KOL/KOC - The dark side of halo and legal gap - Part 2: Don't "betray" the public

The rise of KOLs (Knowledgeable Persons of Influence) and KOCs (Knowable Consumers) in Vietnam is not a temporary phenomenon but an inevitable consequence of the trend of digital transformation and rapid technological development. In that digital flow, when the market is having many “bad apples spoiling the barrel”, more than ever, the public still wants to place their trust in the right place, at the right time and… not be betrayed.

Positive images posted on the page of Travel Blogger - KOL Khoai Lang Thang. Photo: FBNV

The perfect pedestal

The explosion of short videos , livestreaming, and e-commerce has created opportunities for KOLs/KOCs to expand their influence at a rate far exceeding that of traditional media channels. According to YouNet Media (a company specializing in social media and e-commerce data analysis), in 2022, there were more than 150,000 KOLs/KOCs active in Vietnam. This number increased to 200,000 in 2024 and could actually reach 300,000 if affiliate marketers are included.

According to statistics on the digital landscape in Vietnam published by Datarepportal (an international online platform specializing in providing reports and statistical data on digital behavior, internet users, etc.), by early 2025, Vietnam had 127 million mobile connections, accounting for 126% of the population. Of which, there were 79.8 million internet users (accounting for 78.8% of the population). The number of social network accounts was 76.2 million (accounting for 75.2% of the population).

“Social networks and digital platforms have created a breakthrough development, bringing many people from zero to hero, becoming influential faces in the community,” said Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh, CEO of TikTok Vietnam.

Currently, the KOL/KOC market in Vietnam is divided into three main groups. The group of famous people, including singers, actors, beauty queens... - has high recognition, strong appeal, meaning high advertising costs, which can be up to billions of VND. Next is the group of people with 100,000 to 1 million followers/day, this is the group that is sought after by big brands today. Finally, the group with moderate followers (from 1,000 to 100,000), this is the group that is considered to have high community engagement, suitable for small retail customers, so it also attracts many brands to invite advertising.

Data from Marketresearch (a market research company headquartered in the US) also shows that in 2024, digital advertising spending in Vietnam will reach billions of dollars. In particular, the marketing budget through influencers (influencer marketing - IM) is increasing, especially in the fashion , cosmetics, and consumer goods industries. Marketresearch believes that in the next 5 years, the IM market in Vietnam is expected to grow strongly thanks to the digital transformation process, e-commerce associated with KOL/KOC and the rise of TikTok and video-centric platforms. In particular, the IM group with 10,000-50,000 followers is the most popular thanks to its high interaction rate, low cost, suitable for brands targeting niche segments.

“I think there are many digital content creators who have positive content, create influence, and spread real values ​​to the community. Each person has a different color, finding sympathy with the public. For me, each trip to the world is an experience, gaining many new lessons, broadening my perspective, looking at life positively and having many stories to tell everyone. Regarding the direction of content creation in the future, I will continue to travel to new lands to explore. I want to create more in-depth content about Vietnam to spread to international friends. The biggest challenge is how to maintain my authenticity and identity in a digital environment full of glitz”, Travel Blogger - KOL Khoai Lang Thang, shared.

Multiply “clean” content

Having started her content creation career by “making fun things on social networks”, MC Khanh Vy has gradually shifted to stories with positive messages and the ability to inspire. “If you only create content to receive advertising, you can make money, but this source of income is not sustainable, so I always think that I have to create values ​​that are truly useful to others. That is also the reason why I started making videos on foreign language learning, talking to experts and inspirational people to spread good things”, MC Khanh Vy shared.

According to Ms. Ngo Thi Bich Hanh, Vice President of BHD Company, the content promoting the national brand image can come from very small things: a bowl of pho, a sandwich... "If each person, each content creator makes small stories in their own way, it is also a way to contribute to building the national brand. Many times, those small things spread very strongly", Ms. Ngo Thi Bich Hanh said. This is true for KOLs/KOCs in many fields, even recently emerging, such as the case of sports athletes.

In addition to contributing to the country's sports through tournaments, many of them, such as former swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, Muay Thai fighter Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, Taekwondo fighter Chau Tuyet Van, football player Nguyen Tien Linh... have been spreading good values ​​to the community, inspiring kindness, efforts to overcome oneself and the social responsibility of a sports player who is always devoted to the flag and colors of the Fatherland.

Leaving the top competition, Nguyen Thi Anh Vien has actively turned to social, charity and community activities and received endless compliments for "working meaningfully, quietly, simply and showing the class of a celebrity". Recently, the video series "Swimming is easy, Vien shows you" has received a lot of attention. There, "teacher" Anh Vien always appears with a bright smile, giving enthusiastic, easy-to-understand and cheerful instructions in each short video to help viewers get acquainted with swimming from basic to advanced steps.

The posts are all invested with neat content, beautiful images, and unique colors, elements that brands today are especially looking for. In addition, she also accompanies and acts as an ambassador for the National Water Festival, Swimming Instructions for Children... in many provinces and cities. "After completing the journey of a top athlete, I have entered a new chapter in my life with many aspirations of living a more meaningful life. Through my own image, I can spread my passion for swimming to everyone, thereby contributing to reducing drowning accidents," Anh Vien expressed.

That is also the way of athlete Chau Tuyet Van, who is famous not only for her "golden list" of achievements, but also highly appreciated for her "clean" image, diligence in training, and discipline in work. "I am very happy that my image is trusted and chosen by brands. That also means that the image of Vietnamese taekwondo in particular, and Vietnamese sports in general, is spread everywhere. The message I always want to convey is that success comes from active training, in martial arts as well as in studying or any profession", athlete Chau Tuyet Van said.

According to experts, the position of KOL/KOC is formed on three axes: trust, authenticity and conversion. They are a direct bridge to the brand - community and can quickly and vividly amplify the message of Vietnamese culture, tourism or cuisine; thereby contributing positively to the promotion of local products and national image if professionally oriented. In fact, there have been many people who have brought inspirational stories and made positive contributions.

For example, within the framework of the Vietnamese Agricultural Pride Week (from August 28 to September 5), many famous content creators went live in megalive sessions selling agricultural products and OCOP products on TikTok Shop, the results were assessed as very positive. For example, the broadcast sessions of Queen Farm and Hai Thuan sold more than 1 ton of dragon fruit; Lang Chai Xua and Tin fish sauce sold nearly 1,000 products. In total, the program attracted nearly 2 million views, including more than 210,000 live views, opening up a new potential consumption channel for local agricultural products.

“In the context of the country making important and strategic changes, KOL/KOC are also one of the resources accompanying the Party, State and people in building a digital economy, digital culture, and digital society with rich and sustainable identity. The Party and State always pay special attention, issuing many policies and guidelines to create a healthy development environment for KOL/KOC, where the values ​​of truth - goodness - beauty are spread more strongly than ever,” said Major General Le Xuan Minh, Director of the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention (A05 - Ministry of Public Security).

MAI AN - NGUYEN ANH - TIEU TAN - VAN TUAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/kolkoc-mat-trai-cua-hao-quang-va-khoang-trong-phap-ly-bai-2-dung-boi-tin-voi-cong-chung-post813019.html