Neo-MienTay Creative Week
Brand Identity + Strategy + Campaign
*/Miền Tây/*
Miền Tây is the informal name for the Mekong Delta in Southwest Vietnam. I used this name for the project with the goal of elevating it to a global identifier for the region’s distinct lifestyle and culture.
*/The Overarching Strategy/*
Neo-MienTay (Miền Tây Mới) is a speculative regional rebranding strategy designed to shift the Mekong Delta's image. The mission is to move away from the narrative of being vulnerable and "behind," toward a new spirit that is future-forward, dynamic for youth development, and pioneering in climate change adaptation. By rebranding the Delta as a hub for innovation, I aim to inspire a new generation of creators to return and build the region’s future.
*/The Creative Week/*
The Neo-MienTay Creative Week is an innovative expo designed as the launchpad for this long-term regional rebrand. Hosted in Can Tho City, the largest city in the Mekong Delta, the events are divided into three strategic chapters:
1. MỜI (Invite): Events focusing on culture and arts (exhibits, concerts, cultural workshops) to invite people to explore the region's vibrancy and break the idea of culture being frozen in the past.
2. MỞ (Open): Events focusing on technology and innovation (tech showcases, smart aquaculture, AI in farming) to show a new look at innovative solutions taking shape and the opportunities opening up for people in agriculture, bioengineering, and food science.
3. MỚI (New): Events focusing on collaboration (social dreaming, co-brainstorming) where people share, learn, and incubate new ideas that can drive innovation in the region.
This annual expo is designed to invite young people and investors to explore the region’s potential, encouraging them to return and contribute to making that future a reality.
Miền Tây is the informal name for the Mekong Delta in Southwest Vietnam. I used this name for the project with the goal of elevating it to a global identifier for the region’s distinct lifestyle and culture.
*/The Overarching Strategy/*
Neo-MienTay (Miền Tây Mới) is a speculative regional rebranding strategy designed to shift the Mekong Delta's image. The mission is to move away from the narrative of being vulnerable and "behind," toward a new spirit that is future-forward, dynamic for youth development, and pioneering in climate change adaptation. By rebranding the Delta as a hub for innovation, I aim to inspire a new generation of creators to return and build the region’s future.
*/The Creative Week/*
The Neo-MienTay Creative Week is an innovative expo designed as the launchpad for this long-term regional rebrand. Hosted in Can Tho City, the largest city in the Mekong Delta, the events are divided into three strategic chapters:
1. MỜI (Invite): Events focusing on culture and arts (exhibits, concerts, cultural workshops) to invite people to explore the region's vibrancy and break the idea of culture being frozen in the past.
2. MỞ (Open): Events focusing on technology and innovation (tech showcases, smart aquaculture, AI in farming) to show a new look at innovative solutions taking shape and the opportunities opening up for people in agriculture, bioengineering, and food science.
3. MỚI (New): Events focusing on collaboration (social dreaming, co-brainstorming) where people share, learn, and incubate new ideas that can drive innovation in the region.
This annual expo is designed to invite young people and investors to explore the region’s potential, encouraging them to return and contribute to making that future a reality.
MY HOMETOWN
I am proudly from Miền Tây. Growing up there helped shape who I am today. My family, friends, and all the food and things I love are still there. After four years of studying abroad, I felt a calling to look back and do something about my hometown's future.
I am proudly from Miền Tây. Growing up there helped shape who I am today. My family, friends, and all the food and things I love are still there. After four years of studying abroad, I felt a calling to look back and do something about my hometown's future.
Rejuvenating Miền Tây
This project began with an observation in my hometown: young people are leaving for better education and careers in Ho Chi Minh City, and many see the region as rural, old, and unattractive for building their future. My goal was to rebrand the image of the Mekong Delta as part of a long-term place-branding strategy called Neo-MienTay (Miền Tây Mới)
This strategy was the output of a Translational Design Research class, taken concurrently with my Senior Capstone. The research defined the problem, solution, and long-term strategy, which then informed the visual system for the launchpad expo, Neo-MienTay Creative Week.
This project began with an observation in my hometown: young people are leaving for better education and careers in Ho Chi Minh City, and many see the region as rural, old, and unattractive for building their future. My goal was to rebrand the image of the Mekong Delta as part of a long-term place-branding strategy called Neo-MienTay (Miền Tây Mới)
This strategy was the output of a Translational Design Research class, taken concurrently with my Senior Capstone. The research defined the problem, solution, and long-term strategy, which then informed the visual system for the launchpad expo, Neo-MienTay Creative Week.
(1)
I mapped out the initial understanding of the problem facing the Mekong Delta, followed by a research plan and project output goals to guide this massive place-branding project.
(2) I started with the most important point: defining the neo-spirit of the Mekong Delta. I sent out an online survey covering work/life, tourism/culture, and future-envisioning, gathering 54 responses (primarily from the 19-25 age range, 80% of whom had migrated from the region). The qualitative responses were sorted out for further analysis.
(3)
The full research analysis output is presented in a diagram. The center contains the current spirit value keywords from the survey, which form four current spirit values (innermost circle). These were developed into four corresponding neo spirit values. From these, I planned out four main development goals with sub-goals, used to imagine the speculative future scenarios in the outermost circle. The sides show problem-solution outputs from other survey questions and literature reviews covering culture, economy, and environment, which link back to the future scenario circle.
