Since 2000s, advertising industry in Vietnam has increased dramatically as Vietnamnet stated that “The number of Vietnam’s advertising firms had grown from around 1,000 in 2002 to nearly 7,000 now. Their total revenue was estimated at $900 million last year” (2011). As a result, advertising meets the need of companies making general public be aware of their product and satisfies the audience who is driving in consumerism. Advertising campaigns can foster the image of the brand or destroy the reputation of the company and the advertising agency involved immediately.
On the one hand, an influential advertising campaign can maintain brand equity, brand image and brand awareness for a long time, as with “Rising high Vietnam” campaign in 2010 and “Believe in Vietnam 2009” of Vinamilk who hold the largest shares in the Vietnam milk market (Huyen Thanh, 2011). On the other hand, an effective advertising campaign can win consumer at the beginning day of launching new product, as “TH True Milk is truly clean milk” campaign of TH True Milk in 2010.
Several definitions of creativity can be identified. During the lecture on 28 February 2012 for Grap2412 Practice and Theory of Creativity, RIMT University, Vietnam SGS, the lecturer Melanie Casul stated that creativity is able to convert human behavior and that advertising is a creative activity solving problems between client and consumer. As a result, she also defined that advertising relates to a story about the brand in a meaningful way which gives what people want/benefits from the material world.
Drewniany and Jewler defined that creative ads is a relevant combination between the brand and its target consumer and aim to selling idea in an unexpected way (2011). The author supported the first statement ‘creativity ads connect the brand and its target audience relevantly’ that by understanding consumer behavior, the company will sell the consumer things that make them happy, which is from Ann Hayden, creative director. Two method of presenting the selling ideas are rational and emotional.
Unexpected advertising depends on choice of words, visuals, media or all three. From these definitions, I believe that the campaigns of Vinamilk and TH True Milk which are consistent in strategy and the use of a diversity of media format (TVC, print ads, billboard and outdoors) are creative for their specific category. First, as mentioned in the course note for Grap2412 Practice and Theory of Creativity, RMIT University, Vietnam SGS, role of advertising in Vietnam was gradually recognized and became influential in free market economy from late 2000s.
These advertising campaigns both released from 2008 to 2011 when advertising wasn’t considered as a social crime anymore, however, increased dramatically. Moreover, time release of “Believe in Vietnam” campaign of Vinamilk was excellent. Right after WHO calculated that Vietnam was one of the Asians countries getting highest rate of malnourished children, Vinamilk has launched as a highly correspondent social responsibility (CSR) brand. Second, in term of TVC, “TH True milk is truly clean milk” launched at the end of 2010 is a product-oriented advertising campaign in the sub-category of product feature.
This is a creative and smart choice because Vietnam dairy milk market is a harsh market with many strong competitors (Huyen Thanh, 2011) while Felton stated that this strategy approach works best in competitive market (2011). Figure 1: TH True Milk TVC reproduced from youtube posted by DentsuAlphaVietnam This TVC present the only one feature of TH milk, and this is “clean”. In fact, all milk traded in the market must be qualified as clean by Vietnamese Medical Office, but TH True Milk said it first, therefore, appearing to be unique and owning territory in consumer’s mind.
So this above-the-line TVC is also seen as product-oriented in the sub-category of unique selling proposition (USP). USP make an perspective in consumer’s mind that TH can deliver something that other milk brand can’t (Felton, 2006. In the last spots, the image of a young woman with children also presents the target audience of TH True milk. This is young parent who are from 20 to 34. This group is dominant age group on the population pyramid in 2010 (Nguyen Van Tuan, 2011). Furthermore, this strategy attacks psychology consumers who seek for clean product with clear origin. Rising high Vietnam” launched at the beginning of 2011 as a respond to TH true milk campaign is a consumer-oriented in the sub-category of brand-image. Figure 2: TVC Vinamilk 2011 reproduced from youtube posted by duyonline This is TVC demonstrates brand image because it creates a personality for the brand. Cows, representation of source of fresh milk, are both humanized. They can walk, talk, think and sing. The image expressed the brand is the cow leader who is the tallest and strongest thanks to consuming 3 glass of vinamilk everyday.
