With a string of festivities just around the corner — Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, Aidilfitri, and more — these celebrations present unique opportunities for food brands. Festivals across Asia are deeply connected to food, gifting, and family gatherings, making them an ideal moment for brands to strengthen their presence.
For international brands entering Asian markets, adopting localised and culturally relevant retail marketing strategies is essential to connect with diverse consumer groups effectively.
Festival periods also drive significant spikes in retail spending, offering the perfect window to boost brand awareness, encourage product trials, and build long-term customer loyalty.
For example, retail sales and consumer confidence in Indonesia strengthened in October 2025 as households increased spending ahead of Christmas and New Year. The Retail Sales Index (RSI) reached 219.7, marking a 4.3% year-on-year increase from 2024 — showing how festive periods consistently drive higher purchases, especially in food, beverages, and household-related categories2.
By understanding cultural nuances and aligning marketing strategies with local festivals, international food brands can leverage these occasions to maximise impact and drive growth.
Localisation Strategies for Festival Marketing
To maximise the potential of festival periods, international food brands can implement the following strategies:
Limited-Edition Products and Festival-Themed Storytelling
One effective approach is producing limited-edition products, flavours, or packaging that reflect local culture, such as festive-themed snacks, beverages, or gift packs featuring culturally significant colours and motifs. Festivals often involve gift-giving, and presenting products in this way demonstrates thoughtfulness while capturing consumer interest.
Coupled with festival-themed storytelling in marketing and retail displays, this approach helps build emotional connections, enhances purchase appeal, and strengthens brand recall.
In-Store Promotions That Drive Sales
Retailers often use targeted sales and promotional tactics to attract consumers during festival periods. Examples include gift-with-purchase (GWP) incentives and in-store sampling of new flavours or seasonal product launches.
These strategies are effective because they encourage impulse purchases on the spot, provide consumers with a tangible reason to try products, and create a memorable shopping experience that can drive both immediate sales and long-term brand engagement.
The Rise of Consumer Buying in Social Commerce
Leveraging social commerce during the festive season by partnering with influencers to showcase holiday bundles and limited-edition products is highly effective. Over 70% of TikTok users in Asia are more likely to purchase based on influencer recommendations3.
In Malaysia, the impact is becoming even clearer. Shopee affiliate orders grew 81%, Shopee Live orders surged 248%, and video engagement increased 63 times over the past year, showing how creator-led content is reshaping online shopping1.
Another example is Malaysian influencer Khairul Aming, whose Rendang Nyet Berapi generated a record-breaking RM1 million in sales through TikTok livestreams4. Curated, creator-driven content is fresh, engaging, and a powerful way for brands to boost visibility, drive conversions, and connect with consumers during the festive season.
Although these strategies are effective, international brands must prioritise cultural sensitivity to avoid missteps. This includes using accurate cultural elements in packaging and visuals, respecting festival symbols and colours, aligning products with local norms like halal requirements, and featuring local models or languages for authenticity.
For example, a Malaysian pizza company recently illustrated the Lord Murugan statue, a Hindu deity and iconic landmark at Batu Caves, alongside playful depictions of other local landmarks5. While intended to celebrate Malaysian heritage, the casual use of sacred imagery drew criticism, underscoring the need for culturally respectful design.
Festivals in Asia offer powerful opportunities for international food brands to engage consumers and spark growth. With creative strategies such as limited-edition products, festival-themed storytelling, in-store promotions, and social commerce, brands can build meaningful local connections.
At DPO International, we help you unlock these opportunities. Our comprehensive retail and end-to-end e-commerce solutions combine local insights with culturally attuned strategies to strengthen brand presence, elevate engagement, and deliver measurable results.
