The Better Choice Awards: Nurturing the Green Revolution for a Smarter, Healthier Vietnam.

In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer behavior, simply “selling a product” no longer equates to “getting it right.” Today’s Vietnamese consumers prioritize the overall experience, long-term value, environmental responsibility, and harmony with indigenous lifestyles. In response, many technology brands are reevaluating their offerings, asking themselves: “Are our products truly aligned with the needs and preferences of Vietnamese consumers?”

Better Choice Awards 2025 aims to address this very question. Going beyond a mere awards ceremony, it serves as a ranking platform for smart devices and platforms, with the ultimate goal of becoming a new reference system. By promoting greener, smarter, and more localized products, the awards aim to catalyze a market shift towards sustainability and cultural relevance.

Catalyzing New Consumption Trends: Green, Smart, and Aligned

Now in its third year, Better Choice Awards is doing more than just recognizing excellence. It is decoding new consumer behaviors and providing insights for brands striving to connect with Vietnamese users.

The awards go beyond superficial greenwashing. Across various categories, including “Outstanding Energy-Efficient Device,” “Electric Service Vehicle,” and “Green Technology Solution,” environmental considerations are evaluated based on practical data: consumption levels, production processes, repairability, and product lifespans. Better Choice Awards encourages brands not just to meet standards but to fundamentally restructure their products for sustainability, as Vietnamese consumers are increasingly scrutinizing and demanding more.

When it comes to smart technology, the awards don’t promote AI integration as a mere trend but emphasize practical user understanding. Personal devices, automobiles, and platform solutions are assessed based on their ability to deliver tangible value, including intuitive interfaces, behavior learning, and personalization. A product doesn’t need to be the most powerful to win; user-friendliness, ease of repair, and accessibility for the masses are equally important.

The concept of “alignment” is at the core of Better Choice Awards. This often-overlooked aspect has been overshadowed by the race for higher specifications, newer technology, and flashier marketing. By categorizing awards based on specific user groups (such as tech-savvy Gen Zers, families on a budget, new female drivers, ride-sharing drivers, and creatives), the awards highlight that each user group requires unique solutions. Victory lies not in trying to be all things to all people but in providing the right answers to the right people.

An Ecosystem that Shapes the Market

What sets Better Choice Awards apart is its active engagement with the consumer journey, becoming an integral part of product development, brand building, and shifting societal perceptions.

Through a rigorous two-round evaluation process involving expert panels and community voting, along with detailed criteria tailored to each product group, Better Choice Awards has established a data-rich feedback platform with significant influence. With the participation of over 40 industry experts, reviewers, and KOLs in the fields of automotive, technology, and consumer finance, as well as a community of hundreds of thousands of voters, shortlisted brands are compelled to reassess their products through the lens of local consumers.

In practice, many brands have adjusted their marketing campaigns or product offerings based on feedback from the Better Choice Awards ecosystem. Certain car models now have special editions tailored for the Vietnamese market, and some wearable devices have been modified to be more user-friendly for seniors or first-time users. By setting new selection criteria, Better Choice Awards is inadvertently becoming a partner in the R&D processes of major brands.

Beyond scoring and awarding, Better Choice Awards has successfully conveyed a powerful message to the market: choices that are “just enough” and environmentally responsible are the smartest choices. This message also serves as a clear directive to brands: “To win, you don’t need to be the most prominent globally; you need to be the most relevant to Vietnamese consumers.”

As the market evolves and consumers become more discerning, Better Choice Awards is no longer just a tech industry event. It is evolving into a benchmark for a new consumer society. This “Make in Vietnam” award, organized by Vietnamese, judged by Vietnamese, and chosen by Vietnamese, is reshaping brand product thinking: not just about technological prowess, but about being green, smart, and aligned with Vietnam.