Promoting traditional craft village products on TikTok, an impossible mission?

Confidently taking on the new challenge.

In episode 6 of the program "Key Profession," actor Hung Thuan was tasked with promoting the image of traditional craft villages and assisting producers in updating online sales trends on TikTok Shop. Upon receiving the assignment, actor Hung Thuan confidently stated: "This is a job I do every day with my colleagues. It's done!"

Immediately, Hung Thuan assembled the perfect team consisting of himself, Le Anh Nuoi (@le_anh_nuoi), Doctor Cung (@bacsicungungbuou), Miss Le Hoang Phuong (@hoangphuongofficial), and Runner-up Hoang Nhung (@ahauhoangnhung) - each from a different field but all choosing to try their hand at and decide to pursue livestreaming long-term. The group split into two teams, each heading in a different direction to inquire about the home of lantern artisan Nguyen Trong Binh and his workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.

"Key Profession Team": Miss Le Hoang Phuong, Doctor Cung, Le Anh Nuoi, ​​Runner-up Hoang Nhung, Hung Thuan.

Mr. Binh's family has a tradition of making lanterns spanning three generations, with over 50 years of experience. In 1990, the market offered many new and more attractive toys for children. Therefore, for a time, he switched to another job to make a living. Later, Mr. Binh got married, and his mother fell ill, so with more time at home, he returned to the craft. Around the same time, Mr. Binh met cultural researcher Trinh Bach, and the two decided to collaborate on restoring old lantern designs and creating new ones.

Currently, Mr. Binh's lantern workshop has 8 family members continuing the family tradition. Along with the artisans, the workshop produces about 100-200 simple lanterns each day. For more elaborate and sophisticated lanterns, the production time can extend to 10 days, or even 2 weeks, because everything is done by hand.

According to artisan Nguyen Trong Binh, traditional lanterns using candles always evoke emotions and reflect an enduring cultural beauty of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, traditional lanterns are always a popular item among children and those interested in cultural and artistic values. However, to create a traditional lantern, the craftsman must go through many steps: from selecting, drying, and splitting bamboo to assembling the frame, then painting, drawing patterns, adding embellishments, and creating whimsical shapes.

Lantern artist Nguyen Trong Binh.

Furthermore, Mr. Binh revealed that many of his products have been shipped to numerous provinces and cities throughout the country as well as abroad. “In recent years, many schools with international students have ordered beautiful lanterns to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival there. Secondly, many businesses from overseas have come here to order decorative items. Some countries I can mention include Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.,” Mr. Binh explained.

Artisan Nguyen Trong Binh proudly stated: "To this day, I am very proud that my handcrafted lanterns have reached the world ."

After listening to artisan Nguyen Trong Binh share about the craft of lantern making, Miss Le Hoang Phuong was very enthusiastic and expressed her admiration for the artisan: "To be able to keep the flame alive until now requires love, understanding, and more than just material value, to have the courage to preserve this craft."

The first livestream session is dedicated to handcrafted products.

During the learning process, artisan Nguyen Trong Binh guided the group in trying their hand at making lanterns. Unexpectedly, actor Hung Thuan accidentally damaged a lantern, expressing regret and concern for the craftsman's hard work. Immediately afterwards, Mr. Binh quickly reassured him and guided the group on how to fix it. These practical experiences opened up new perspectives for both the creators and the audience, allowing everyone to better understand the meticulousness, attention to detail, and dedication of the artisans in creating traditional handcrafted products.

During a discussion with artisan Nguyen Trong Binh about the potential of bringing handcrafted products like lanterns into the online market instead of just selling them in traditional markets, actor Hung Thuan suggested ways to make the lanterns more interesting for consumers, such as producing product components for children to assemble themselves.

However, when the group met to discuss the assignment given by the organizers, Hung Thuan pondered: Is it feasible to sell artisan Nguyen Trong Binh's products online via livestream?

Le Anh Nuoi believes there are many difficulties. Firstly, artisan Binh is new to the TikTok Shop platform. Secondly, the lanterns are made of bamboo, tied together with steel rods, making them bulky and prone to dents and damage during transportation. Besides, because the lanterns are handcrafted, it takes time to repair and return them to customers. "Selling a product with only a small profit but having to compensate for damages makes it very easy to lose money," Le Anh Nuoi explained.

The challenge of bringing lanterns to livestreaming remains unsolved.

Dr. Cung also objected, saying that it's not just about the product; artisans also have to learn to adapt to digital technology , understand the platform, and the policies for livestreaming... "From the perspective of an older person, that's truly impossible."

Actor Hung Thuan also said that this product is "extremely difficult to sell"!

Many challenging problems are posed right at the end of episode 6. What surprises will actors Hung Thuan, Doctor Cung, Le Anh Nuoi, ​​Miss Hoang Phuong, and Runner-up Hoang Nhung encounter as they bring traditional products to TikTok Shop? The answers will gradually be revealed in episode 7 of "The Key Profession".

Watch the next episodes of the TV show "Key Profession" at 8:00 PM every Saturday on VTC3, simultaneously broadcast at 9:30 PM on the official TikTok Vietnam YouTube channel and the TikTok @tiktokshoplive.vn channel.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/nghe-chu-chot-quang-ba-san-pham-lang-nghe-truyen-thong-บน-tiktok-nhiem-vu-bat-kha-thi-346292.html