In part one of the series, we explore one of the biggest opportunities for Canadian brands and marketers. With immigration at an all time high, there are plenty of ways to build relationships with newcomers. From pre-arrival planning to post-arrival integration, we'll uncover strategies to reach this audience and drive meaningful engagement.
A newcomer’s journey starts long before they board the plane. I know this from personal experience as I immigrated from India to Canada 10 years ago. Before I even stepped foot in Canada, I’d already signed up with Scotiabank, actively researched Canadian mobile plans, and even sussed out a visit to Niagara Falls.
It can take anywhere between 5 to 18 months to process permanent residency visa applications from countries like India and China. So there’s a big window of opportunity for brands to get in front of soon-to-be newcomers and start building brand awareness and loyalty.
If you’re only targeting newcomers post-arrival, you’re missing the chance to reach a key demographic at a critical stage in the consumer journey.
Back in my day, blog posts were the information gateway. Today, newcomers have many more ways to learn about the products and services that await them in Canada. For example, there are thousands of YouTube channels and WeChat groups dedicated to immigration. My own social channels are bursting with tips from Indian influencers.
The bottom line is, brands should be engaging with newcomers as early as possible. And the most effective way to do that is by using an omnichannel programmatic media strategy built on strong data and insights.
MiQ has crafted custom targeting solutions to reach immigrants from India and China, which continue to be the most important sources of new permanent residents to Canada.
Our solutions always start with Day-Zero insights that tell advertisers what they need to know before they go to market. In this case, it might be when or from what region their newcomer audience is researching Canada, and what channels they’re using. Then we activate against these insights using our full suite of programmatic solutions.
Our clients can:
- Target audiences in regions most likely to immigrate to Canada
- Target audiences using immigration apps and researching Canada on YouTube
- Target audiences following immigration related pages on WeChat
- Target audiences searching for immigration keywords on China’s top search engine Baidu
- Target audiences visiting locations such as visa application centers
Newcomer audiences are complex and diverse, demanding more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Case in point: India has 22 official languages! And there are many cultural nuances that distinguish the country’s many regions.
Our programmatic solutions help manage this complexity by enabling brands to connect with newcomers on a localized level at each point in the immigration journey.
The work (and opportunity) doesn’t end with prospective newcomers. Reach out here to discuss more growth opportunities for your brand. And learn more about targeting newcomers post-arrival in the next instalment of the ‘Made for Canada’ solutions series.
Sachi Gurudanti is the Director of Solutions at MiQ Canada, where she leads the build and execution of cutting-edge data science, analytics, and technology solutions tailored for media agencies and advertisers. Sachi combines deep industry expertise with innovative thinking to drive impactful results. She holds a Master of Management Analytics from Queen's University, Canada, which has equipped her with advanced skills to excel in the dynamic landscape of data solutions.
