We came up with a simple solution: An honest corporate apology.

But unlike other Asian countries, publicly apologizing in Vietnam is not part of corporate culture. How could we say sorry when so much stigma is attached to it?

THE IDEA: SAY SORRY START FRESH

Vietnam Tet New Year is a chance to purify your past and start fresh. If we could show apologizing here is good for your future, perhaps the public would accept our apology and everyone could start fresh.

A National Apology Movement was created because a well-known business owner apologized first publicly. And not only was the stigma attached to saying sorry removed from corporate culture, it spread through the public conscience too during the festive New Year Period.

Be first to say sorry and give the nation a platform to apologize.

We first launch an emotional video containing the sorry of the brand founder to the consumers 1 month before Tet New Year, giving the press and public a big surprise.

We also encouraged everybody to say sorry to their loved ones by giving them an online website tool.

1 week after that we partnered with a national television channel to create a reality "saying sorry" show that covered different angles on human connection, bravely including what can be considered as taboo in Vietnam culture such as: Homosexual, Single Mother, Religious Monk, match-fixing footballer, Celebrity Drug user.

The campaign ran for only 1 month before the Tet New Year. The busiest time for Vietnamese consumers and most difficult time to cut-through. But it really caught the attention and empathy of the target audience and a nation.

Media Outputs:

Coverage Depth: 153 articles on the apology message of Dr.Thanh and 121 articles on the National TV Show.

+11M Official Apology Video Views

+68M Views(Earned media) from Facebookers sharing 20 episodes of the TV show.

Tone and message delivery: Connection, Empathy, Sincere, Re-starting.

Message delivered: Say sorry to start fresh.

Business Output: Sales 2017(untilMar)vs2016: +24% (Client's sales report)