Sunita Rajan, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales, Asia Pacific, CNN International Commercial
|
How can you say about the outcomes of cooperative program between CNN and Hanoi in 2017?
Vietnam is an important market for CNN and 2017 has marked a successful year for both CNN and Hanoi. Positive feedback from a series of independent third-party surveys such as the survey conducted by the UK’s largest independent research consultancy BDRC Continental reinforced the fact that majority of respondents developed an interest in Hanoi and want to visit the city after watching CNN’s highly popular shows like #MYHANOI and Hanoi POV.
In order to engage audiences across TV, Digital as well as those on social media, we featured popular Instagrammers such as Linh Pham in the program #MYHANOI and used their unique storytelling methods to highlight the best of what Hanoi has to offer. From famous landmarks like West Lake to hidden gems, from historical sites such as the century-old Hanoi Opera House to daily life, #MYHANOI illustrated the city through different lens, sharing it with a worldwide audience. Also adding in a local musical flavor, the program’s background score featured the work of six Vietnamese musicians and beatmakers.
In CNNs Hanoi POV, we explored Hanoi in a series of cinematic videos that showcases the city through the eyes of five creative personalities. The local residents took CNN’s viewers to their favorite local haunts like Café Duy Tri on Yen Phu Street and places that inspire them in their neighborhoods that are off the beaten tourist map.
Apart from #MYHANOI and Hanoi POV, CNN’s shows also put the spotlight on various others aspects of Vietnam. CNN’s special program Eco Solutions explored Hanoi as one of Asia’s largest honey exporters and how climate change is impacting the business. Hanoi’s cuisine is featured in CNN’s ‘Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown’ video series ‘The Perfect Dish: Asia’ among cuisines of eight other Asian cities. In the special program ‘Building Bridges’, CNN explored how the surge of international travel to Vietnam is effecting Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport and resulting in the construction of the Nhat Tan Bridge.
The result of the surveys also shows how CNN’s programming, CNN Create’s social and native solutions as well as CNN digital’s coverage and AD feature microsite starring Hanoi has given Vietnam a global platform to reach out to the global travel community.
What are some of the upcoming shows by CNN for Hanoi in 2018?
There is an exciting line-up of shows focusing on different aspects of Hanoi and Vietnam in the pipeline for 2018.
2018 heralds the launch of our third brand film produced by CNN Create – our inhouse brand studio which will air on CNNI TV just after the Vietnamese New Year. As a part of the 2018 campaign on CNN, ‘Destination Hanoi’ with a focus on interesting facets of the city and places to discover is a special programme is scheduled for mid-year.
Audiences are at the heart of all our brand partnerships and as part of the year 2 of this campaign we will continue to connect with consumers to test the effectiveness of the brand films we have produced for Hanoi Tourism and also the affinity for our special content which will be consumed across all our platforms.
Potentials as well as challenges of Hanoi tourism sector in the upcoming time, according to you?
Hanoi as well as Vietnam is rapidly becoming a very exciting destination for international travelers. The goal of CNN’s programs such as #MYHANOI and Hanoi POV was to travel and explore not only the obvious tourist spots but also the hidden gems of the country. We hope to showcase the city of Hanoi through the eyes of local guides who come from various fields, giving the viewers a broad and vivid perspective. CNN’s programs featuring Hanoi reminds our viewers that Hanoi is home to cultural heritage, historical relics, unique landmarks which packs a punch as an attractive tourist destination. To further garner the interest of international travelers, Hanoi can display content that showcases the Vietnamese capital at global events. Adding on to the success of the campaign in 2017, more digital aspects can be considered on social media platforms to reach a larger group of audience across demographics.
I am an ardent fan of Vietnamese contemporary artists and my personal art collection is largely from my trips to Hanoi. Nguyen Thanh Binh is one of my favorite artists and I am extremely lucky that his Mother & Child oil painting adorns a very special wall in my house in Singapore.
What’s your advice for Hanoi to promote the image to potential tourists?
To further entice and engage the global travel community, Hanoi should proactively participate in international tourism conferences and trade fairs to introduce the city. Furthermore, collaboration with Vietnam Airlines to broadcast films and videos such as about Hanoi and it’s heritage can be another way to promote the city during flights to prospect travelers.
