Vietnam’s Superapp Boom: What Marketers Can Learn

TRAILER

Hung: Most Vietnamese people skipped the desktop era.

Thu: I can do everything with this app.

Hung: Sharing your data with an app is like talking to a friend.

Thu: Let's say we Vietnamese are really optimistic people.

Hung: Yeah.

Episode

Neha: Hi everyone, and welcome back to Points of Growth, a podcast from Yango Ads where we dive into the fast-moving world of ad tech. I'm your host, Neha Dawar. In today's episode, we're focusing on Vietnam, one of the most mobile-first economies in the world. Joining me are two fantastic guests — Thu Nguyen, Business Development Manager at Yango Ads, and Hung Lu, Senior Growth Marketing Manager at MoMo, Vietnam's leading fintech super app.

So before we jump into the conversation, could both of you kindly introduce yourselves and share a little bit about your career journeys?

Thu: I'm Thu, Business Development Manager for Yango Ads in Vietnam, and this month marks my second full year at Yango. So yeah, I'm young at Yango but quite experienced in the industry. I've worked with many different platforms — I actually started as an SEO specialist. Before joining Yango, I worked with Twitter, TikTok, Criteo, Viber, and LinkedIn.

Hung: My name is Hung. I'm currently Senior Growth Marketing Manager at MoMo. I've been in marketing for over 12 years across industries like finance, consumer goods, technology, and education — especially in edtech. I'm a performance marketer, always looking for ways to scale users, optimize performance, and build retention.

At MoMo, I lead growth for more than 20 payment product lines, managing millions of monthly active users. I also launch gamification features and focus not only on user growth but also on revenue.

Neha: Vietnam is often described as one of the most mobile-first economies globally. What kind of emerging trends do you see in Vietnam's ad tech ecosystem that global brands could learn from?

Thu: I think 80% of Vietnam's population is young — mostly Gen Z and millennials — so we really are a tech-savvy generation. That's why many global ad tech brands come to Vietnam to reach this audience. I believe in the near future, Vietnam's tech industry will play a big role in Southeast Asia.

Young people here are so into apps, social commerce, and trying new things. Even the government has developed its own super app — that's amazing!

Hung: We're very excited to live in this new era. Most Vietnamese people skipped the desktop era completely and went straight to smartphones. Mobile is now the primary way people shop, pay, and consume content.

One big trend is the rise of superapps. Vietnamese consumers love having everything in one place — payments, shopping, entertainment, even financial services. Users don't just come to MoMo to pay bills; they also book movie tickets, donate to charity, buy insurance, and join interactive campaigns.

For advertisers, that means you're not just running isolated campaigns — you can design a full journey where engagement, purchase, and retention all happen in one app.

Another trend is how open consumers are to innovation. People here are quick to try new formats like social commerce, live shopping, or gamified ads. Campaigns that combine utility with entertainment perform best.

Finally, there's a move toward data centralization. Brands value platforms that unify fragmented signals — where targeting, engagement, and measurement come together. That's what makes super apps so powerful.

Neha: You raise a really interesting point about the desktop era. I still remember when we had to open our computers for everything — people didn't trust doing things on their phones. Now, this generation does everything on their phones.

We're also moving into a cookie-less world, so how are brands in Vietnam adapting to that shift?

Thu: I just updated my phone to iOS 26 — and can you guess how many apps I have? Two hundred! But I only use about twenty regularly. The rest are offloaded.

Because of super apps, I don't need so many. Out of those twenty, at least five are super apps — I can do everything there.

Data privacy is a big concern now. In the past, we'd just click "agree" on app terms, but now users are more cautious. The cookie-less world has changed everything. Before, third-party data was easy to exchange. Now, first-party data is the new diamond — whoever owns it wins.

That's why big super apps like MoMo — and Yango too! — are so powerful. They already have strong ecosystems where users feel safe sharing data. People trust big platforms with their payments and personal information. For both advertisers and users, trust and privacy are key.

Hung: I agree. In Vietnam, brands see the cookie-less shift as an opportunity, not a threat, because it's such a mobile-first market. They're becoming more creative in how they collect and use data.

