Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is a time of cultural celebration and heightened consumer spending. For brands, it’s a critical opportunity to connect with consumers and drive sales. This article provides strategic insights into leveraging Tet’s cultural significance for marketing success. How to best boost sales for Tet

Tet strategies for success

• Tet packaging, colours, and symbols.
• In-store displays and point-of-sale materials.
• Emotional storytelling that resonates culturally.
• Promotional strategies focused on gifting.
• Strong visibility in retail channels.
• Leverage influencers and social media engagement.
• Embrace health and wellness trends for packaged food and beverage brands.

Understanding Tet: A celebration of tradition and family

Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is a period of immense cultural significance and family togetherness. Marked by various traditions and rituals, it presents unique challenges and opportunities for consumers and marketers alike. This article delves into the attitudes, behaviours, and expectations of Vietnamese families during Tet, focusing on the experiences of mums and teenagers.

Coca Cola, TVC 2023.

The cultural significance of Tet – How to best boost sales for Tet

Tet symbolises the renewal of life, with rituals and customs aimed at welcoming prosperity, health, and happiness for the coming year. For many families, it is a rare opportunity for reunions as relatives from across the country return to their hometowns. This gathering reinforces family bonds and the cultural values of respect for elders and ancestors. Giving lucky money, especially to children, symbolises good fortune and is eagerly anticipated by the younger generation.

Consumer optimism for Tet – How to best boost sales for Tet

Strong consumer optimism is the typical sentiment at Tet, with expectations of higher income thanks to Tet bonuses, typically equivalent to a month’s salary. Increased consumer expenditures on shopping and travel during Tet are equivalent to an average month’s expenditure, highlighting the festival’s economic impact.

Consumers’ spending priorities include Tet gifting, new clothing, lucky money (li xi), and confectionary, followed by house renovations and purchasing new items such as mobile phones, motorbikes, and appliances. Supermarkets and wet markets remain the primary channels for Tet shopping, with online shopping gaining popularity, particularly for personal care products.

Mums and Tet: Joys and strains

For mums, Tet is a period of mixed emotions. They cherish increased family time and traditional activities, such as cooking unique dishes and preparing altars for ancestor worship. However, many mums experience significant stress due to the heavy workload associated with Tet preparations, including cleaning, cooking, shopping, and organising family gatherings. The cultural expectation for women to prioritise their husbands’ families adds another layer of pressure, particularly in Hanoi, leading to tension and exhaustion.

Despite efforts to involve husbands and children in preparations, support is often limited and ineffective, straining their physical well-being and impacting their enjoyment of the holiday.

The teenage perspective: Relaxation and social connectivity

Teenagers view Tet as a break from academic life, a time for relaxation, socialising, and receiving lucky money. They appreciate the festive atmosphere, family gatherings, and the opportunity to reconnect with relatives. However, the quietness of the city during Tet can lead to boredom. Teens also express dissatisfaction with extensive cleaning duties, which they find tedious and exhausting. Those returning to rural areas may experience loneliness due to a lack of entertainment and connectivity, especially with slower or limited internet access.

For teens in their final year of high school, Tet can be a time of heightened anxiety, with concerns about upcoming university entrance exams and frequent questions from relatives about plans, somewhat dampening their enjoyment of the festivities.

Shopping and consumption patterns during Tet

The Tet period is characterised by a significant increase in consumer spending, driven by the need to prepare for family gatherings, worship rituals, and gift-giving. Key shopping trends include early preparation, with families beginning Tet shopping weeks in advance, focusing on items for home decoration, food, and gifts. Supermarkets are the preferred shopping venues due to their wide range of products and attractive promotions. They offer convenience and a variety of packaged foods essential for the numerous meals served during Tet.

Kitkat, TVC 2023.

Traditional and speciality foods are also popular, with many consumers ordering traditional Tet foods, such as Vietnamese rice cakes, from speciality stores. These foods are often considered tastier and safer than those available in supermarkets, as they are typically made fresh without preservatives.

Gift-giving is crucial during Tet, reflecting respect and care. Practical gifts, such as household items and food, are preferred for family members. In contrast, premium gifts, such as spirits and high-quality packaged foods, are chosen for social relationships, including bosses and teachers.

Tet strategies for success

1. Tet packaging, colours, and symbols – How to best boost sales for Tet

Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is a time of celebration, tradition, and family. It’s a season rich with symbolism and colour, which brands can leverage to create impactful packaging and in-store displays that resonate with consumers.

Effective Tet-specific packaging, colours, and symbols in product design and in-store displays can significantly enhance a brand’s appeal during this festive period. By creating products and displays that resonate culturally and aesthetically with Vietnamese consumers, brands can capitalise on the heightened spending during Tet, driving sales and brand loyalty.

1.1. Use of red and gold colours

Red and gold are the most auspicious colours associated with Tet. Red symbolises luck, happiness, and prosperity, while gold represents wealth and success. These colours should dominate the packaging and in-store displays to attract consumers and convey festive cheer. Incorporating these colours into packaging aligns with cultural expectations and makes the products visually appealing and festive.

Kinh Do, TVC 2023.

