Brand
Interview

Hygiene achieved significant Consumer Reach Points (CRP) growth in both urban and rural areas in 2023. Can you elaborate on the key strategies and initiatives that have contributed to this rapid success?

I.P. One is proud of our 11+ year journey in Vietnam. While we experienced steady growth initially, recent years have seen a significant acceleration in market expansion and brand penetration. In Thailand, Hygiene has been the most chosen brand in the home care sector for six consecutive years (Kantar Brand Footprint Thailand 2019-2024). We have applied and leveraged best practice and know-how from Thailand to enhance our operations and growth in Vietnam.

Our strategy for success incorporates:

High Quality Products: It has been our founder’s philosophy from day one that our company will only produce high quality products to help improve the quality of life for consumers. We use superior raw materials and dedicate resources to delivering great products through our innovation and development.
Insightful Innovations: We continuously conduct studies into understanding consumer behaviour and their ever-changing needs. Through insightful innovation, and paying the utmost care and attention to detail, we develop products that deliver an exceptional usage experience.

People: We have a passionate team who work relentlessly to strengthen the Hygiene brand through various above-the-line and below-the-line initiatives, expanded our distribution nationwide across traditional trade and modern trade channels, and managed smooth operations and relationships with our valued stakeholders.

The Vietnamese FMCG market is quite competitive. Can you describe some of the unique marketing campaigns Hygiene has implemented to attract new buyers and cater to specific consumer needs? Were there any channels that proved particularly successful?

Among our many successful campaigns in Vietnam was the first Hygiene Expert Care TV commercial launched in 2023. This is part of our strategy to strengthen the Hygiene brand by creating nationwide awareness of our products and their superior quality, while having strong product distribution across the country in both traditional and modern trade channels.

Another successful campaign is our in-store visibility initiative where we partnered with our valued retailers and wholesalers in promoting the Hygiene brand via various media – for example In-store banners, and POSM (point of sale marketing). We also sponsored various iconic marathon events in Vietnam to support the modern active lifestyle and recruit young brand users.

Hygiene's tagline, ‘Innovate Passionately’, is inspirational. What drives Hygiene's passion for innovation in Vietnam and other markets? Can you share any examples of innovative products or solutions?

Hygiene’s vision is to be a world-class hassle-free laundry system that serves both domestic and international markets through our commitment and passion to making a meaningful difference to people’s lives. In doing so, we assert our capacity for innovation by continuously revolutionising home care routines for better living.

Our team centres around the long-term goal of uplifting people’s quality of life, and works towards creating better access to excellent products. We believe our innovative successes have been, and will continue to be, contingent upon consumer insights and diving deep into our consumers’ needs, in order to best serve them.

Finally, we do not compromise the quality of our products, and uphold our integrity from conception to execution. We are committed and proud to be part of the Vietnamese community and will always be transparent in our actions.

The Vietnamese FMCG market is constantly evolving. How does Hygiene plan to maintain a competitive edge in terms of marketing and innovations to keep pace with changing consumer preferences and market dynamics?

At I.P. One, we have built a culture of thinking outside the box. We create innovations that are meaningfully different and pleasing to consumers because we prioritise Insightful Innovation. Every innovation starts from a consumer-centric concept.

Also, teamwork is our backbone. Our Brand Innovation and R&D teams bring agility and technology, which play a significant role in the new product development process, including the creation of various product formulas to address fast-moving consumer needs.

We strive to be an innovative and respectable consumer goods company, full of passionate people who are committed to delivering great products for every household. We have various initiatives and projects that help improve society, the environment, and the world, through bringing to life the company’s vision: ‘Innovate Passionately for the Future of Better Living’.

As a new brand entering the Vietnamese hair care market in recent years, Nguyen Xuan has achieved significant Consumer Reach Point (CRP) growth in the Urban 4 region in 2023. Can you elaborate on the key strategies and initiatives that have specifically contributed to this rapid success?

