In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Linh Dao Smooke, COO of Hackernoon, opens up about her upbringing in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and shares how communal culture influences the buying decisions of Vietnamese consumers.

Linh Dao Smooke grew up in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and carries in her heart the city's vibrant culture – from the Cai Luong music at the Golden Bell Theatre where her father worked, to growing up in a tight-knit community where everyone knows your business. 

At 18, Linh left for India on a scholarship with United World College and later the United States for higher education. These experiences have allowed her to observe misconceptions the Western world has about Vietnam.

Linh's generation has seen Vietnam's economic boom as the country established political ties with Western nations. She knows nothing about war time; only peace. But even now, residing in Colorado, she thinks that many Americans still view Vietnam as a war-torn country.

“I found that it's almost our duty to tell American friends that you should check out Vietnam today. The country really just wants to lose the stereotype of it being war-torn.

“If you ever went to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, you'll be in a big shock if your image of Vietnam is rice paddies and buffaloes…The adoption, enthusiasm and interest people have in American culture would surprise a lot of Americans when they first come here. Vietnam loves being integrated into every single facet of the global economy and wants to consume and produce and be part of any products,” Linh adds.

“It takes a village to raise a child”

Linh attributes Vietnam’s open and warm attitude – despite the challenges of its recent history – to its village culture, where people treat each other like family. 

This strong sense of community fosters a natural tendency to share stories. This cultural trait has seamlessly transitioned into the way Vietnamese people use social media.

“It starts from a good goal of just connections. In a communal culture, people connect via stories. At the core of gossip is stories,” she says. 

“And social media is like community scoreboards. That's how people measure success. What better way to gossip than on Facebook? You can just do whatever on Facebook and everybody will know.”

Drawing from her experience working as a Regional Manager in Southeast Asia for Minerva University, Linh points out some misunderstandings global brands face when entering Vietnam without grasping its cultural essence.

“Building communities in Vietnam is so much more about personal connections, word of mouth and people's personal trust in your product and your company. In America and other western countries, you don't have to build a Facebook group or gather thousands of likes on a community chat. In Vietnam, people won’t buy a product, a service or a concept unless somebody close to them has already verified it,” she explains.

Linh recalls a situation in which she used this insight to create a successful marketing campaign in Vietnam for Minerva University, only for the global brand director to axe it because it didn’t strictly follow the global brand guidelines. 

“If you don't have flexibility to get to the level to meet people where they are at, then your brand would just sit on this ivory tower forever. It’s not going to reach the people that you need to reach. There's a reason all these big global companies going to Vietnam have to develop localisation techniques and expertise,” she says. 

A bright future for Vietnam and its young population

Upon her return to Vietnam, Linh was amazed by the rapid delivery services driven by the rise of e-commerce. 

With 54.3% of the population shopping online weekly, e-commerce is projected to grow 28% annually for the next two years in Vietnam; this fast-paced development is fueled by entrepreneurial spirit and agility, despite limited resources, says Linh. 

“The country is so young and adaptive, with incredible work ethics. People are willing to integrate into the culture of the company. There's no sense of the 'good old days' in Vietnam; it's about forging a path to the 'good new days’,” she says. 

“They [younger generations] don't just care about security, stability, and economic prosperity like my generation. They start to care about social things such as sustainability and gender equality. That's a bright future for the country and for the young generation.”