Henrik Pontoppidan, Director of S2U Design, talks about tapping into the hidden CGI and rendering resources of Vietnam – and how to hit the ground running for new launches.
So, you’re a retailer or wholesaler importing furniture from Vietnam… If you’re like most, then some — or all — of the thoughts below have probably crossed your mind. At S2U Design, tackling this type of challenge for clients is what we do every day:
“Arrrgh – updates from the manufacturer change every day. Can we, for once, get reliable information??!!”
Not likely by just sending emails from your office. You need someone here on the ground, ready to sit face-to-face with the factory boss when it matters.
“How can my competition sell so cheap? They’re also buying in Vietnam…”
Chances are you’re paying too much. The difference comes from being here, speaking to — and building rapport with — the boss in the factory.
“How can I plan anything if I can’t depend on lead times?!”
You can’t. But you can make them far more dependable by being in the factory and getting commitments directly from decision-makers – face to face.
These are some points I’ve touched on in previous Letters from Vietnam. But here’s one I haven’t yet covered — and it may well be a game changer:
The Marketing Head Start You Didn’t Know You Could Have
How can you have a perfect package of images for marketing your new launches months before production finishes — so you can hit the ground running the moment stock arrives?
For many importers, this sounds like an unrealistic fairy tale. But it isn’t — it’s entirely possible here in Vietnam. Oh, how I wish I had this resource when I imported to the UK at OAKEA Furniture!
Here’s what I’ve learned from living and working here for over 15 years: Vietnam is a quiet global marketing powerhouse. Household names like LEGO, Hyundai, and many major Western supermarket chains already have marketing presentations made here. Spend time in the expat community and you’ll meet marketing managers for big global agencies who have relocated to Vietnam.
Why? Because these companies have spotted exactly what I see every day: a well-educated, highly competent workforce in this sector — flexible, eager to learn, and working at far lower wages than Western counterparts. The result is a thriving scene of foreign-owned marketing companies, some employing hundreds of graphic designers, CGI specialists, and project managers, continually building Vietnam’s human resource base.
Rendering and CGI – Vietnam Style
This hidden resource isn’t just about brochures and ad campaigns. It includes top-notch rendering and CGI.
At S2U Design we work with carefully selected individuals – skilled whiz kids who are experts in groundbreaking CGI and AI applications, able to turn requests around at speed and follow briefs to a tee. And due to the marketing powerhouse Vietnam has become, the skills are here in abundance.
The days are over where you’d wait for production samples to arrive, then book an expensive photographer, arrange a studio, style the set, edit the shots — all while your new launch sits in your warehouse for months before you can start selling online.
You’ve basically got two ways to approach it:
- Find companies online from your home country — and pay too much for results that are slow, mediocre, or wrong because things get lost in translation.
- Work with someone on the ground who deals directly with CGI talent, briefs them properly, and checks every detail before you see the final files.
Option 2 is what we do at S2U Design. It’s the difference between “something to work with” and “ready-to-launch perfection” — delivered fast, accurate, and at surprisingly low cost.
Proof in Practice
Obviously, I can’t show you examples of imagery for designs already in production. But for this article, to demonstrate what you can get in one week in Vietnam for less than £150, I had images made last week. For £500, your own complete range could be ready to upload with detail shots from multiple angles, dimensions, and more.
The aim? Sell half your new launch before it lands. Imagine what that would do for cash flow.
Last month I wrote about designing our own range from scratch — with each component optimised for efficient production, lower cost, and better appearance than the competition. This month, I’m showing you an additional competitive advantage you can tap into: launch-ready imagery before your container even leaves the factory.
The Bonus You Might Like
I’ll be cheeky and tell you the FOB prices for the furniture in these demo images start at just $30 — with only beds and wardrobes priced over $100 — and yes, the range is up for grabs.
The same local talent pool that created those images can make your next launch stand out — whether it’s a single hero shot or a full room set for your e-commerce site.
Your Move
Whether it’s pricing, lead times, product development, or tapping into Vietnam’s creative talent pool for marketing, I’m here to help you get the results you want — faster, better, and for less than you might think.
henrik@s2udesign.com
www.s2udesign.com
