Canada’s New Ad Reality: Culture at the Core

When Canada’s diversity isn’t just a backdrop but the launchpad, what happens when brands stop doing ‘one-size-fits-all’ and start doing what works?

1. Introduction

In an article for Forbes this year, Isaac Mizrahi asks the question: “Is multicultural advertising just advertising?” The simple answer, he writes, is both “yes ... and no.” On the surface, advertising looks straightforward. However, when you consider the layers of culture, identity, and heritage, especially in a diverse market like Canada, the situation changes. Many brands still tend to think, “Let’s do multicultural advertising the same way we do general-market advertising, but add a touch of ethnicity.” That approach is becoming less effective. For Canadian brands and marketers, the real challenge and opportunity are clearer: the multicultural consumer isn’t a side segment; they’re at the heart of the market. Creating campaigns that truly connect means rethinking messaging, media, creative, and even brand purpose through the lens of inclusion and relevance.

At TerraNova360, we believe this isn’t just a nice extra; it’s a competitive advantage.

2. What Mizrahi means by “just advertising”

Mizrahi’s piece underscores two truths:

• Yes, multicultural advertising appears similar to regular advertising: it utilizes creative strategies, media channels, branding, influencer marketing, and calls to action.

• No, it cannot succeed simply by tinkering around the edges of a general campaign. Mizrahi points out that culturally driven creative and ad campaigns consistently outperform generic, one-size-fits-all advertising. Indeed, I have seen that as well over the years, again and again.

  
  

  The issue isn’t whether you “do a multicultural campaign,” many brands do. The issue is whether you treat it as an add-on or as a fully integrated strategy that reflects culture, identity, and lived experience.In short: If your campaign to “multicultural Canada” is just your general campaign translated or minimally adapted, you’re missing both relevance and opportunity.

3. Why Canada changes the equation

Mizrahi wrote the article from an American POV. And well relevant there ... Canada isn’t the USA. The demographics, social fabric, history of immigration, and cultural mosaic present both a higher bar and a bigger reward for brands that get this right.

• One in four Canadians was born abroad

• Beyond first-generation immigrants, Canada is home to many generations of multicultural communities, each with distinct drivers of “assimilation,” identity, and heritage.

• Media consumption, channel choice, language usage, and cultural cues differ, but many brands treat Canada like a “slightly smaller USA” and apply the same playbook.

This matters because when your target market includes many consumers with layered cultural identities (e.g., newcomer + cultural heritage + Canadian), relevance goes beyond superficial cues. It involves understanding the culture, values, journeys, and unique community networks.

For example, there is growing research showing that newcomers in Canada are 1.6 times more likely than the average Canadian to try new products and 2.4 times more likely to rely on influencer recommendations.

What does that tell us? Brands that ignore this are leaving growth on the table, and more importantly, they risk appearing out of touch.

4. The “Yes” side what still works

Let’s be clear: Good advertising fundamentals don’t go away. A strong idea, well executed and well targeted, that still matters.

• A clear value proposition, great creative, and consistency across touchpoints.

• Emotional connection, storytelling, memorable brand assets.

• Strategic media mix aligned to where the audience is.

  
  

  In other words, a campaign aimed at a multicultural segment still needs to work as advertising. It must overcome clutter, deliver a message, and drive behaviour. So the “yes” side is: You don’t reinvent advertising entirely. You evolve it.

  
  
  
  

Mizrahi emphasizes in his article that we shouldn’t demonize “multicultural advertising” as a niche alternate universe; it must still deliver business results and brand metrics.For Canadian brands: your multicultural campaign must be just as measurable, accountable, and ROI-oriented as your general market campaign, but you cannot treat it as a “nice to have”.

5. The “No” side … what must change

Here’s where the shift is non-negotiable:

• Creative work must reflect lived experience, not stereotypes.

• Media selection must consider where audiences actually are (linguistic channels, cultural media, and social networks serving diaspora communities).

• Brand context must reflect culture: values, identity, and heritage.

• Insights must go deeper: What does this cultural segment care about? What influences their path to purchase? What role does community play.

From a Canadian vantage, for brands to succeed in multicultural Canada, the following must change:

1. Don’t treat multicultural audiences as “one group.” There are multiple segments with distinct identities: newcomers, second-generation, heritage communities, indigenous populations, and ethnic vs. francophone vs. anglophone.

2. Don’t just translate. You can't simply convert your English script into another language or replace it with a visible minority actor and think it’s finished. This often leads to less impact and can even backfire.

