Limited-edition products, interactive campaigns ride World Cup wave in Vietnam

A common trend in the food and beverage industry this year is the introduction of exclusive products, limited packaging, and interactive activities aimed at extending customer engagement with brands, rather than focusing solely on short-term sales growth.

Nguyen Hoang Vinh, 34, said he is a devoted football fan. 

Although he is unable to watch matches live this season due to inconvenient broadcast times, he has still taken his family, including young children, to collect limited-edition World Cup-themed products.

“The tournament only lasts a few weeks, but if used effectively, the media impact and brand recall can last much longer than a typical discount campaign,” Vinh said.

For example, a fast-food chain has launched a FIFA World Cup 26 Meal featuring limited-edition cups inspired by football icons such as David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Son Heung-min, and Lamine Yamal, priced from VND179,000 (US$6.8) to attract more customers during the tournament period.

At a coffee shop on Bach Dang Wharf in Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend, many customers spent time taking photos with newly designed cups before enjoying their drinks.

During this period, the cups feature designs inspired by fans, flags, and cheering atmospheres, turning them into 'seasonal collectibles' rather than ordinary packaging.

The cup holders are also designed in the style of national team jerseys from World Cup participants such as Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and Brazil.

Scarcity has also been used as a key factor to create excitement and collectible value among consumers.

A drink is priced between VND55,000 ($2.1) and VND70,000 ($2.7), while promotional offers on e-commerce platforms can reduce the price to as low as VND30,000 ($1.1) per cup.

Meanwhile, another beverage chain is pursuing a real-time content strategy.

In the early days of the tournament, the brand continuously posted football trend-based content, using fan-style language, integrating product names, and engaging with online communities on social media.

Some content uses wordplay and mimics football commentary styles instead of directly promoting products.

According to YouNet Media, the opening day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 12 recorded 210,310 discussions on the SocialTrend platform, highlighting the strong public interest in the global sporting event.