The TVC deliver message that Vinamilk help Vietnamese children get a better physical condition. This is an influential strategy when remind consumer of Vietnamese physical condition which is not as well as people from developed countries. In term of execution, the TVC is shown with funny and lovely animated cow which is interesting to children. Third, in term of print ad, each of brand’s strategy doesn’t change. Figure 3: reproduce from Behance. net Figure 4: Print ad 1213, reproduced from Th true milk
On one hand, these two print ads use blue, green and white color as dominant colors. These three colors also are main color of packaging of Vinamilk 100 fresh milk. In the TH true milk print ad, white and blue account for bigger proposition and these two colors also are main color of packaging of TH true milk. Natural background illustrating fresh and clean farm is utilized to present the clean and fresh feature of the product, also to alarm the desire of city-living people about a fresh and clean atmosphere.
On the other hand, there are differences in execution from the Vinamilk print ad to TH true milk one due to the difference in strategy approach. Figure 3 illustrates a consumer-oriented in sub-category of brand image strategy. The child appears as a perfect child with intelligent face, clean clothes and happy manner which is the child that all mother want their children to be. The humanized cow with friendly smile and healthy and clean appearance presents for the product. Moreover, there are only one action line “Delicious milk makes child want more”.
Figure 4 illustrates a product-oriented in sub-category of product feature. The image of a white drop of milk containing natural elements and detail information in the bottom including headline, leading paragraph, main argument, lead out paragraph. This print ad is simple but effective in term of building trust among consumers. Forth, in regards to brand logo, vinamilk logo (figure 5) is quite familiar to Vietnamese consumers. The two small white docs in the logo can be matched into a line present for two drop of milk.
Posited in such these position make the logo balance visually which implies the long-lasting reputation of Vinamilk. “Vina” presents Vietnam, “M” and “V” in the logo present for milk and victory. This logo provokes ethnic pride among Vietnamese customers. Figure 6 is the image of Th true milk logo. Two letters “T”, “H” are distinctively colored by bold blue presenting for true happiness. The five-pointed yellow star at the right upper corner of letter “H” presents the star in Vietnamese flag. The term “true milk” again emphasizes the outstanding feature of the product.
Figure 5: Vinamilk logo, reproduced from vinamilkcafe Figure 6: TH True milk logo, reproduced from TH True milk Fifth, in term of Corporate Social Responsibility, Vinamilk with “Believe in Vietnam” campaign in 2010 supported 1 million glasses of milk for poor Vietnamese children. This year the campaign objective is increased 6 million glasses of milk. The campaign has used TVC, outdoor and SMS to involve consumers into the campaign. The meaning of the campaign has raised image of Vinamilk as a company taking care of the society.
Figure 7: Print ad from “Believe in Vietnam” campaign, reproduced from Vietbao Figure 8: Balloon TVC from “Believe in Vietnam campaign”, reproduced from youtube. While TH True Milk choose to become the main sponsor for the first reality show for children broadcasted at HTV7 “You’ve grown up”. It is a creative media tactic because while watching the show, many consumer including primarily parents will be aware of the brand. In conclusion, advertising campaigns “Believe in Vietnam” and “Rising high Vietnam” of Vinamilk and “TH True Milk is truly clean milk” of TH True Milk are creative.
However TH True milk advertising campaign has raised concern among consumer about qualification of competitor’s product. It is a challenging so it takes risk. TH True Milk shouldn’t be so competitive because sometime it is considered as a negative way of advertising. Moreover, it is 1 year since TH True milk has launched the first advertising campaign so it should conduct a CSR advertising campaign to foster good image among consumer. Vinamilk, on contrast, build a balance and believable image in consumer mind. In my opinion, Vinamilk creativity is safer and more effective.