3. Don’t isolate the campaign. Multicultural efforts should be integrated into your overall brand strategy, while still being tailored for relevance. Silos cause inefficiencies and lead to inconsistent brand experiences.

4. Don’t overlook business relevance. Marketing to multicultural segments must still align with business objectives: growth, penetration, loyalty, and value. Brands often engage in “cultural advertising” to enhance reputation or do so intermittently during festival occasions, but fail to connect it to tangible business outcomes

Mizrahi’s argument captures it well: If culture-driven campaigns outperform generic ones, then ignoring them isn’t just a brand risk; it’s a growth risk.

At TerraNova360, we believe this “no” side is often the key difference-maker.

6. Canadian examples & contexts

Let’s apply this to the Canadian market with specific focus areas:

a) Newcomer-led growth in CPG in Canada

Many Canadian CPG brands recognize that newcomers and multicultural groups are among the fastest-growing consumer segments. They are eager to try new brands, value authenticity, and connect with their culture. For example, flavors, packaging, and channel choices, such as ethnic grocery stores and community media, are essential. Brands that succeed here do more than just add signage in a second language; they develop innovation pipelines and craft messaging that honours heritage while maintaining Canadian relevance.

b) Retail & cultural inclusion

Retailers who invest in multicultural marketing, not just for immigrant populations but broader ethnic communities, are capturing growth. True inclusion in retail comes from more than shelf space, it’s reflected in assortments for heritage foods, recognition of cultural celebrations, multilingual communication, and partnerships with the communities being served.

c) Not for profits  / Social sector relevance

For not-for-profit organizations and public-sector brands, multicultural advertising presents a distinct opportunity: to connect with communities that are often underrepresented or misunderstood. But they must shift from “broadcasting at” these communities to “engaging with” them: codesign, community ambassadors, and trusted voices.

In Canada’s context of immigration, Indigenous reconciliation, and Francophone/Anglophone duality, there is cultural nuance which matters deeply. Brands that commit to this in their communications build trust and social license. 

As their traditional donor bases have continued to age, innovative organizations have recognized that donor growth can be effectively generated from these diverse communities.

d) Sports & culture - a growth frontier.

Canada’s sports ecosystem is becoming more multicultural, including participants, fans, and communities. Multicultural advertising in sports (sponsorships, creative, and media) offers brands a platform to connect with engaged, connected, community-oriented audiences. The benefit for brands: affiliation and authenticity.For brands in Canada that embrace sports and culture, the multicultural aspect isn’t optional; it’s vital.

7. Practical Framework for Canadian Brands

Here’s how to operationalize multicultural advertising in Canada:

Step 1: Insight-first

• Map your market: identify multicultural communities relevant to your brand (heritage, newcomer vs. long-term established Canadian, language preference).

• Use data and qualitative insights: Who influences them? Where do they consume media? What cultural cues matter? What are the key drivers for acquisition vs. retention?

• Example: Understand that a South Asian Canadian household may celebrate Diwali and Navratri but also consume mainstream Canadian and ethnic media, so your campaign might need dual references.

Step 2: Creative Relevance

• Build creative that reflects authenticity: language, tone, cultural moments, and references. Avoid tokenism.

• Integrate rather than isolate: Your brand’s multicultural creative should feel like your brand story, not a separate side-story. Many newcomers are accustomed to high-quality creative content; they can distinguish between a “quick adapt” and a thought-provoking creative.

• Test and iterate: Use community feedback via panel research. What resonates? What doesn’t?

  
  

Step 3: Media mix and ecosystem

• Use channels that multicultural Canadians genuinely use: community media, bilingual digital platforms, cultural social networks, and influencer programs.

• Balance reach and relevance: Ensure the message is visible to the target segments while also aligning with brand metrics (reach, frequency, conversions).

Step 4: Integration with business outcomes

• Define metrics: growth in multicultural segments, value per customer segment, channel performance, and brand lift in diverse audiences.

• Connect to strategy: For example, if a CPG brand wants to grow in newcomer households, set a target, resource the campaign, and measure results.

• Avoid “nice to have”: Consider multicultural advertising as essential to the growth plan, not just superficial headlines.

Step 5: Organizational alignment

• Ensure your internal team, media partners, and agency partners understand multicultural marketing, not as an add-on but as an integrated strategy.

• Build cultural competency internally: insights, teams, and community partnerships.

• Measurement and learning loops: Track performance, derive insights, and iterate.

8. Challenges and how to navigate them

Multicultural advertising in Canada isn’t without challenges. Here are some common pitfalls and how to address them:

• Pitfall: Over-segmentation

  Brands sometimes chase too many cultural segments with little budget or focus; the results are diluted.

