HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Hồ Chí Minh City People's Committee and the Việt Nam Advertising Association, on Tuesday launched the Việt Nam Creative Advertising Awards – Vạn Xuân Awards 2026 under the theme “Culture Inspires Prosperity”.

Vạn Xuân Awards 2026 were officially launched in Hà Nội on Tuesday. Photo Courtesy of the organisers

At the launch ceremony, Nguyễn Trường Sơn, chairman of the Việt Nam Advertising Association and co-head of the awards organising committee, said that the Vạn Xuân Awards are an annual event established to honour outstanding advertising campaigns that demonstrate strong practical value while promoting the image of Việt Nam and its people.

According to Sơn, as cultural industries increasingly become a new driver of economic growth, advertising is no longer merely a branding tool but also a vehicle for promoting cultural values, national identity and Việt Nam’s soft power.

Many creative campaigns inspired by Vietnamese culture have helped bring traditional values closer to the public, particularly younger generations.

The awards form part of the National Branding and Promotion Project for Việt Nam’s Creative Advertising Industry (2020-30), supporting the implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Việt Nam’s Cultural Industries to 2030, with a Vision to 2045.

Under the strategy, cultural industries are expected to achieve an average annual growth rate of around 10 per cent and contribute approximately 7 per cent of the country’s GDP by 2030.

During its first three editions from 2023 to 2025, the Vạn Xuân Awards attracted more than 3,700 entries, involving around 400 brands and over 200 creative professionals.

This year, the awards feature 52 categories, including a Grand Prix award for the most outstanding advertising campaign, nine Vạn Xuân Classic Awards recognising excellence in television, outdoor and digital advertising, and 39 Vạn Xuân Awards honouring outstanding campaigns, brands, production companies and individual professionals.

Submissions will be accepted from September 1 to October 20, 2026.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in December 2026 on Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street.

It will be accompanied by a series of seminars, exhibitions, networking events and showcases of advertising technologies, aimed at fostering creativity and promoting Vietnamese culture in the digital age. — VNS