitely take this opportunity to have fun together, and enjoy the culture and the holiday! 

Thank you so much for reading this article! Please stay tuned for more news and insights about multiculturalism and multicultural marketing! If you would like any help or assistance in multicultural marketing, please make sure to check out our services. We are DV8.