Read more about the diagram here
Read more about the diagram here
(4) The diagram helped me deeply understand the region, its current state, and the future direction it should head toward. Using this information, I mapped out the focus for the Neo-MienTay Creative Week and explored a visual system that would express this neo-spirit.
The Neo Style
My visual research led me to find that the old architecture in the Mekong Delta best reflects the region’s neo-spirit. It is timeless—a beautiful blend of traditional decoration and modern adoption. Patterns are a significant element, appearing on everything from doors and windows to tiles and clothing. I grew up with patterns appearing everywhere in Mien Tay life, but often viewed this vernacular style as sến (cheesy/old-fashioned) due to the influence of overused flat, minimalistic, Euro-centric aesthetics.
This project became my opportunity to challenge that perception. I decided to embrace the noisiness and rich patterns of Mien Tay life and elevate this vernacular style into a confident, intentional statement of the Mien Tay style.
This rationale is also why I use the name Neo-MienTay, not New MienTay. Neo signifies something revived or reborn from the past, now in a new shape and form (neo-spirit values) while the core remains (current spirit values), whereas New implies something that did not exist before.
My visual research led me to find that the old architecture in the Mekong Delta best reflects the region’s neo-spirit. It is timeless—a beautiful blend of traditional decoration and modern adoption. Patterns are a significant element, appearing on everything from doors and windows to tiles and clothing. I grew up with patterns appearing everywhere in Mien Tay life, but often viewed this vernacular style as sến (cheesy/old-fashioned) due to the influence of overused flat, minimalistic, Euro-centric aesthetics.
This project became my opportunity to challenge that perception. I decided to embrace the noisiness and rich patterns of Mien Tay life and elevate this vernacular style into a confident, intentional statement of the Mien Tay style.
This rationale is also why I use the name Neo-MienTay, not New MienTay. Neo signifies something revived or reborn from the past, now in a new shape and form (neo-spirit values) while the core remains (current spirit values), whereas New implies something that did not exist before.
Towards the Future
The main poster features the names of six provinces (Tây Ninh, Cần Thơ, Đồng Tháp, An Giang, Vĩnh Long, Cà Mau) on traditional flags (referenced from an ancient painting).
These are rendered in an energetic, dynamic movement toward one direction, symbolizing the revitalization of the past and the drive toward the future. The dynamic lockup at the bottom changes according to the content, holding the expo name, location, time, description, and information for the three chapters.
The main poster features the names of six provinces (Tây Ninh, Cần Thơ, Đồng Tháp, An Giang, Vĩnh Long, Cà Mau) on traditional flags (referenced from an ancient painting).
These are rendered in an energetic, dynamic movement toward one direction, symbolizing the revitalization of the past and the drive toward the future. The dynamic lockup at the bottom changes according to the content, holding the expo name, location, time, description, and information for the three chapters.
THE Gate
In the central host city of Can Tho, the gate is made of modular panels shaped like a boat moving forward. The boat is a significant icon of the Mekong Delta, symbolizing its iconic and complex riverine system. This reimagined boat shape and its modular structure can be applied to smaller installations for information and space activation across the city.
The graphics have a bold, exciting, and confident energy that extends beyond the canvas—a motif used throughout the system.
In the central host city of Can Tho, the gate is made of modular panels shaped like a boat moving forward. The boat is a significant icon of the Mekong Delta, symbolizing its iconic and complex riverine system. This reimagined boat shape and its modular structure can be applied to smaller installations for information and space activation across the city.
The graphics have a bold, exciting, and confident energy that extends beyond the canvas—a motif used throughout the system.
Dynamic Panel System
Embracing the chaotic daily scenes of the Mekong Delta, the reception wall resembles a colorful market but with a youthful twist. It balances fun elements (a tote bag area, mirror for check-in photos, clear glass board for stickers) with informative pieces (main poster, brochure station). The structure can change based on functional needs and location.
Embracing the chaotic daily scenes of the Mekong Delta, the reception wall resembles a colorful market but with a youthful twist. It balances fun elements (a tote bag area, mirror for check-in photos, clear glass board for stickers) with informative pieces (main poster, brochure station). The structure can change based on functional needs and location.
Social media templates
Since the expo involves multiple concurrent events and complicated information management, especially for social media, I created standardized templates to allow designers to quickly create update posts:
(1) Text information with interchangeable frames.
(2) Photo frame with custom background.
(3) Event information with a flexible info tab at the bottom.
Since the expo involves multiple concurrent events and complicated information management, especially for social media, I created standardized templates to allow designers to quickly create update posts:
(1) Text information with interchangeable frames.
(2) Photo frame with custom background.
(3) Event information with a flexible info tab at the bottom.
Reflection
Researching and designing for my hometown from afar over ten weeks and two classes was a profoundly interesting experience. Though I wasn't there physically, the research—through YouTube videos, TikTok clips, articles, reports, survey responses from friends, and conversations with family—brought me back. It gave me a new perspective on things I might have ignored if I lived there.
I was especially glad to hear from friends who said the project reminded them of the potential Mien Tay holds and inspired them to consider returning to grow their future there.
Researching and designing for my hometown from afar over ten weeks and two classes was a profoundly interesting experience. Though I wasn't there physically, the research—through YouTube videos, TikTok clips, articles, reports, survey responses from friends, and conversations with family—brought me back. It gave me a new perspective on things I might have ignored if I lived there.
I was especially glad to hear from friends who said the project reminded them of the potential Mien Tay holds and inspired them to consider returning to grow their future there.
SELECTED WORK