How Unilever and MIKADO celebrated Diwali with the South Asian community

FREMONT, CA – Friday Dec 11th,  2015:  With the rapidly increasing footprint of the South Asian community in the U.S. throughout the past few decades, cultural references such as Diwali or chicken curry have become part of the diverse American heritage. The number of people in the U.S. tracing their ancestry to a South Asian country increased 81% from 2000 to 2010. The number of members in this community now stands at over 3.4 million.

Although South Asians have assimilated fantastically within the socio-cultural setup in the U.S., they are very connected to their roots and celebrate their cultural nuances in the U.S. The most important celebration for this community is the festival of Diwali – festival of lights, of the victory of good over evil.

This year, Unilever presented India’s favorite Brooke Bond Red Label Tea as the harbinger of Diwali festivities in the Bay Area’s very own Fremont BART station – popularly referred to as ‘Little India.’ Commuters at the station were greeted for weeks with Diwali wishes in multiple Indian regional languages. The station was covered with Diwali décor from top to bottom, mirroring a home lit up for Diwali. Rangoli patterns adorned the floor, while traditional garlands were suspended from ceiling beams. Many South Asian commuters reported being momentarily transported into a setting akin to home, giving them boundless joy. The icing on the cake for many commuters, were the Diwali greetings and diyas distributed to them during the week of the festival.

“This lovely lady smiled, wished me Happy Diwali, and handed me a clay diya (lamp) as I got off the train this evening. The touch of the cool clay on my palm has triggered tears. What do you miss when you miss home?” posted an Instagram user who witnessed this celebration.

Unilever understands the community and the emotional significance of festivals to every South Asian. Having been a part of these celebrations for a long time in the homeland, Unilever took the initiative to bring the festive spirit to American soil this year, aligning with its mission to make every immigrant feel at home.

Partha Guha, Senior Manager, Unilever International North America is delighted with the joy that the Brooke Bond Red Label campaign has given the commuters.

“We are thrilled with the opportunity to celebrate such an important festival with a vibrant community, where values of togetherness are shared and emphasized. We have forged numerous bonds and appreciate the support and feedback that we have been receiving,” said Guha.

The team at MIKADO Marketing, the agency that worked with Unilever on this campaign from concept to execution, is equally happy with the response.

“It is heartwarming to hear that people are comparing Fremont Bart to Mumbai,” says Sandrine Vohra, Founding partner at MIKADO. “The support that we have received from the community has made it a Diwali to cherish for all of us.”

Such campaigns bear testimony to the fact that bonding and togetherness are truly emotions that need to be cultivated, cherished and celebrated.

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of food, refreshments, home and personal care products, with sales in more than 190 countries. In the U.S., the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Fruttare, Good Humor, Hellmann’s, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, Just for Me!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond’s, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Simple, St. Ives, Suave, Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, TIGI, TONI&GUY Hair Meet Wardrobe, TRESemmé and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

MIKADO offers a full range of strategic marketing services geared specifically towards ethnic communities in the U.S. With team members positioned in key ethnic markets across the country, MIKADO works with startups and Fortune 500 companies, utilizing native language-based marketing as well as social and cultural elements to target these communities.