Red Bull Billboards Turn Heat into Light for Vietnamese Suburbs

Red Bull Vietnam's lead marketing solutions partner VMLY&R has revealed a project that has been making a difference in Saigon's (Ho Chi Minh City’s) suburbs. 'Giving Life to the Night' is a unique innovation, where 2,475 recycled Red Bull cans were turned into a new and renewable source of energy that converts thermal heat from the sun into electricity, creating a billboard that lights up during sundown — giving birth to community spaces that people can enjoy at night. The campaign is part of Red Bull’s ‘Charge Ahead into Your Dream’, which aims to empower individuals to fulfil their dreams.

Red Bull and global marketing agency VMLY&R began the campaign conceptualisation in 2018, using a blend of research and existing consumer insights to identify a challenge pertinent to local Vietnam communities – access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy. Despite being one of the region’s fastest growing economies today, Vietnam still faces infrastructure constraints, even in its top-tier cities.

“Our work with Red Bull has always focused on moving beyond advertising and solving deep-seated, everyday problems,” said Beer Poonnotok, chief creative officer at VMLY&R Indochina. “This campaign reflects who we are as an agency, and the passion our employees and clients share in being the voice of consumers. We’ve seen the positive social and environmental impact of this campaign and are committed to inspiring the next generation of youths to work and fight for their dreams.”

Set up in suburban areas about 40 minutes from Saigon’s city centre, the billboard officially launched on September 15th 2018, to provide Vietnamese youth with an additional 75-minutes of light each day. Stationed at poorly-lit street basketball courts, football fields and recreational parks, the billboard has provided an estimated 216.25 hours of renewable light since the beginning of the campaign, turning otherwise vacant areas into vibrant, attractive spaces for individuals to carry out their passions and dreams.