Unique Tet gifts thanks to technology.

Users choose "blind box" gifts of Nguyen Dynasty treasures in the "Imperial Capital Archaeological Chronicle" project - Photo: D. THIEN

Recently, many people have been using gifts equipped with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology chips, creating unique and surprising gifts for the recipient.

A special gift from a simple item.

On her recent birthday, Ha My (a 7th-grade student in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) received a very simple gift from her parents: a sticker to put on her favorite places. “I stuck it on my school bag.”

"When Mom touches the sticker on her phone, My can watch the birthday greeting video that Mom and Dad recorded especially for me. Every time I watch it, I feel so happy because it feels like Mom and Dad are always by my side. My friends also love it; everyone says this gift is both unique and cute," My shared.

Both the recipient and the giver are happy to see their gift appreciated. During the recent Mid-Autumn Festival, Ms. Thu Minh (a primary school teacher in Thu Duc City) decided to buy NFC stickers to give to her students. Each sticker retailed for less than 50,000 VND.

"Instead of the usual gifts, I embedded fairy tales that I recorded myself inside the stickers. Children can simply tap the sticker with their parents' phones to listen to the stories anytime. Seeing the children excitedly tap the sticker to listen makes me very happy," teacher Minh said enthusiastically.

Experiencing the NFC keychain he received from a friend, Trung Kien (an office worker in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) felt the gift was special. “Simply because it’s very convenient, it can store personal messages and easily share them with others. At first, I thought it was just a small gift, but after using it, I found it has its own value, and I can update the content anytime,” Kien said.

Enhance everything with NFC technology.

Beyond just gift-giving, many shop owners and businesses have tried to elevate their products and services by using the "delicious, nutritious, and affordable" NFC technology.

Mr. Hoang Tam (owner of a coffee shop in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) tried using NFC cards for his regular customers. "Many customers were delighted that they could receive information about the menu and new promotions from the shop just by touching their phones," Mr. Tam said.

Similarly, this year's Lunar New Year calendars from HPT Information Technology Company are significantly different, incorporating NFC chips. Mr. Le Hoang Nhut Nam, the company's director, said that many people were impressed and intrigued by the stories behind each picture in the HPT calendar.

Recently, the Hue Ancient Citadel Conservation Center launched the "Imperial Capital Archaeological Chronicle" project, featuring unique collectible toys that combine the cultural heritage of the ancient capital, the "blind box" art toy trend, and the Nomion identification technology solution with NFC chips in the field of digital physics.

These toys are hidden treasures, molded replicas of the four treasures of the ancient capital of Hue. The treasures are completely concealed in plaster boxes inside cardboard boxes, forming a blind box called the "Imperial Capital Archaeological Chronicle." Users will have to "mine" by breaking through the outer layer of plaster to unexpectedly receive one of the aforementioned treasures as a gift.

More specifically, each treasure is fitted with an NFC identification chip, allowing collectors to use smartphones (with NFC readers, similar to reading national ID cards) to scan and discover information about the treasure, such as its current condition, interesting and useful historical stories related to the artifact, project information, etc. Users can also collect or give them as interesting gifts in the form of "blind boxes," following the current trend.

These small, cute stickers are equipped with NFC chips; simply scan the gift with your smartphone to read the information hidden inside – Photo: NGOC ANH

Business development opportunities

Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, director of the Hue Ancient Citadel Relics Conservation Center, assessed the aforementioned project as a typical step in preserving, promoting, and strongly disseminating the thousand-year-old cultural and historical heritage values ​​of the nation. Viewers, students, and visitors can access historical stories and traditional cultural values ​​in a vivid and easily understandable way.

Start-up Phygital Labs, a partner of the Hue Ancient Citadel Conservation Center, is the provider of the Nomion identification technology solution used in the "Imperial Citadel Archaeological Chronicle" products.

This solution bridges the gap between physical products and digital spaces, using short-range wireless connectivity between devices to exchange data, thereby increasing interaction both in person and in the digital environment, creating a seamless, personalized experience.

Assessing the potential applications of NFC technology, Mr. Le Hoang Nhut Nam believes that the NFC market is currently still in its early stages of development. NFC possesses outstanding advantages such as higher authentication and security capabilities compared to QR codes.

The NFC tap chip experience is also more appealing because it's seamless, not requiring an intermediary application like QR codes or a dedicated reader like RFID. Furthermore, most newer phones now support NFC.

"NFC has enormous potential for expansion. I believe that in the future, NFC could become an effective alternative in some applications where QR codes or RFID are not yet fully adequate," Mr. Nam commented.

NFC gift trends

The NFC gift market in Vietnam is projected to experience strong growth from 2024-2027, offering significant opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to build innovative brands. Ms. Hoang Huong, Product Director of Phygital Labs, shared:

“We aspire to revolutionize the gift industry in Vietnam, combining technology and emotion to build sustainable relationships between brands and customers. Nomion solutions not only help businesses optimize costs and create unique customer experiences, transforming gifts into storytelling tools, but also give businesses prominence, affirming their creativity and pioneering spirit in the digital age.”