Recipe for Vaisakhi is a Vaisakhi campaign we created for Walmart Canada. Punjabi Canadians come together to celebrate this the spring harvest festival in large groups and in family gatherings. And, whenever Punjabis gather, they tend to gather around a meal.

But we know the things that make a meal special are not just the ingredients with which it is cooked.

The magic ingredient is what happens between the people at the meal. The laughter. The jokes. The affectionate ribbing. The pranks. The happiness. The cheeks pinched. The backs slapped. The warmth. These are what give the meal its flavour. The things that spring from love. Walmart’s message is simple: here’s the recipe for a perfect Vaisakhi. (Or any other celebration.) You supply the love. Walmart supplies the rest.

Our ads appear to present recipes for typical Punjabi dishes – universal favourites. But they are not real recipes — they are stories. Stories of families gathering to celebrate over a meal.

EMMAs 2018 – Recipes for Vaisakhi – Radio, 1st place

Marketing Awards 2019 – Silver for Radio and Print, Bronze for Integrated Campaign

Overview
Walmart Canada is committed to helping Canadians save money and live better. But the term “Canadians” now describes a dramatically changed demographic reality. Visible minorities are becoming visible majorities in many Canadian cities and have emerged as the dominant source of Canada’s population growth. This New Canadian reality requires new efforts to serve such a rapidly growing customer base. This campaign is one such effort, developed to communicate Walmart’s enhanced South Asian grocery assortment.

Vaisakhi is an important spring harvest festival for Canadian Sikhs, filled with family gatherings and festive meals. We wanted to remind our Sikh audience that Walmart is the best place to shop for their festive requirements, as well as other grocery requirements throughout the year. Walmart wanted to support the Vaisakhi assortment and offering at selected Walmart Canada locations to help South Asian Canadians, specifically, Punjabi South Asian Canadians, celebrate Vaisakhi. And we needed to convince South Asians to shop at Walmart for both their ethnic and non-ethnic needs, throughout the year.

Objectives
Create awareness and excitement around Walmart’s Vaisakhi offering and drive traffic to:
• the stores.
• the e-flyer.

This campaign was aimed at all SA consumers within the primary and secondary trade areas of selected stores, with a specific focus on Punjabi South Asian consumers. Attracted by low prices and wide product assortment, they already shop at Walmart for their general needs. At Vaisakhi, they want to celebrate like they did back home. By spending time with family and friends, with good food, marking the occasion. They don’t want to run around to multiple stores to get the things they need. They want better things, at a better price, ideally in one place.

We wanted them to think of Walmart as a great place to shop for Vaisakhi, and worth checking out at other times.

The advertising used a recipe format to tell Vaisakhi stories. They were recipes with a difference – recipes for family fun and enjoyment.