Amid economic uncertainty which negatively affected the nightlife economy, transport service Grab Vietnam launched an omnichannel campaign leveraging social media, out-of-home (OOH), and more to drive awareness of its offering, reduce DUIs, and help stimulate the nightlife economy.
With the core objectives of rejuvenating Vietnam's nightlife economy, Grab Vietnam's aim was three-fold:
Vietnam's nightlife struggled in 2023 due to economic challenges, including geopolitical instability, weak demand recovery, and soaring inflation, causing GDP growth to drop from 8.85 percent to 4.24 percent. Stricter DUI regulations under Decree 100/2019/ND-CP worsened the situation during the "National Drinking Festive" period, leading to reduced spending on alcohol, the closure of bars, and declining profits for top beer brands
As the leading choice for safe and reliable transport for drinking occasions, Grab partnered with the local government, beer brands, and top drinking establishments to revive Vietnam's vibrant nightlife and strongly advocate "Drink, don't drive" behavior, through an enjoyable seamless online to offline experience.
The target audience for Grab's campaign was self-driving office workers. Despite knowing Decree 100 on DUI regulations, office workers aged 25 to 34 often choose to drive to spontaneous post-work parties, risking safety and fines. Most drinking occasions happen spontaneously, particularly post-work. And while people might plan to stay sober, the festive atmosphere often leads them to drink.
The pivotal decision to self-drive or use ride-hailing services — occurs just as they are about to start their vehicles. This discerning moment presents an unparalleled opportunity for Grab to influence their choices.
Grab's hero assets harmonize perfectly with its "Path-to-Pin" omnichannel strategy, encompassing the entire office workers' journey, online to offline; embodying three key components: massive online presence, Grab's own in-app, and a relevant offline presence.
This holistic strategy allowed Grab to feature its assets, primarily on YouTube, and supplemented through TikTok, Meta, and local news sites for a more expansive audience.
The brand also amplified the message across key touchpoints that might ignite drinking intentions, ranging from elevator ads, billboards, LEDs, and LCDs to Grab's in-app platform. Here, the brand employed "Recommended Places" carousel banners for guiding users to drinking establishments, fitted with diverse point of sale materials (POSMs) and brand activations showcasing 'ONCE DRINK, THEN GRAB,' ensuring a consistent reminder at the moment of consumption.
Grab created compelling creative assets highlighting the potential devastation of DUI. Then, the brand collaborated with partners to craft the ultimate online-to-offline drinking experience. Lastly, partnered with the government to amplify it "Once Drink, Then Grab" message.
Campaign tactics included:
In Vietnam, drinking or "nhậu," is a year-round social staple that peaks during the festive fourth quarter, inspiring significant social gatherings and drinking occasions. What's more, nightlife — which accounts for 22 percent of Grab's demand — also reaches its highest levels during Q4.
However, a downturn in the nightlife economy led to a consistent drop in drinking establishment traffic since Q3. This trend suggests growing concerns about the affordability of drinking and the risks of DUI, threatening Grab's business if it continued into the last quarter.
To address this, Grab revitalized drinking behavior through collaborations with key stakeholders, including drinking establishments and beer brands, while supporting a safer drinking culture. Grab's efforts earned the following results:
