Cafe Do: tiny cafe with live music

What I like the most about Saigon are the cafes. There are hundreds of them, many are hidden in small alleys, and you have to know the place. These cafes are the real beauty of the city, usually providing a quit place, slow beats if any. Recently a friend took me to Cafe Do. It's in an alley, oneandahalf room, with a corner as a stage for young musicians. I was listening to three singers, one of them, a young girl, said she will sing in English because there is one foreigner (me) there tonight. I was stunned.
These places offer you a glimpse into the world of young Vietnamese people who are not spending all their money for bags and phones (although some of them might do this as well). But at least they are building a scence, something thats quite important for developing a diversified music and events business. In one of this cafe I discovered Le Cat Trong Ly, who is sometimes even on HTV.

Cafe Do
118/30 Tran Quang Dieu
P.14 Q.3, Ho Chi Minh City
(083) 931-4008

Crumpler bag shop in Saigon

It took me arround two years in Vietnam to discover a little paradise: a crumpler shop in Ho Chi Minh City. It's located at 52M Nguyen Huu Hao in District 4, right at the market, 10 minutes from District 1. The name is BAGVINA. They do have some models of crumpler bags, a freindly and well english speaking staff. Its actually there wholesale warehouse, but unsless they did not open the shop in the backpacker area (its pallned this year), they sell from dictrict 4 branch.
Don't ask me if the bags are fake or real, but at least it is a way better quality compared to what you get at Saigon Square. A huge messanger bag is around 380.000 VND whiel a smalle one for netbooks goes with 300.000. The selection is smaller than in origianl licenced shops and you may not get the latest models. Also, I don't know if this comes form any manufacturer in Vietnam, since I was told in Australia that Crumpler is not producing in Vietnam anymore.
Whatever, I liked to get at least a taset of Crumpler, and I am bag addictive, so I will take higher risks for shopping :-)
Check out their website as well: www.bagvinacom

Goodbye Eden Mall

Found this in Simon Kutchers Saigon Today Blog:

Goodbye Eden Mall: "

These two fantastic old buildings form part of the Eden Mall. However they are about to be demolished with the rest of the city block to make way for a new development. There are supposed to be height restrictions in this area so it will be interesting to see what happens

"

(I used the blog this function in Google Reader, but instead of using a blockquote tag it look like its my post. Its not. Its Simons.

Saigon Dogs Part III

oday it's the story about a dog that is kept usually in the yard, but mostly on a chain. The owners "take" him out 10 meters, then tie the dog on a tree. They want him to poo and pee there. UPDATE: After I shot the video the owner actually walked with the dog for the first time, around the block, but better then nothing. I told the son again that he should better walk with the dog, and it's seems they start at least thinking about it.

I don't like the Earth Hour, but I like the message

When I was at the Green Drinks Event in Saigon some weeks ago, a woman from WWF was talking about Earth Hour. She said (honestly) that it's a big PR campaign to raise awareness. Yes, that's true. My problem with the Earth Hour is, that it is actually nothing more than PR.

Technically it is ridiculous to shut off the lights for one hour. Light's are not consuming that much energy like a television or even computers. And it will have zero effect on climate change. Actually it can be worst because people using candles instead, they produce CO2 by burning wax and pollute the air.

Ok, so what's the message? It's about saving energy to save the planet. I like that. But I would like to see way more commitment to that goal than to switch off the lights for one hour. It's a bit like donating money for Haiti. Yes, it helps for now, but it's not really sustainable (at least this donation has a effect).
My concern is that many people will support the Earth Hour, will press big red buttons, but after they go back to business as usual. I would like to see announcements for Going Green, installing solar panels, support wind energy (Vietnam has ore than 3000 km coastline). Commitments by companies how they want to save energy.

I will be at Barcamp Singapore for the Earth Hour. What about a computer screens, do they count as a light?

Saigon Dog Stories Part II

These puppies are around 2 months old. The owners keep them in the yard. It's enough space for them, they share it with a chicken. The mother dog is very protective, but not aggressive, and she can walk around the house. The only problem is that there is a lot of traffic so it's a matter of time when the first accident there happens.

Saigon Dog Stories Part I

Some small reports about the way dogs were treated and kept in Saigon. Some best practise and roles models, but also some very sad stories. Today I show you two dogs that belongs to construction workers. At least in the morning the dogs are allowed to play around.