Some smaller brands now gather non-transactional data through gamified experiences. For example, after a purchase, users might answer short questions — this helps brands learn about their interests and preferences in a fun, interactive way.

Neha: I checked my phone just now — I use about twelve apps a day! Half are social, the rest banking. We don't have our own super app, but it's fascinating how Vietnam is embracing this. A decade ago, no one would have believed people would willingly share their data like this.

Thu: Once we trust an app, we stop worrying about sharing data. With MoMo, I actually enjoy it — the app recommends campaigns and products I genuinely like. Without that data, it would be hard to find what I really want.

Hung: Sharing your data with an app is like talking to a friend — someone who knows you and can recommend what's best for you.

Neha: That's the first time I've heard data sharing compared to talking to a friend — I love that!

Thu: Exactly. Sometimes the app knows us better than we know ourselves.

Hung: That's the positive side of sharing data. I don't want to spend hours searching — I want relevant suggestions.

Thu: Let's just say we Vietnamese are optimistic people — we see things through a positive lens.

Neha: That's true! So, what are the advantages for brands working with super apps?

Thu: First, the data richness and scale of these ecosystems. Because everything — payments, travel, entertainment, bills — happens in one place, brands can target users more efficiently.

People want convenience and simplicity. Super apps make life easier. Instead of working across multiple platforms, brands can focus on one ecosystem and reach qualified users more effectively — often at lower cost.

Hung: Exactly. The advantage is both quantity and quality of data. Super apps collect multiple data points — not just payment behavior, but lifestyle and interests too.

This enables precise targeting and better ROI. For example, in growth marketing, we use the RFM model — Recency, Frequency, and Monetary value — to identify engaged, high-value users and optimize conversion rates.

Thu: To add a less optimistic note — data integration can be challenging. Building a super app takes time and coordination. Data accuracy can suffer if integration between brands and apps isn't managed properly.

Neha: That's a universal issue — I've heard it from marketers everywhere.

Thu: Exactly! Poor integration means you lose valuable insights. For effective retargeting and retention, data needs to flow correctly between apps and brands.

Neha: So what advice would you give advertisers entering the super app ecosystem?

Thu: Know your goal. Many brands don't clearly define what they want — awareness, visits, sales — and that leads to confusion. Clear objectives help align creative and data strategies.

Hung: Yes. Marketers should always do their homework — define KPIs, success metrics, and choose the right format for each goal. For awareness, use scalable formats like video. For engagement or conversion, go more targeted.

Neha: Looking ahead, how will first-party data and super app infrastructure shape marketing in emerging markets? Anything global brands should watch out for?

Thu: Watch out for Yango — we're coming to Vietnam! (laughs) I think we'll see even more super apps entering the market, which is great for brands.

But users can get overwhelmed — I have 200 apps on my phone! Young users are curious and quick to try new things, but also quick to switch. Keeping them loyal will be the biggest challenge for super apps.

Hung: I agree. First-party data and super app infrastructure will define the future of marketing in emerging markets. These ecosystems provide complete pictures of user lifestyles — transactional and non-transactional.

The real challenge is retention. Acquisition is easy; keeping users is hard. Successful super apps usually start with high-frequency services — like payments or mobility — then expand gradually.

For global brands, the lesson is simple: don't try to be everywhere at once. Choose ecosystems that match your audience and category.

Thu: I remember a great campaign we ran with MoMo — a Kiwi fruit brand gave out vouchers online that users redeemed offline. It was a perfect example of bridging the online and offline experience.

Neha: Wait — Kiwi fruit?

Hung: Yes! (laughs) Campaigns like that — connecting online and offline — are now common at MoMo, especially in FMCG and healthcare.

Neha: That's brilliant. And great advice — don't try to be everywhere all at once. Thu, Hung, thank you both so much for joining today.

Vietnam's digital landscape offers valuable lessons for marketers everywhere navigating a mobile-first, cookie-less, super app-driven future.

And thank you to our listeners for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe to Points of Growth wherever you get your podcasts — we'll be back soon with more conversations about the future of ad tech and digital growth.

Thu: Until next time.

Hung: Thank you, Neha. Thank you, Thu. Thanks, friends.