  Mitigation: Prioritize segments aligned to business growth; pilot wisely.

  
  

• Pitfall: Token creative

  Creative falls into superficial cues (e.g., “add a cultural reference”) but lacks authenticity.

  Mitigation: Use community advisors and an experienced team, heritage-driven insights, and test with the target audience.

  
  

• Pitfall: Media misallocation

  Buying general-market channels and expecting multicultural reach.

  Mitigation: Use a community-media mix, digital/social plus ethnic channels, and track media effectiveness by segment.

  
  

• Pitfall: Siloed efforts

  Multicultural campaigns sit separately from general marketing, creating brand fragmentation.

  Mitigation: Treat the brand story as unified while tailoring where relevant; cross-team collaboration.

  
  

• Pitfall: Ignoring business KPIs

  The campaign looks good culturally but lacks a link to revenue or growth.

  Mitigation: Set KPIs early, tie to segment growth, and track incrementality.

  
  

• Pitfall: Failing at the Point of Sale or Service Delivery

  Brands invest heavily in culturally relevant campaigns, only to lose credibility when the in-store or service experience doesn’t live up to the promise. If a customer sees inclusion in your advertising but not in your staff, signage, or product availability, trust erodes instantly.

  Mitigation: Align your retail and service environments with your marketing message. Train frontline teams, audit locations for cultural accessibility, and ensure that “inclusion” lives where purchase and experience happen.

  
  

9. What this means for TerraNova360 clients

At TerraNova360, our 360MEI Scorecard and 30-Day Inclusive Brand Accelerator often reveal that brands believe they are “doing multicultural” yet are still in legacy mode, using the same creative, the same channels, and minimal tailoring.

The insight we deliver:

• Brands that treat multicultural advertising as a core growth strategy (not a line item) unlock disproportionate competitive advantage.

• Inclusion and diversity aren’t just nice values; they are business levers. When appropriately executed, culturally relevant campaigns drive higher engagement, loyalty, and share of wallet among multicultural consumers.

• For Canadian CPG, retail, and not-for-profit clients: the opportunity isn’t in copying what the U.S. does; it’s in crafting strategies that reflect the Canadian cultural mosaic and position your brand within it.

10. Future view & call-to-action

Looking ahead:

• The multicultural consumer in Canada will keep increasing in influence, not only in numbers but also in shaping culture, consumption, and brand expectations.

• Technology (AI, data analytics) will enable brands to personalise at scale. But the human element, culture, trust, and relevance will still prevail.

• Brands that are agile, culturally literate, and commercially oriented will set the pace.

For brands and organizations in Canada today: ask yourself:

• Is our multicultural advertising treated as an add-on or a growth engine?

• Do we have insights into the cultural segments that matter most to us?

• Are creative and media truly tailored for diversity, not just reflexively translated?

• Are we measuring success across multicultural segments with the same rigour as we do in our general market?

What to do now?

If you’d like to explore how to sharpen your multicultural advertising strategy, or benchmark your performance, let’s talk.

For Not-for-Profit and Community Organizations:

Our Impact Alignment Scorecard: https://john-fjcydvk9.scoreapp.com

Helps purpose-driven organizations assess how inclusion, equity, and accessibility are embedded across four critical pillars: Internal Culture, External Impact, Strategic Foundation, and Bridging Alignment. It reveals how effectively your team attracts and supports diverse talent, listens to and serves communities, embeds inclusion into governance and decision-making, and connects values with day-to-day action. The result is a clear picture of where your organization stands today and a practical roadmap for stronger engagement, public trust, and mission impact.

For CPG, Retail, and For-Profit Service Organizations:

Our Inclusive Marketing Scorecard: https://john-kty7vcfc.scoreapp.com

Helps brands evaluate three critical drivers of multicultural growth: Market Readiness, Message + Media Fit, and Activation Impact. It reveals how well your strategy reflects today’s fastest-growing consumer segments, whether your creative and media spend truly connect, and how effectively your in-store or community activations convert engagement into loyalty, so you can focus on what drives measurable results.

✅ Conclusion

Multicultural advertising can be considered “just advertising,” but in Canada’s multicultural landscape, treating it that way means missing the point. Brands that understand the “multicultural consumer” is not a niche but a core area of growth will not only boost relevance but also enhance business performance.

At TerraNova360, we believe that transitioning from “add multicultural” to “integrate multicultural” is among the most important shifts for brands in the next decade. The time to act is now.