Marketing via Wifi - and how to do not

When you go to a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf shop, you can use the Wifi there for free. What you need is a password. Usually shops say it's 12345 or 22222. Coffee Bean does better. The use their product names, like cafelatte or iceblended. Since many people more likely remember the internet password than a coffeeshop product, its a nice way of marketing.

Totally different does actually the Korean Company Angel-in-us. Ok, the name itself is silly, but their branch at Nguyen Hue Street does even better. See the screenshot of available networks and guess what the Angel-in-us one is.

Listen to "Dog got biten" Episode

The ultimate food lovers map for Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

I created a map with restaurants in Saigon, and you can work on the map as well. Please add your favorite place! This map will be updated frequently


View Restaurants in Saigon in a larger map

Al Fresco's: The very last attempt - and they failed

Al Fresco's is a popular expat restaurant chain in Saigon. They have two branches in district 1 and a branch in district 7. We went a few times to the latter when we arrived in Vietnam. The food is Pizza, Burger, Mexican. The prices are high, the service was always bad. One year ago we went there and they screwed up again: They brought us something what we did not order, what we did order was suddenly not available anymore and even the bill was wrong. We complained, we got many excuses and left.

One year later: we found a 250.000 VND voucher today in our coupon bowl and decided to redeem it before its outdated. I ordered a Chicken Burger with avocado and bacon, my wife ordered a quesadilla. And again, something was wrong: No avocado on my burger, no avocado sauce with the quesadillas.
They did not tell us in advance, they did not tell us when the delivered the food. Only after I complained they said "we were running out of avocados, sorry". "But I will be charged the full price? Forget it, I answered." We told the manager, that this was the very last time and left. She offered us the dinner for free, but we gave her the 250.000 VND voucher and left.

Al Fresco's and Jaspas are popular for no reason. The food is average, the service is under average. They may speak english, but the staff has no skills in service.

This is the reason why I prefer local vietnamese restaurants. You get great food for less money. And the service is a least as good as what you pay for.

The most expat places are totally overpriced. I guess they survive because many expats don't dare to go to local places or just want to be with other expats. As this is not my lifestyle, I am safe. I avoid this places as much as I can. You should do as well.

Vegetarian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon

I already mentioned the variety of vegetarian food in Vietnam. It's mainly based on the buddhism and the meat-free-day during full moon. So many people go to vegetarian or vegan restaurant, how it's called here.
We recently went to a new place, called The Loving Hut. It seems to be a branch of an Australian Vegan Food Chain. It's located in District 7, right behind the Lotte Mart (if you come from District 4, turn left after the Lotte Mart, turn left again on the next corner and then follow the street about 300 Meter. It's a 242 Le Van Luong Street.
Prices are average, around 40.000 VND for a dish. The presentation is just great, the restaurants (one month open) is clean, nice decorated. The staff is friendly and speaks some English.
See some pictures below

This is called Fried Tofu Rolls



We also ordered Tofu BBQ skewers


Find below a map with all the Vegetarian restaurants (and some other nice locations)

View Restaurants in Saigon in a larger map

Andrea Hamilton at Yoko (Saigon)

Just a snippt form a concert by Andrea Hamilton, US singer/songwriter. I kind of like her music. Find more at www.andreahamiltononline.com

Marketing in Vietnam

My friend Matt will laugh again, because I am again complaining about something that is very common in Vietnam: loud music. Whenever I see (or in that case) hear something new and different, I ask why it is like it is. So why there is so much loud music here?
First of all I learned that there are different ways to play loud music:
In Bars/Coffee shops
During any kind of public event
In shopping centers
In front of shopping center

Only bars and restaurants use the music as a (kind of) entertainment for customers, everything else is the so called marketing. Yes, even public events want to attract people with the music.

In Vietnam, people are used to get "information" through loudspeakers since the communist party made public announcements and broadcasts of important speeches of the leader for years (and still do it). While it's not so common in downtown Saigon and modern residential areas anymore, you will still have this experience in provinces and especially in Hanoi.

What we would call propaganda was the first step into marketing in the Vietnamese understanding. Peopel are used to get announcements through loudspeakers.

But why so loud?
My theory includes two reasons: One is: The louder the music, the more people in far distance will here it (what is usually technically wrong since they use loudspeakers who don't really take it for a far distance but were built to provide a clear sound). So actually it's more a stopper when you pass by.

Second reason is: If it's loud, people don't have to talk to each other. That may sound a bit like conspiracy, but I believe there is some truth behind. Silence means you can reflect yourself, you can think. Noise is exactly the opposite. So if you don't want that people think too much, make some noise.

So marketing in Vietnam means "getting attraction" Nothing more. Maybe "be the loudest and the most impressive". You will not see any real branding behind this, no product information, not even anything that is building an emotional relationship to the product.

The best example is the Saigon Paragon Shopping Center (here it comes, Matt, thanks for waiting). They try to attract customers by putting huge loudspeaker systems in front of and right beside a Rolls Royce. The message: "Hey stop, there is something special".
I am sure the Rolls might be special enough as it is the impressive building. But still not customers. So they try the Vietnamese marketing way. Loud music and banners. But still no customers. Why?

Just because they target the wrong audience: If you are selling cheap shirts on Trang Hung Dao it would make sense to attract the commuters with a sound system outside. Because they are your targeted audience.

At Saigon Paragon, most of the people passing by are residents of Riverside and Canh Vien or construction workers and service staff. The latter just can't afford the Saigon Paragon, while the residents already know that it's there.
Also, the products are high price products. Omega for example, well known parfum brands. Luxury and noise doesn't really fit (except you buy a Ferrari). Silence is a luxury itself, as you can see in 5-Star-Hotels all over the world.

Customers who can afford the products at Saigon Paragon will compare this to the shopping centers outside Vietnam (like the real Paragon in Bangkok). And the one in Vietnam just fails. Not enough choice, nice design, but not for a shopping center as you can't really see what kind of shops are there, because the view is blocked by escalators, bored and totally untrained staff and a so called food court where I am sure - they planned the garage for motobikes.

I am pretty sure that Saigon Paragon and the shops inside don't even make enough money to pay the rent. and that's mainly because of wrong concept and a wrong understanding of marketing.

Oh, if you don't believe me, have a look on Julian Treasure TED talk, where he spoke about the effects of sounds. A bad sound environment drops down productivity in offices by 66 percent while sales in retail by 28 percent.

How to sell Vietnam as a tourist destination

Ok, no complains, or less, but more advise. How can Vietnam improve in international tourism?
1.) The markets
Campaigns must be targeting the right market. Chinese and korean tourists don't want to spend a lot of money, so you must sell Vietnam as a cheap destination (if you find enough low price hotels). European and US tourists want something special good server, value for their money. So sell luxury. But understand luxury as a concept, not a price. A luxury shopping center opens the door for you and the door boy knows your name. It's doesn't have loudspeakers with techno music outside.

2. ) Public picture: Most people see a girl from behind in a white Ao Day in a rice field on a bicylce. Call it a cliche, but actually it works fro Vietnam. It means: Young population, tradition, nature and authentic, even something secret (because you can't see the girls face). Should be enough for a branding, isn't it?

3.) Infrastructure: Roads, roads, roads and some airports.

4.) Less government, more market: Let the professionals do the job. Don't protect the formally state own businesses and let the market work itself.

5.) Diversify: Present the thousands of things you can do in Vietnam instead of Top 10. One reason why people don't come back to Vietnam is that the Top Ten are done in 2 weeks. And they don't know what else to do.

6.) Find the unique selling point: Tourism is not about the price, it's about imagination. Create a picture and sell this. It must be different from all the CNN campaigns you can see now. That;s actually the mist difficult and painful part.

7.) Be more professional, Use the experience you get for nearly free from foreigners in that business and learn from it.


I was inspired by this website http://www.hcmc100e.info. I think they make it wrong: HCMC is so great because of the many choices you have. It doesn't make sense to promote PHO24 or Khai Silk, everybody know them already. It would be better to show 1000 restaurants and 100 bars and 10.000 shops.

See what Tim Russel on ComeandgoVietnam wrote about it

Webwednesday Part 2.0 - a review

I was attending the second Web-Wednesday tonight at vibes (thanks by the way to Chris Tran and the other organizers, great job folks). The main topic was "How is the current situation of social networks in Vietnam after Yahoo closed its 360 service?".

We saw the usual suspects there, Caravat, Zing, YuMe and - Webtretho. While the big guys tried to impress with numbers (yes, zing.vn just overtook facebook with 1 million active users), Nguyen Hoang anh, Marketing Manager, pointed to her core business: parents. Webtretho isn't even a social networks, it's more a forum, has about 300.000 members, mostly with nicknames, publishing not much about themself. But when it comes to problems with kids, the users are posting like crazy. That what you call "active users".

I really love that idea. I was always a fan of niche marketing, because that's the way you target the right audience. Forget the 20somethings on facebook, if you want to sell diapers, go to Webtretho. That's where your customers are.

