GENERAL INFORMATION
- Today Canada remains one of the most stable growing economies with a GDP growth rate of 1.5% in 2019. It’s GDP per capita reached $48,601 (15th in the world);
- The country consists of ten provinces and three territories;
- The largest cities are Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver;
- There are two official languages: English and French;
- Only 32.3% of the total population consider themselves as Canadians. Other major ethnic groups are English (18.3%), Scottish (13.9%), French (13.6%), Irish (13.4%), German (9.6%) and Chinese (5.1%);
- Québécois are recognized as a separate nation within Canada by the government;
- The CAD (Canadian dollars) is the currency.
DEVICE USAGE (Percentage of the adult population)
76% of citizens use smartphones and the distribution of laptop and tablet usage is 83% and 47% respectively.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Generally, Canadians are looking for the best deals and lowest prices when making a purchase. They also have a notable concern about health, which explains why many consumers search for products and services that will help them maintain and improve their well-being. In this region, promoting various health supplements and gadgets would be extremely effective. Besides, the fastest-growing consumer segment in Canada today are individuals 60 years and over.
As we have already mentioned, only 32.3% of the total population consider themselves Canadians. Other major ethnic groups are English (18.3%), Scottish (13.9%), French (13.6%), Irish (13.4%), German (9.6%), and Chinese (5.1%). it’s population is notably diverse, so shopping habits and preferences may vary significantly.
Canadian consumers tend to use credit to buy products and services, preferring to pay in installments for large items as well as non-durable goods.
As for the origin of products, many Canadians are now making an effort to purchase local and Canadian-made products, even if these products have a higher cost.
Finally, to garner trust in the Candian market, use user-generated reviews, as they are one of the most trusted sources of opinion in Canada.
MILLENNIALS
Millennials represent 28% of the total population, and 35% of them still live with parents. They prefer to spend money on extraordinary experiences rather than convenience products.
E-COMMERCE VALUE (Statista)
- Revenue in the eCommerce market amounts to US$25,425m in 2019.
- Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2019-2023) of 6.5%, resulting in a market volume of US$32,749m by 2023.
- User penetration is 75.2% in 2019 and is expected to hit 80.3% by 2023.
- The average revenue per user (ARPU) currently amounts to US$903.31.
71% of respondents used a credit card and 12% used PayPal to purchase products online in 2018.
BEST-PERFORMING VERTICALS
We suggest testing diverse verticals: Dating, Gambling, Betting, E-commerce, Insurance, Health&Beauty, Video games.
CREATIVE TIPS
- People in Ottawa and Montreal tend to speak Franglais (mix of English and French). Try to find local vocabulary while writing headlines and captions;
- Do not use a beaver, moose or mountie in your advertising;
- Canadians are huge hockey fans. Major brands collaborate with Canadian hockey legends;
- Summer is short in Canada, while winter is cold and harsh;
- Empathy and mutual assistance to others is the norm. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve known each other. Canadians consider it an honor to help and participate in charity. An incident of any scale becomes a national tragedy. Use this insight to launch charity products;
- People with disabilities make up a fully-fledged and highly respected social unit;
- Health concerns include detox, a low percentage of smokers, and an almost complete censure of alcohol. The only trendy alcoholic beverage is a very light beer. In Addition, each province has its own variety. It is impossible to buy alcohol in a regular supermarket; there are separate stores for this. Do not use alcohol as an accompanying element of any of the advertising concepts;
- National cuisine is missing. Canadian food is a symbiosis of national cuisines of emigrants, mainly Russian, Ukrainian and American;
- Maple syrup is already a symbol of the country and an integral ingredient of Canadian desserts;
- Bicycles are the most popular way to get around;
- The main tourist point for many years remains Niagara Falls, so it’s not “poppy” to focus on it when advertising travel vertical;
- Canadians are incredibly polite, delicate, and helpful. No true Canadian can point out others’ weaknesses;
- Envy and the desire to condemn is alien to Canadians. They are indifferent to the luxury items;
- Canadians are notably law-abiding, especially concerning traffic rules. They do not exceed speed, do not arrange night races and are afraid of high fines;
- 21.9% of Canadians are immigrants, and the percentage is growing exponentially every year. Their goal is to catch on and survive in the country. You can promote financial products for this stratum of society;
- Use images of lake landscapes to make pictures more Canadian.
MGID traffic distribution is the following: desktop (58%), mobile (32%) and tablets (9%). Overall, MGID processes around 500 000 clicks per week in Canada.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below!
Stay tuned!
MGID team
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