Hanoi and Tokyo :  JCB International Co., Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., officially held a launch event for its new branding strategy in the Vietnam market. In the new strategy, the popular Japanese robot cat Doraemon will be JCB’s new brand image character, enhancing brand awareness with advertising and promotions.

JCBI is working actively to strengthen and expand payment brand business in Vietnam. JCBI entered into the market in acquiring business in 1991 in cooperation with Vietcombank, and now has partnerships with 10 major acquiring banks with more than 100,000 merchants. JCBI also started card issuing business with VietinBank in October 2011. Now over 250,000 JCB cards have been issued in Vietnam by 6 major banks. As Vietnam is undergoing rapid economic development and its payment industry is fast-growing, JCBI has been running a series of big-offer promotions to encourage more consumers to apply for a credit / debit card and use it in daily life.

JCBI created the new branding strategy to enhance brand awareness in Vietnam for further growth. In JCB’s new branding strategy, JCB decided to nominate Doraemon as the new JCB brand image character in Vietnam. Kimihisa Imada, Deputy President of JCBI stated, “Doraemon is a famous robot cat who comes from the future which is also a symbolic character represents Japanese animation. It is well-known and loved by Vietnamese regardless of age or gender. Doraemon will match the image that JCB wants to tell customer, which is future-minded, positive-minded, trustworthy, convenient, and coming from Japan. We believe with this popular character, Vietnamese consumer will be more familiar with JCB brand and it will greatly enhance JCB’s brand awareness. JCB wants to bring a smart and prosperous lifestyle to the Vietnam market by JCB cards which providing convenient payment style and many profits.”

The new branding strategy also features Vietnam promotional message: “Future in your hand”. JCB wants to help the customer to have a smart and bountiful life with a JCB card in their hands. JCB will use Doraemon as the brand image character for promotion and brand advertisement in Vietnam until October 1 2017.

JCB branding plan with Doraemon

1. Doraemon short movie advertisement on internet and OOH

To advertise JCB brand with short commercial movies using Doraemon on popular Vietnam websites and OOH (out-of-home) in shopping mall and office building in the big cities of Vietnam.

2. Promotions for cardmembers featuring Doraemon

To conduct several promotions with Doraemon. One of the promotions is a tie-up with a shopping mall in October. JCB cardmembers will have chance to win limited Doraemon goods when they use their JCB card.

3. Advertisement materials featuring Doraemon

To expose Doraemon – JCB stickers at merchants which showing customers that the JCB card is accepted. You can see stickers, welcome boards, JCB logo stands, name card cases and bill holders at JCB merchants featuring the cute Doraemon.

JCB Vietnam Business Expansion