Empower Community, Let Them Sell Your Brand

Background

[Korean Top Home Appliance Brand] recognized the power of influencer marketing but sought a more sustainable, authentic, and cost-effective approach than one-off campaigns. They aimed to establish a stronger foothold in the Vietnamese market and chose it as a test ground due to favorable market conditions. The overarching goal was to transition from transactional influencer relationships to a community-driven model that fostered long-term brand advocacy.

Problem

Traditional influencer marketing often lacked sustained engagement and authenticity. The core challenge was to create a lasting brand presence that resonated deeply with Vietnamese homemakers, moving beyond superficial endorsements to genuine brand advocacy. The strategy needed to cultivate a sense of belonging and ownership among the target audience.

Solution

The strategy centered on building an exclusive online community, “L***Genius,” comprised of Nano-influencers who are genuine home lovers (KOL). This move leveraged the power of micro-communities and authentic voices. Instead of dictating content, the strategy empowered community members to co-create, aligning with their individual styles while subtly integrating the brand’s values. Key strategic pillars included:

• Shifting from transactional to relational: Building long-term relationships with influencers, fostering a sense of belonging and shared ownership.
• Leveraging authenticity: Empowering influencers to create content in their own style, ensuring genuine and relatable brand representation.
• Creating a sustainable ecosystem: Establishing community guidelines that promoted organic engagement and growth, rather than relying on constant external stimuli.

• Strategic Segmentation: Dividing the community by gender to foster diverse and targeted conversations around homemaking, catering to distinct needs and interests.

• Incentive structure: Carefully balancing paid and non-paid incentives to foster both initial engagement and sustained participation.

Result

This strategic community-building approach generated significant organic buzz (4,800 hashtag mentions), demonstrating the power of authentic advocacy. The “L***Genius” community became a thriving hub for homemaking enthusiasts, with the [Korean Top Home Appliance Brand] brand naturally integrated into everyday conversations. The success in Vietnam led to the replication of this model in other countries, proving its scalability and effectiveness. The community’s impact underscored the strategic value of fostering genuine connections and empowering the target audience to become brand storytellers.

YouTube Channel Growth Hacked, Sales Follow

Background

[Korean Top Snack Brand] recognized its YouTube channel in Vietnam as a critical platform for brand building and engagement, especially among teens and young adults. A clear correlation between channel engagement and sales performance underscored the need for a robust content strategy. The long-term vision was to cultivate brand love while subtly educating the younger demographic.

Problem

The channel was initially underperforming, primarily serving as a repository for TV commercials. The strategic challenge was to transform it into a dynamic destination that attracted, engaged, and retained a young audience. This required a deep understanding of youth culture and online behavior, as well as a content strategy that was both relevant and adaptable.

Solution

The core strategy revolved around developing compelling content tailored to the cyclical nature of teen life, aligning with key moments like holidays, school terms, and significant life transitions. A phased approach was implemented to systematically build the channel’s audience and engagement. Recognizing the rising influence of participatory culture and after several seasons shifting from teen to a mix of teen & kids because of the impact of airing M***** B** series, we must make the adaptation. Key strategic elements included:

• Trend Alignment: Capitalizing on emerging Gen Z and Gen Alpha content trends, seamlessly integrating product placement to make [Korean Top Snack Brand] a natural part of their digital landscape.
• Audience Segmentation & Growth: Implementing a phased approach to methodically build the channel’s audience, shifting from initial awareness to sustained engagement and growth.
• Content Diversification: Expanding beyond TVCs to create original, hero content that resonated with youth interests, such as web dramas and “Nhac Che” (remixed music).
• Community Engagement: Fostering a sense of ownership and co-creation through “fan-placement” initiatives, allowing fans to influence content direction and actively participate in the [Korean Top Snack Brand] narrative.
• Adaptive Strategy: Pivoting during the COVID-19 pandemic to virtual studio content, demonstrating agility and responsiveness to external challenges while also leveraging a new source of engagement from rising online trends.

Result

[Korean Top Snack Brand] YouTube channel achieved significant growth and became one of the top 3 food brand channels in Vietnam. This success directly translated into tangible business outcomes, demonstrating a clear correlation between channel engagement and increased sales. The channel’s ability to adapt to shifting trends and overcome challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the effectiveness of a dynamic and audience-centric content strategy. Also, the successful transformation showcases the impact of a long-term vision combined with the agility to adapt to unforeseen challenges in cost-optimization approach while driving sales.

Turning User Posts into Clean Water Donations

Background

As a leader in sustainable packaging solutions, [Top Packaging Brand] sought to reinforce its commitment to social responsibility while strengthening its brand image in Vietnam. They aimed to move beyond corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a mere add-on to a core strategy, authentically integrating it into their brand identity through meaningful action and partnerships.

Problem

The challenge was to create a CSR campaign that genuinely resonated with the public, demonstrating a tangible impact while also aligning with [Top Packaging Brand]’s brand values. It needed to go beyond superficial gestures, fostering a sense of collective participation and shared responsibility among its target audience. Also, there’s a need to support their partners – other FMCG brands.

Solution

The strategy centered on a collaborative “Clean Water” initiative, partnering with the VinaCapital Foundation to support clean water access in Vietnamese schools. The campaign leveraged the reach and influence of social media personalities (KOLs) to amplify the message and drive public engagement. Key strategic components included:

• Strategic Partnership: Joining forces with a reputable NGO (VinaCapital Foundation) to ensure the campaign’s credibility and effective execution.
• Leveraging Influencer Networks: Engaging a diverse group of KOLs across popular social media platforms to mobilize their followers and generate widespread awareness.
• User-Generated Content: Encouraging the public to participate by sharing content related to [Top Packaging Brand]’s packaging, creating a sense of collective ownership and amplifying the campaign’s reach.
• Authentic Call to Action: Tying the campaign to a specific, tangible outcome (providing clean water to schools), making the impact clear and relatable.
• Align with social responsibility trend: When supporting other FMCG partners, [Top Packaging Brand] wants to elevate its position through sharing brand image with the positive action from the campaign.

Result

The “Clean Water” initiative was a resounding success, generating significant public participation (25,700 user-generated posts in 2 weeks) and exceeding initial goals. This overwhelming response led to a substantial donation from [Top Packaging Brand] to support clean water installations in schools. The campaign’s success demonstrated the power of strategic partnerships and influencer marketing to mobilize communities around a worthy cause. It reinforced [Top Packaging Brand]’s commitment to social responsibility, strengthened its brand image, and highlighted the positive impact businesses can have when they authentically engage with social issues. Also, enhancing [Top Packaging Brand]’s position to support their FMCG partners through promoting positive image.