Lowe Vietnam and OMO strengthen family ties over the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Tet

This year Lowe Vietnam and Unilever’s detergent brand OMO, are helping children emotionally connect with their grandparents, to make Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Tet, happier and more magical.

The comprehensive, nationwide, campaign comprises thematic and promotional components using OMO’s brand idea – Dirt is Good. The TVC thematic and print elements depict children going to great lengths, to create a giant ‘Li xi’ (Lucky Money red envelope) for their grandma and grandpa – a role reversal of the usual tradition, in which grandparents give to their grandchildren the ‘Li xi’.

Working on this theme, activation will see OMO teams visiting primary schools across Vietnam with kits to help children draw and decorate Tet greetings cards for grandma and grandpa. These greetings cards are ‘voice’ enabled, where kids can leave a message for their grandparents, something that will remain even after the festival has gone by. A branded and decorated landmark building in Ho Chi Minh City will also host greetings card and other activities for children in the lead-up to Tet. The campaign aims to bridge the distance between grandparents and their grandchildren via play.

Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, Group Brand Manager for OMO, Unilever Vietnam explains: “Research revealed that mothers in Vietnam are genuinely concerned that the geographical distance between city and countryside was also becoming an emotional distance between children and their grandparents. Tet is the time for families to be together, and by helping them connect, we wanted to position OMO as one of the most trusted and loved brands this season.”

Indraneel Guha, Director, Strategic Planning Services, Lowe Vietnam adds: “We wanted children to think and discover ways to connect with their grandparents – that wouldn’t ‘talk down’ to them, but would make them want to do it in reality.  We conducted various ‘play groups’ with kids to see what could be a simple, yet inspirational ‘play triggers’ for kids that would bridge this emotional distance. Role reversal made kids respond the best.”

Promotions on the theme of family connectedness offer cash prizes of VND 1 billion (USD 50,000), to ten winners who text the promotional code from special Unity Packs of OMO. The Unity design depicts Vietnam’s six key cities connected in a circle. This element is supported by a promotional TVC, shopper and print.

Funds raised by the text messaging will go to support city workers from the Mekong Delta community, who cannot afford to connect with their families over the festive period. OMO will provide these workers with bus tickets, and also free gifts to take back home.

Overall, the ambition is to have no one in the country without a reunion this year.

Tet 2013 falls on 10 February.