Nguyen Xuan’s success can be attributed to two main consumer-centric strategies.
First, our product development strategy focuses on herbal hair care products that cater to the growing consumer preference for natural, safe and effective hair care solutions. This insight led us to develop a line of herbal products that not only cleanse but also nourish and soften hair with pleasant fragrances.

Our R&D team, comprised of pharmacists and doctors, has deep expertise in Vietnamese hair and scalp physiology, considering factors like the impact of climate on skin and health. This knowledge base allows us to formulate products specifically tailored to address the unique needs of Vietnamese consumers.

Secondly, our branding strategy creates meaningful differentiation through a unique and emotionally connected brand experience.

Nguyen Xuan stands out as a brand with a purpose. We position ourselves as a "social activist brand" with a mission to "honour traditional values and connect generations”. This resonates with Vietnamese consumers who are seeking brands that align with their cultural values.

We've developed the ‘Thanh Xuan’ (Youth) platform as a foundation for unique brand activations over the years. This comes to life through the ‘Thanh Xuan Hair Salon’ concept, offering a hair care experience that celebrates traditional values of bonding, not just with family, but also with friends and colleagues... These activations not only helped us penetrate the market but also established a strong emotional connection, meaningfully differentiating Nguyen Xuan from competitors.

The hair care segment is quite competitive. Can you describe some unique marketing campaigns that Nguyen Xuan has implemented to attract new buyers and meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of consumers? Are there any specific distribution channels that Nguyen Xuan is focusing on?

Nguyen Xuan goes beyond traditional marketing by creating unique, emotionally-charged experiences. Our ‘Thanh Xuan Hair Salon’ pop-up events appear annually, offering complimentary hair care services centred around Vietnamese cultural values and generational connections. This strategy not only allows consumers to experience our products firsthand, but also fosters brand loyalty and differentiation in a competitive market.

Nguyen Xuan utilises a combination of traditional and online channels, thanks to a wide network of distribution partners including drugstores, supermarkets and grocery stores. Our distribution strategy combines the strength of traditional channels with the advantage of e-commerce channels to optimise the customer shopping experience.

We don't have a one-size-fits-all approach to distribution. By analysing consumer data and purchasing habits, we strategically select the primary channel for each product type. This ensures our products reach the most relevant audience through the channels they frequent most.

In a post-pandemic world where more consumers are adapting to and maintaining online shopping habits, Nguyen Xuan made the decision to invest more in online activities instead of using these platforms purely for brand awareness and customer . This allows us to reach a wider audience and cater to the evolving shopping habits of Vietnamese consumers. Our online presence has grown substantially, and now contributes a significant portion of our total sales.

The FMCG landscape in Vietnam is always evolving. How does Nguyen Xuan plan to maintain a competitive edge in terms of marketing and product innovation to keep up with changing consumer preferences?

Our long-term strategy is to continuously innovate our product line to address specific hair and scalp problems faced by Vietnamese consumers. Nguyen Xuan has always identified that the most important factor in staying ahead of competition and gaining market share is to have high quality and effective products that promote natural ingredients and traditional values.

Recognising the growing demand for safe and natural solutions, we prioritise the use of high quality, natural ingredients in our formulations. This commitment not only aligns with our brand values but also caters to the evolving preferences of Vietnamese consumers.

We also go beyond product promotion by building a brand image that resonates with shoppers.

Our marketing campaigns leverage cultural and traditional values, spreading positive messages that match the Vietnamese ideals of truth, goodness, and beauty. This emotional connection fosters brand loyalty and differentiation within this competitive market.

At the same time, we recognise the growing environmental consciousness among consumers. Nguyen Xuan actively implements sustainable practices by reducing plastic waste and utilising recycled packaging in our products. This benefits the environment while also strengthening our positive brand image.

By constantly innovating our products, building emotional connections with consumers, and implementing sustainable practices, Nguyen Xuan is well-positioned to maintain its competitive edge in the dynamic Vietnamese FMCG landscape.