Background and challenges
Tết (Lunar New Year) is the biggest holiday in Vietnam and a key opportunity for Viettel Money to promote its brand and products, show appreciation to current users, and attract new ones. As a major campaign of the year, it needed to ensure high feasibility, unique and creative content, while still reflecting the traditional cultural values of Vietnam.
Approaching & Plan
- Researched societal context, successful campaigns, new technologies, and competitors to gather insights for idea development and design.
- Organized a variety of workshops with the Board of Directors and departments to gain buy-in and leverage collective creativity.
- Developed an overarching concept and detailed content for the entire campaign.
- Built a coordinated rollout plan across departments.
- Carried out design work and conducted user evaluations to ensure quality.
Design concept
After two years of restrictions, people naturally wanted to spend more time enjoying life. Traditional Tết activities like shopping, booking travel, or giving lucky money (lì xì) have become easier and more convenient thanks to digital financial apps. Viettel Money’s Tết campaign aimed to deliver a fulfilling, enjoyable holiday with quality moments of rest and celebration.
Design solution
Tết was broken down into smaller phases to serve a wide range of user needs, blending traditional elements with modern technology through three key programs:
Pre-Tết – “Golden Number Hunt – Easy Tết Shopping”
Gamification was used to simulate users’ holiday shopping through tasks, badges, items, and rewards. Users collected digits to form their own phone numbers for a prize. A social mechanism also encouraged players to exchange digits, boosting engagement and retention.
During Tết – “Golden Cat Lucky Game – Family Fun Time”
Inspired by the popular game Timber Men, this version featured a golden cat climbing a betel tree to collect luck, using familiar Vietnamese folklore imagery to create a fun and relatable experience. Players overcame challenges for a chance to win lucky prizes.
During & Post-Tết – “Lucky Money Giveaway – Share Prosperity”
Lì xì (giving lucky money) is a timeless tradition in Vietnam. Viettel Money introduced fresh experiences with digital integration:
- “Lucky Hunt” feature to connect groups with shared fun
- Traditional lì xì for family
- QR code lì xì for friends and colleagues
Achievements
- 4.6 million users joined the campaign
- 3.5 million users completed transactions
- The “Enjoy Tết” campaign won Marketing Campaign of the Year at the International Business Awards 2023
Key takeaways
- Alignment with corporate objectives: Clear goals ensured cohesion across policies, product, resources, and execution.
- Leverage collective intelligence: Workshops generated numerous creative, high-quality ideas that enriched the campaign.
- Strict design quality control: Collaborating with diverse illustrators was successful thanks to clear concepts and style guidelines, ensuring visual consistency and quality throughout.