The Fading Glow of Tet Trung Thu
Tet Trung Thu, or the mid-Autumn festival, has been a cornerstone of Vietnamese culture for over four centuries. Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar calendar, it’s a time when the moon shines its brightest, crops are bountifully harvested, and families reunite in gratitude. Historically, this festival allowed parents to reconnect with their children post-harvest, lighting lanterns and sharing a Kinh Do mooncake. However, as Vietnam modernizes, the essence of Tet Trung Thu is waning, with many prioritizing work over this age-old tradition, especially since it isn’t recognized as a national holiday.
Mondelez Kinh Do’s Pioneering Step
Mondelez Kinh Do, in its 25th year of crafting Kinh Do mooncakes, has taken a bold step to rekindle the spirit of Tet Trung Thu. A recent national survey by the company revealed a staggering 92% of Vietnamese yearn for a day off to celebrate this festival. Responding to this collective sentiment, Mondelez Kinh Do granted 3,000 of its employees a day off on 29th September to immerse in the festivities.
‘One Day of Togetherness’ Campaign
In collaboration with Publicis Groupe Vietnam, Mondelez Kinh Do launched a heartwarming campaign, delivering 25th-anniversary mooncake boxes with personal letters to top Vietnamese companies. The message? An invitation to join hands in granting employees a ‘One Day of Togetherness’. The response has been overwhelming, with 13 leading companies already pledging their support.
Moreover, a staggering 300,000 Vietnamese have voiced their desire on the Kinh Do platform, petitioning for Tet Trung Thu to be declared a national holiday. This comes against the backdrop of Vietnam having the least public holidays in Southeast Asia.
“We discovered that deep inside the hearts of every Vietnamese person is the wish to have a whole day to celebrate the mid-Autumn Festival with loved ones. To keep this festival alive, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kinh Do Mooncakes, we gave all our employees in Vietnam the day off – and we hope other organisations in Vietnam will follow suit. Happy Trung Thu!” shares Anil Viswanathan, Managing Director at Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam.
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Publicis Groupe Vietnam Joins the Movement
Publicis Groupe, too, has embraced this initiative, declaring Tet Trung Thu a holiday. “This initiative is truly meaningful to the preservation of Vietnamese culture and to the wellbeing of our people. Last Friday, we were out-of-office and away from keyboard, lighting lanterns and enjoying Kinh Do mooncakes with the people we love. Together with Mondelez Kinh Do, we are proud to be part of a movement to keep Vietnam’s mid-Autumn festival alive,” expresses Kate Bayona-Garcia, CEO at Publicis Groupe Vietnam.
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