1.2. Incorporating Tet symbols

Traditional Tet symbols such as peach blossoms, kumquat trees, and red envelopes (lì xì) carry significant cultural meaning. Peach blossoms represent peace, kumquat trees symbolise prosperity, and red envelopes are associated with good fortune. Packaging and displays featuring these symbols can enhance the cultural resonance of the brand during Tet. Additionally, symbols like lanterns, dragons, and fireworks, which are associated with celebrations and warding off evil spirits, can create a festive atmosphere.

Alpenliebe, TVC 2023.

1.3. Limited edition packaging designs

Limited edition packaging creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency, encouraging consumers to purchase products as gifts or special treats. These packages should feature intricate designs incorporating traditional Tet motifs and modern aesthetics. The use of high-quality materials and finishes, such as embossing or metallic accents, can further enhance the perceived value of the products, making them ideal for gifting.

Nescafe, TVC 2024.

1.4. Gifting oriented packaging

Gift-friendly packaging is crucial during Tet, as gifting is central to the celebration. Packaging should be designed for easy wrapping and presentation. This includes using sturdy boxes, handles for easy carrying, and transparent windows that showcase the product inside. Gift packs can consist of a variety of the brand’s products, offering consumers a convenient way to purchase a thoughtful and diverse gift. Additionally, include a small, festive card or a space for a personalised message to add a personal touch.

Chinsu, 2023.

2. In-store displays and point-of-sale materials

In-store displays are pivotal in attracting consumer attention and driving impulse purchases. For Tet, displays should be eye-catching and culturally relevant, incorporating Tet colours and symbols. These displays can include banners, standees, and shelf-talkers highlighting special promotions or limited-edition products. Traditional elements such as decorative lanterns, scrolls, and floral arrangements can create an immersive shopping experience that aligns with Tet’s festive mood.

Coca Cola, 2022.

Interactive displays, such as photo booths or product showcases, can engage shoppers and encourage them to share their experiences on social media, amplifying the brand’s visibility. Furthermore, collaborating with retailers to create special Tet-themed sections can enhance the shopping experience and make it easier for consumers to find Tet-related products.

3. Emotional storytelling that resonates culturally How to best boost sales for Tet

Tet is deeply rooted in family values and traditions. Brands should create marketing campaigns that evoke emotions associated with family reunions, sharing, and joy. Advertisements should feature relatable stories highlighting the importance of family bonds, love, and the celebration of togetherness during Tet. Using familiar symbols of Tet, such as traditional foods, lucky money, and homecoming journeys, can strengthen emotional connections with consumers.

Tet advertising taps into Tet-related emotions, such as family reunions and traditional rituals, which resonate strongly with audiences. However, balancing emotional storytelling with explicit brand integration is crucial. While ads like those from Neptune or Coca-Cola emphasise family gatherings during Tet, achieving high recall and emotional impact, others have focused too much on product benefits, diminishing their emotional appeal and relevance to Tet.

Family reunion, Kinh Do, 2023.

Coca-Cola and Kinh Do are the brands most spontaneously associated with Tet. These brands have effectively utilised Tet themes in their advertising, focusing on family reunions, sharing love, and the motivation to succeed in the new year.

4. Promotional strategies focused on gifting How to best boost sales for Tet

Gifting is a central aspect of Tet celebrations within families and in professional contexts. The brand should offer special Tet-themed gift packages that are attractive and easy to give. Promotions could include limited-edition variants, discounts for bulk purchases, or gift sets that combine your brand with other festive goods. These products are ideal gifts for loved ones, colleagues, and business partners, emphasising convenience and thoughtfulness.

TH True Milk, 2023.

5. Strong visibility in retail channels

Maximising product availability in high-traffic shopping areas, such as supermarkets, wet markets, and convenience stores, is crucial during Tet. The brand should negotiate premium shelf space and end-of-aisle displays to increase visibility. Additionally, partnerships with popular e-commerce platforms should be strengthened, ensuring that Tet-specific promotions are highlighted online. This approach caters to the growing trend of online shopping, particularly for convenience and personal care products.

Attractive layout at Coopmart.

6. Leverage influencers and social media engagement

Social media and influencer marketing play a significant role in shaping consumer preferences, especially among younger demographics. Collaborate with local influencers and celebrities who resonate with the brand’s target audience to create authentic content that promotes the brand’s Tet offerings. Social media campaigns can include cooking demonstrations, festive recipe ideas, and user-generated content competitions, encouraging consumers to share their Tet celebrations featuring the brand’s products.

TCL TVC feature Bich Phuong (Singer), 2023.

7. Embrace health and wellness trends for packaged food and beverage brands

While Tet is a time of indulgence, Vietnamese consumers have a growing awareness of health and wellness. Cimigo recommends the brand should highlight any health benefits of its products, such as low sugar content, natural ingredients, or portion-controlled packaging. Introducing or promoting healthier options can attract health-conscious consumers looking for guilt-free indulgence during the festive season.

A healthy Tet, a healthy stomach, Yakult, 2022.

Conclusion: Navigating the complexities of Tet

Tet is a time of joy, family bonding, and cultural expression, but it also comes with challenges and pressures, particularly for women. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for marketers aiming to support and enhance the Tet experience. Sharing the workload and being mindful of the emotional well-being of all members can help alleviate some of the stresses associated with the holiday.

For marketers, tapping into the cultural significance of Tet and aligning marketing strategies with consumer needs and values will create more meaningful connections with their audience.

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