How Tet / Lunar New Year Shapes Consumer Behavior in Vietnam
Tết Nguyên Đán ảnh hưởng đến hành vi tiêu dùng tại Việt Nam như thế nào?
Introduction: When Culture Becomes Commerce
In Vietnam, the most powerful force shaping consumer behavior isn’t a trend. It’s a tradition.
Tết Nguyên Đán or simply Tết is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Once a year, this vibrant cultural celebration shifts the emotional, financial, and social landscape of the entire country. For brands, this isn’t just a holiday season it’s a high-stakes, emotionally charged opportunity that can’t be tackled with generic marketing playbooks.
In a landscape this rich and fast-moving, cultural insights and AI-powered research methods aren’t just helpful they’re essential.
The Three Phases of Tết Consumer Behavior
Tết is not one moment it’s a journey. Vietnamese consumers go through a clear three-phase behavioral pattern, each offering unique marketing opportunities.
Before Tết: The Busiest Shopping Season
Weeks before Tết, the energy in Vietnam is electric. Consumers are in full preparation mode emotionally, spiritually, and materially.
Key Behaviors:
- Home Refreshing: It’s traditional to clean and redecorate the house (dọn dẹp nhà cửa) to welcome good fortune. This sparks demand for home appliances, furniture, and cleaning products.
- Gift-Giving: Thoughtful gifts like Tết gift baskets (giỏ quà Tết) and premium foods are given to family, colleagues, and clients.
- Self-Upgrade: New clothes, haircuts, and personal care symbolize a fresh start for the new year.
💡 Tip for marketers: Use AI-generated data and conversational surveys to detect trending product categories in real time.
During Tết: Pause and Reflect
Once the celebration begins, the economy slows but the emotional connection deepens.
Key Behaviors:
- Family First: Families reunite and enjoy sticky rice cake (bánh chưng) and lucky money (lì xì). Campaigns tied to tradition, family values, and nostalgia perform best here.
- Spiritual Acts: Visiting temples and honoring ancestors is core. Brands that respectfully acknowledge these rituals gain emotional traction.
Insight: This is the time to reinforce brand love not drive aggressive sales.
After Tết: Return with Caution
The post-Tết period is quiet. Spending slows as people review their budgets and reset their routines.
Consumer Shifts:
- Essentialism: Promotions on necessities perform well.
- Forward Focus: This is when people make plans so campaigns about wellness, career, and financial growth feel timely.
Opportunity: Use simulated data and Supercharged Meta-Analysis to test campaign ideas for the months ahead.
How AI-Powered Research Is Changing the Game
Traditional research methods sometimes can’t keep pace with cultural moments like Tết. But newer approaches are changing that.
Modern Tools Making a Difference:
- Generative AI for qualitative research helps analyze thousands of online conversations to detect emotional tone, product sentiment, and unmet needs.
- AI moderation allows for faster, cost-effective testing of ads, visuals, and messages.
- Synthetic data and simulated scenarios help teams prepare for what’s likely to happen, not just what has already occurred.
Example: A food brand can use agile research to test 10 product variations within 48 hours and can uncover the packaging colors associated with prosperity (lộc).
Want Deeper Understanding? Try Cultural Immersion
There’s only so much a data dashboard can tell you. To truly understand the Vietnamese consumer during Tết, nothing beats on-the-ground cultural immersion.
Joining in local customs like strolling through a chợ hoa Tết (flower market), attending lễ cúng ông Công ông Táo (the ritual of sending Kitchen Gods to heaven), or sharing a bowl of canh khổ qua (bitter melon soup meant to leave hardship behind) can reveal insights that no survey ever could.
For researchers, strategists, and UX teams, this is an invaluable opportunity to:
- Observe real consumer rituals and behaviors
- Feel the emotional undercurrents that shape decisions
- Understand how language, symbolism, and family roles influence brand perception
Cultural immersion doesn’t just inform strategy it sharpens intuition.
Why Global Brands Should Pay Attention
Tết teaches us that culture isn’t a backdrop it’s a driver of behavior.
Key Takeaways:
- Hyper-Localization Wins: A red envelope (bao lì xì) can carry more meaning than a discount code.
- Timing Is Everything: A great campaign launched in the wrong phase can miss the moment entirely.
- Insight is a Superpower: Use AI tools not to replace human understanding, but to amplify it.
FAQ: Snippet-Eligible Q&A
What is Tết and why is it important for marketers?
A: Tết is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, a cultural reset that drives a surge in consumer spending, gifting, and emotional engagement. It offers brands a major opportunity to connect through meaningful, localized campaigns.
What do Vietnamese consumers buy during Tết?
A: Pre-Tết purchases include home décor, electronics, food, and gifts. During Tết, spending slows and focuses on traditional items like bánh chưng and lì xì.
Conclusion: Don’t Just Show Up. Belong.
Tết isn’t just about marketing. It’s about belonging.
Brands that succeed in Vietnam during this season are the ones that go beyond promotions and step into the heart of culture. By combining human insight with AI-powered research, your message can land with more meaning and more impact.
Ready to uncover real consumer truths during Tết?
Cultural Traits offer on-ground cultural immersion, AI-enabled qualitative research, and rapid campaign testing all designed to help your brand connect with confidence.
Let’s talk. Request a quote or Contact us today.
Disclaimer:
The insights shared in this blog are based on the Cultural Traits personal observation of current industry landscape. This blog is for informational purposes only and reflects general industry trends at the time of writing. It does not constitute legal, technical, or regulatory advice. Readers should consult relevant experts before applying any synthetic data or AI-based research practices.