For brands looking to connect with younger audiences, everyday digital tools can offer opportunities beyond their original purpose.
In Vietnam, youth-focused telecom brand Saymee took this approach by transforming its mobile app into an interactive experience that encourages participation, builds community, and strengthens customer loyalty.
Launched in 2023 under Vietnamese telecommunications company MobiFone, Saymee serves a generation of digitally connected consumers in a highly competitive telecom market. To stand out during the busy back-to-school season, the brand worked with execution agencies NNB Holding and Bond Vietnam to develop a campaign that combined mobile gaming, school pride, and community engagement.
The resulting initiative, Đường Lên Đỉnh Saymee 2025, introduced a six-week competition directly within Saymee's existing app. Students could complete more than 60 missions, earn rewards, and compete for their schools. By connecting individual participation with school-based competition, Saymee gave users new reasons to engage with an app they might otherwise open only to manage telecom services.
The campaign also extended beyond the screen. On-campus activities brought the competition to students in person, while social media content and local creators encouraged continued participation online. This approach connected digital engagement with real-world experiences, helping the campaign reach students across Vietnam.
According to the company, the initiative reached 14 million people online and engaged more than 1,200 school communities. During the back-to-school season, the app recorded more than 36,000 downloads, while average session duration increased significantly compared with the previous year.
Beyond its immediate results, the campaign offered a model for turning routine customer interactions into opportunities for brand engagement. By building entertainment and community participation into an existing service platform, Saymee demonstrated how businesses can find new value in digital tools their customers already use.
Saymee won a Gold Stevie Award for Innovation in Branded Entertainment in the 2026 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.
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