Introduction

Lay’s is a well-known global brand of snacks. In this portfolio, Aeon Mall, GS25, and
Circle K in Tan Phu District, HCMC, are the chosen retailers to analyze the effectiveness
of building brand awareness based on Consumer-based brand equity theory and
framework (Keller & Swaminathan, 2019).

CBBE Model analysis

Salience
Lay’s is now a household brand in Vietnam. The logo and the brand name have been
embedded in the Vietnamese mind with a short, easy-to-remember name and vibrant,
opaque colors: yellow, red, and white. The packaging for each flavor is also colorful,
describing the characteristics of each type.
Meaning
+ Performance
+ Imagery

Response
+ Judgment
+ Feeling

Resonance

Offline and online marketing analysis

Offline channels

Aeon Mall Supermarket

This retailer (Appendix 1A) has the slightest effective brand awareness-building. Even
though the location is very crowded since it is inside a well-known department store,
there were no activities to urge customers’ engagement with the brand. In such a place
where the variety of products is massive, there was no effort to make Lay’s stand out to
potential customers. Therefore, Lay’s brand development in this retailer dwells on
showcasing the brand salience, which is only the brand identity - A potato chip snack
with many flavors.

Circle K
This convenience store (Appendix 1C) is carrying out a promotion for Lay’s Stax,
discounting 12.000 VND for each product. Even though the effort is little, it is still
effective, but not immensely. Lay’s Stax explicitly targets parties, gatherings, and
sharing. It holds more potato chips than the regular pack, with a “handy tray” for easier
access (Lay’s Stax - Lay’s Việt Nam, n.d.). Stax is also an imported product line, coming
from Thailand and Malaysia. This information helps convince customers that the quality
is high and verified. The products' size and packaging indicate the occasion on which a
group would share one tube of Lay’s Stax. The discount on this Lay’s product conveys
the meaning of the brand: an affordable, high-quality snack that can be easily shared.

GS25
This convenience store (Appendix 1B) has the most effective brand awareness-building
out of the three retailers. The marketing strategy here is actually a mix of both online
and offline. Lay’s first announced a co-branding campaign with GS25, “Mix Là Hợp Cạ,”
creating a new dish exclusively at GS25. One of the campaign activities is an event
hosted at GS25 Phạm Ngọc Thạch, with the appearance of Liu Grace - a favored
celebrity among GenZ. Besides, GS25 is also running a promotion for Lay’s products:
price reduction, buy 2 get one drink. This co-branding is effective because it can
communicate Lay’s meaning and evoke customer responses. It proves the products are
delicious and taste better when mixed with a local snack - Vietnamese spicy chicken
floss. It attracts the correct user profile with celebrity endorsement. It displays the brand
value: an affordable, high-quality snack essential for gatherings and parties and goes
with different types of drinks with GS25’s promotion.

Online channels

Campaign “Miếng Cuối Giòn Tan”

The campaign starts with the commercial video (Appendix 2A). This fully showcases the
brand’s salience and meaning; the logo and occasion of consuming the product is
highlighted. The online promotion (Appendix 2D) includes a Facebook post on “Insight
mất lòng” - a page that many GenZ follow on Facebook and Facebook Ad of a short clip
highlighting the question “Ê H, miếng cuối của tui đâu?”. This is a smart campaign since
it shows that the products are irresistible, so much so that people sharing one pack of
Lay’s would fight for the last chips. The ad directly mentions people whose names start
with H - attract Facebook users to tag their H friends in the comment, making the ad go
viral. The choice of choosing “Insight mất lòng” is also an excellent co-branding
scheme. This Facebook page has a history of working with many global brands, and the
number of interactions is massive, which means it can help Lay’s reach many potential
and also target customers. It seems funny but realistic, making customers actively
engage with the campaign online. The result is outstanding since both these contents
gain much of people’s attention on Facebook (Appendix 2E). It truly conveys the brand
resonance - creates an attachment between Lay’s and their customers and also urge
their responses and reactions of them. This campaign successfully understood
customers’ insight and how to create a relationship between the brand and the
customers.

Campaign “Mix Là Hợp Cạ”

This campaign is just the online approach of the whole campaign. The cooperation with
GS25, celebrity endorsement (Appendix 2B), and minigame (Appendix 2F) all urge the
purchasing power of offline retailers. As mentioned above, the partnership with GS25
push the intangible values of the brand. But with this minigame, when customers can
get a chance to receive a trip to Da Lat, this would be the crucial component in the
purchasing decision.
Conclusion & Recommendation
Lay’s online and offline marketing strategies support each other effectively. The online
approach deals with brand awareness, and the offline approach evokes customers'
purchase power and loyalty.
There are still ways to improve this effective marketing strategy. Lay’s should focus
more on crowded retailers like supermarkets, since those place already has loyalty
programs for their customers, Lay’s can make use of their customers’ bases. This way,
Lay’s can promote itself to not just youngsters but also different age groups, focusing on
family-friendly approach would be a good starte

Appendices
 1. Offline channels

1A Aeon Mall Tân Phú, HCMC

1B GS25 Văn Cao, Tân Phú District, HCMC
1C Circle K Tân Sơn Nhì, Tân Phú District, HCMC

2. Online channels

2A Lay’s Vietnam commercial video for the campaign “Miếng Cuối

Giòn Ngon”
https://youtu.be/8qFir-qXhic?si=MTLUvdNEmsUGl804
2B Co-branding with GS25 & &Elveven and celebrities
endorsement campaign with Minh Lai & Liu Grace
2D Content for campaign “Miếng Cuối Giòn Ngon”
2E Customers response to campaign “ Miếng Cuối Giòn Ngon”
 2F Minigame for “Mix Là Hợp Cạ” campaign

References
Keller, K. L., & Swaminathan, V. (2019). Strategic Brand Management: Building,

measuring, and Managing Brand Equity, Global Edition. Pearson UK.

Lay’s Stax - Lay’s Việt Nam. (n.d.). Lay’s Việt Nam.

https://www.laysvietnam.com/en/product/lays-stax-en/