So what we learned from the webwednesday was, that all the players still want to become number one and trying to get huge numbers of users, while niche products getting a nice piece of the cake of advertising.

The best question came from Simon, who asked the speakers, if one of them is using facebooks fanpages. None of them do it. They call themself a network, but don't do real networking. They just abandon on 900.000 users.

German bakery Schneider's finest with Vollkornbread in Saigon

Just opened: The new german bakery in Pasteur street/Corner 27 Hanh Thuyen (just around Au Parc cafe) sells german Vollkornbread and German Brötchen (small breads) as I haven't seen it in Saigon before. That feels like home. Prices are reasonable, 48.000 for a bread, 5000-7000 for a small bread (as you see in the picture)

Dogs for sale in Saigon: Buy and see them die

Just want to bring attention to this article about the people seeling cute dogs in the streets in Saigon.

In Vietnam, the phrase “man’s best friend” has little value and dogs are seen as valuable currency and dinner.

In Ho Chi Minh City on Le Hong Phong Street in District 5, between Hung Vuong and Tran Phu, and on the corner of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai are the two main locations that display dogs for sale.

Along the stretch of Le Hong Phong are shops crammed with cages displaying various dogs and cats. The animals, for the most part look healthy, but living conditions are grim, with several living in one cage.

.. read the full article

Espressamente Illy Cafe in Phu My Hung

Now we have our own Espressamente Illy Coffee shop in Phu My hung. It opened last Saturday. A quick review.

What I like:
The design is awesome. It's a modern and clean design, mandatory for all Illy Coffee shops all over the world with just adjustment to the local shop sizes. The armchairs are real leather and comfortable, the lightning is not to bright, and the close the curtains when too much sunlight comes in.
The range of products is different from other chains like Gloria Jeans and Coffee Bean. They have many creations for cold and hot coffee (the cafe latte is still worth a try), and presentation is good as well. For the opening there was a promotion when you get a small cake with every coffee you purchased. They serve you on the table (that means not stand up and walk to the cashier desk to order).
The cakes are tasty, even if its Asia style cakes with this thick fatty cream. But thats ok. There is a small breakfast menu, mainly some fried egg dishes.

What I don't like:
Forget the food. It's pizza and some pseudo-western style dishes. The pumpkin soup and the spinach soup is ok, the rest just under average and overpriced.
The staff is - no wonder- not trained. They do the best, but from a level zero. So don't expect that they understand what a low fat milk is. For the opening weekend a lot of food was not available (no pizza margarita, but pizza salami.. wtf??) The music is typical 80s western charts :-(

And there is another problem that you should know: The owner of the Espressamente Illy Coffee shops also owns a shark fin restaurant in District 1. So if you are protesting against the inhuman way of killing sharks for fins, you should boycott Illy or at least leave a note of protest there.
When I asked Illy Headquarter about this, they said:

We thank for your letter and, as we can read in your mail, it is hard to
believe an Espressamente illy coffee bar interested in the business of shark
fin.

The premises you have kindly brought to our attention are independently
managed, although the products sold there, the offers, and the exploitation
of our brand unquestionably demand to operate in compliance with rules and
behaviours accurately defined and undersigned by the involved managers, upon
whom we keep a direct supervision.

For what said above, we would like to thank you very much for your report
and we are glad to reassure you that this case is already under assessment
and taken care of with the greatest attention.

Both restaurants are still in the same ownership, they may stopped cross promotion in District 1 - I havent been there since then.

UPDATE: I am sitting in the Illy Espressamente again. The mens toilet room is out of soap. I saw two managers and supervisors using the toilet as well as one cook. Nobody noticed that there is no soap, meaning they did not clean their hands properly. Why they set up useless, clueless and unexperienced supervisors in these shops instead of someone who can run this properly.

I blame the (foreign) management for this problems, not the staff. They haven't been trained properly, so it's not their fault.

Google Maps now with Vietnam Street Maps

The news spreaded today about the fact, that Google integrated now street names into the Vietnam Google Map. I was waiting long for this feature, although there was a mapmakermap already, for some features I desperately needed Google Maps. So, now it's out, unfortunantly not on iPhone and Google Maps for Mobile (maybe just a matter of time).

What is nice that Google integrated Panoramio, a photo sharing service, whose geotagged pictures appear as a special layer on Google Maps. The same is for Youtube Videos and Wikipedia information.

In a time where Diadiem seems to be in trouble, Google Maps could be a major step forward to GIS-Products.