Every time Tet approaches, the streets put on a new look. It is not only about festive decorations or urban ornamentation, but also about Tet OOH campaigns that brands carefully invest in to tell their own stories. Some campaigns make people smile as they pass by. Some slow their steps for a few seconds, inviting them to read more closely. And there are campaigns profound enough to linger in memory long after the Tet season has ended.

In recent years, a clear shift can be seen in how brands approach Tet communications. Tet is no longer a race of familiar red-and-gold visuals. Audiences have become more discerning - they no longer just see, they feel. And when done right, Tet OOH can become a powerful emotional touchpoint in a brand’s journey.

Let’s join Firstboard in highlighting five standout Tet OOH campaigns that represent fresh, human-centered, and deeply relatable approaches to Tet for Vietnamese audiences.

1. Coca-Cola - “Spark the Joy, Weave a New Tet”

Leading the list is Coca-Cola - a brand deeply associated with Vietnamese Tet, yet one that consistently finds ways to refresh its story each year.

With “Spark the Joy, Weave a New Tet,” Coca-Cola does not treat Tet as a fixed moment defined by pre-set imagery. Instead, the campaign views Tet as a process being woven day by day, shaped by small emotions and everyday moments in the year-end flow of life.

This spirit is reflected across the OOH system, from bus shelters and lightboxes to building-mounted LED screens. Rather than delivering a one-way message, the billboards become open storytelling spaces. Passersby do not simply see brand visuals; they find themselves within a Tet scene gradually formed through personal memories and emotions.

The campaign shows that Coca-Cola renews Tet not through technological spectacle, but by placing people at the center - allowing each individual to complete their own Tet story.

2. Coteccons - “Building Tet”

If Coca-Cola tells Tet through shared emotions across the city, Coteccons chooses a very different perspective: Tet as seen from construction sites.

Amid a sea of colorful and festive Tet OOH visuals, the billboards of “Building Tet” are understated and restrained. They do not stand out in the conventional sense. Yet this very simplicity compels passersby to stop and read more carefully.

At the heart of the campaign is the image of construction workers - the quiet contributors behind major infrastructure projects. The fresh visual highlight this year is the red safety uniform worn by safety engineers, a striking detail that carries strong symbolic meaning. The message Coteccons conveys is simple yet profound: safety is happiness. Happiness does not only come from final achievements, but begins with each protected workday and every safe return home.

For a B2B brand in the construction industry, “Building Tet” continues to demonstrate a distinct OOH approach - one that resists surface-level festivity and instead steadfastly honors human values.

3. Bia Saigon - “63 Cans of Vietnamese Identity - Rising Together This Tet”

While Coteccons focuses on a specific workplace lens, Bia Saigon expands the Tet narrative across the entire country.

Through a collection of 63 cans representing Vietnam’s provinces and cities, the campaign celebrates local identities via landscapes, landmarks, cuisine, and cultural heritage. Five primary color palettes are used to create a diverse yet cohesive Tet visual tapestry.

What makes the campaign particularly engaging is that each can go beyond imagery. It features a short verse and a QR code leading to localized content that invites deeper exploration. Large-scale OOH placements stretch along major highways, with visuals and messages tailored to different regions.

As people pass these billboards, many naturally recognize elements of their hometowns. From there, the campaign subtly reinforces its core message: each locality celebrates Tet in its own way, yet all come together in a shared Vietnamese Tet.

4. Lifebuoy - Tet That Soothes”

Not everyone enters Tet with a light heart. Lifebuoy chooses to address this reality through its “Tet That Soothes” campaign.

The message “Glory or hardship, you still need to be healthy to come home” appears on OOH placements that are not overly dramatic, yet deeply relatable. They reflect pressures of success, unresolved worries, and the hesitation many feel before returning home.

OOH placements were complemented by the experiential exhibition “Tet That Soothes” at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House, extending the story into a complete emotional journey through three spaces: “Soothe,” “Return,” and “Being Embraced.”

Rather than focusing on products, Lifebuoy positions health as the most essential condition for returning to loved ones. It is a message rooted in everyday life and highly relevant to the Tet context.

5. Pepsi – “Bring Tet Home”

Closing the list is Pepsi with “Bring Tet Home,” a campaign that has become synonymous with Tet over many years. Entering its fifth year, Pepsi refreshes the narrative with a more intimate perspective: “Bring Tet Home, Be a Child to Your Parents.”

OOH placements appear at emotionally charged touchpoints such as bus terminals, train stations, airports, and major roads - places filled with people on their journey home. Amid the rush, simple yet psychologically resonant messages cause many to pause and reflect.

Without telling a long story, Pepsi’s message gently reminds audiences that presence itself is what parents value most during Tet.

Shared characteristics of effective Tet OOH campaigns

Looking across these five campaigns, several common patterns emerge:

• Stories are not fully explained, but subtly suggested inviting personal interpretation
• People and emotions are placed at the center, rather than products
• Messages are concise, memorable, and aligned with Tet sentiment
• OOH locations are closely tied to the Vietnamese “returning home” journey

These elements help OOH campaigns not only be seen, but remembered.

Why Tet OOH remains a strategic choice for brands

Tet OOH allows brands to appear during the most emotionally charged time of the year, connect with communities at scale, and build long-term brand equity beyond short-term sales objectives.

When executed with care and understanding, OOH becomes more than advertising, it becomes part of the spring atmosphere itself. Tet is always special, and Tet OOH - when grounded in genuine human insight - can become a lasting and beautiful memory in the urban landscape year after year.

If you are looking for further inspiration or strategic perspectives for the upcoming Tet season, Firstboard is always ready to accompany you and share real stories from the market. Contact Firstboard today!

Picture credit: Unique Out Of Home Advertising, RGB, Unique Media Group