Comms Connect Vietnam 2025 marked PR Newswire’s 7th anniversary in Vietnam with a dynamic gathering of communications professionals, marketers, and brand leaders in Ho Chi Minh City. More than a celebration, the event sparked meaningful conversations about the evolving role of public relations and how Vietnamese brandsit can drive brand credibility, cultural relevance, and international growth in the current media landscape.
Megan Ly, Country Manager of Vietnam at Cision PR Newswire, kicked off the event by offering a clear picture of where the industry stands. With ever-changing algorithms, shifts in audience behavior, and the impacts of AI on media, she emphasized that PR must become more integrated and data-informed. “PR today is about orchestrating brand presence across earned, owned, shared, and paid channels and doing so with measurable impact,” she said.
Vietnam’s Most Prominent Voices Across Media, Branding, and Trade
Thuy Minh, Chief Content Officer of Vietcetera, reminded the audience that even in the age of automation, human connection is still the core of what matters most. Her presentation, “Vietcetera Open: A New Chapter for the Global Vietnamese Community," urged media and communicators to reclaim their role in shaping narratives that would move people, and not just for the sake of satisfying algorithms.
In her opinion, the role of PR is not solely to get stories out, but to elevate them to one that resonate with target audiences, reflective of cultural nuances, and capable of building emotional connections.
Vietcetera’s bilingual storytelling campaign for Hà Anh Tuấn’s U.S. concert tour was highlighted as an example. His global concert tour has successfully connected Vietnamese culture to audiences worldwide and demonstrated how media partnerships can introduce local heritage on an international stage. Her key takeaway for attendees, “Tools may change, but the content’s purpose will always remain paramount."
Next up was Sao Lonsdale, CEO of Lixibox, who shared how Vietnamese beauty brands, like Lixibox, with global aspirations, are navigating the current landscape. Lixibox operates as a house of brands focused on affordable luxury, featuring in-house brands like Halio Sonic, Katess, and CôBa’s Daughter.
The vital role of building international brand trust was then emphasized internationally, highlighting strategies such as media coverage in global outlets like Harper’s Bazaar and Forbes, or through cross-border digital storytelling on platforms like TikTok Shop and Amazon. These brands are marketed through omnichannel models, demonstrating a scalable path to take a local identity and make it globally accessible.
Our third speaker was Annie Nguyen, Marketing Manager at Global Sources Vietnam, who elaborated on how trade fairs can also be utilized as global storytelling platforms. Annie emphasized that PR is not just about coverage, it's about positioning.
By combining traditional exhibition strategies with newer PR campaigns like “Vietnam to the World,” Global Sources not only drove significant attendance but also fostered long-term positive shifts in brand perception. With over 9.2K visitors, 2K+ pre-arranged business meetings, and 1.58K media mentions across 13 languages, Annie reinforced how smart messaging, media outreach, and content partnerships transformed the fair into a global platform to showcase Vietnam’s business prowess.
After the speakers’ presentations, Giang Nguyen, Director of Sales & Strategic Partnerships at Cision PR Newswire, moderated an insightful panel discussion. The discussion highlighted how tools like PR Newswire’s news distribution and media monitoring platforms empower Vietnamese brands to strategically amplify their messages, measure their real impact, and remain globally relevant.
According to Thuy Minh, an understanding of brand values and emotional tone is cruicial when looking for talent. These individuals need to be capable of telling impactful soties that resonate deeply with audiences. She also emphasized that PR teams should focus on developing emotional literacy alongside technical skills.
Annie Nguyen offered sharp, practical advice to PR and comms teams, stressing the importance of preparation and positioning. She noted that when meeting international buyers, it is essential to have a clear understanding of your brand's identity and unique value proposition, and to present this information with confidence and clarity. In her perspective, this is key to turning new opportunities into lasting partnerships.
Sao Lonsdale spoke directly to founders, explaining that building a brand is a continuous process of doing, refining, and growing. Her words captured the essence of branding as a long-term investment, not just on the promotional front, but also when it comes to fostering genuine connections.
Summary
As conversations came to a close, one message stood out - PR is a powerful driver of business outcomes, making it a critical and measurable component of the revenue generation engine. It is the connective tissue between message and market, identity and influence. Whether through cultural storytelling, trade show campaigns, or digital-first launches, PR is not just about visibility. Instead, it’s about shaping how the global audience views your brand. When done right, it builds trust, unlocks opportunity, and accelerates business growth to deliver a measurable return on investment.
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