High QualityVietnamese Products: A Focus on Trademarks

High QualityVietnamese Products: A Focus on Trademarks

Nowadays, Vietnamese consumers look for commodities with a high quality Vietnamese trademark. To be sure of the quality, foreign customers are also doing the same. The trademark is available in six languages (Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, Lao and Cambodian) and can be found in neighbouring markets and fairs in the United States and Europe.

Pulling Together

Starting from just a series of articles and round table discussions, consumers and producers, together with Saigon Tiep Thi (Marketing) in Ho Chi Minh City, decided to conduct a poll for product quality in 1997. The programme was officially recognised as a trade promotion programme by the People's Committee of the city in Directive 13/1999/CT-UB-KT of October 13, 1999. After five years of operation, the enterprises see the need to establish a club to promote mutual development.  The club "Vietnamese products of high quality" was founded with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  The goal and function of the club is to submit recommendations of enterprises to related authorities and to exchange information with trade promotion organisation at home and abroad. The club encourages member enterprises to improve the quality of Vietnamese products, and promotes Vietnamese trademarks to expand the distribution network and business efficiency.

Practical results

Trade fairs have impressed and earned the trust of consumers of Vietnamese products of high quality, Mr Le Van Tuoi, Director of Da Nang Trade Promotion Centre, said after witnessing a farmer travelling 50km to the fair to buy an electric fan and a motorbike tube with the logo of a high quality Vietnamese product. In fact, the fairs organised in Ho Chi Minh City or the provinces have always attracted a large number of consumers. In 2002, a series of fairs of "Vietnamese products of high quality" were organised in An Giang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang with 882 enterprises, 2,250 pavilions and 1.6 million visitors. In 2003, fairs for strong trademarks and new products were organised in An Giang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with 670 enterprises, 2,150 pavilions and 1.3 million visitors. In 2004 the yearly plan for the fairs was announced in advance for the first time so that enterprises had more time to decide and register to participate. In the first six month of 2004, four fairs were organised with 3,050 pavilions and impressive sales of VND122 billion. The success of the fairs is not only seen in the number of participating enterprises and visitors but mainly in the attractive gala programmes for the enterprises, consumers and local socio-economic development projects. The gala programme is well prepared and supported by mass media. Various forms have been applied, such as the common house, cultural evenings, seminars and training courses. The club is more professional in developing trademarks through the fairs and representative offices, especially in neighbouring countries such as in Cambodia and Kunming (Yunan, China).

Most of the enterprises producing Vietnamese products of high quality think that the club's programme has improved their knowledge and performance in developing trademarks. Mr Nguyen Van Ben, Deputy Director General of Vifon company confirmed that the trademark of Vietnamese products of high quality has a strong foothold in the local market and is vital to the enterprises. Mr Le Van Tri, Deputy Director of Casumina company said that the programme is most suitable and has assisted his company to expand its markets in Cambodia and Laos. For his part, Mr Pham Xuan Hoa, the director of Bao Ngoc confectionery in Hanoi, has participated in the programme and said that with the promotion activities of Vietnamese products of high quality he could develop the trademark in the market and increase the growth rate 15-20 per cent a year. He has also learned a lot from other members of the club. Mr Nguyen Minh Tri, Head of the Economic Management Board of An Giang border gate, remarked that the programme serves as a link to all parts of Vietnam, and An Giang has maintained cooperation to assist local enterprises. He expressed the wish that the programme will create a group that will promote trade and develop Vietnamese trademarks. "Vietnamese products of high quality are now a reality" concluded the Minister of Culture, Pham Quang Nghi, at the Hanoi Fair 2004.

• Truong Cong Ly