In the Social-First era, social media is no longer just another communication channel – it has become the infrastructure for modern marketing, a new kind of operating system for brands. As a result, social platforms reflect how brands engage with audiences through real-time conversations, transforming social data into strategic and commercial advantages.

This shift has made building a successful campaign more challenging than ever. A creative idea alone is no longer enough. Today's campaigns must be rooted in sharp social insights, designed to spark community participation, influence behaviour, and deliver measurable business outcomes.

This is also the spirit of Crafted With Intent—the philosophy embraced by Bowmore, the Spirit Fellow of the BSI Awards. Every enduring value is the result of deliberate choices, meticulously refined at every stage to unlock layers of infinite flavour. 

Guided by the same philosophy, every campaign at the BSI Awards undergoes a rigorous evaluation by a panel of leading marketing experts, complemented by independent data and measurement from Buzzmetrics. Each award recognises strategies that are not only creatively outstanding but also proven to generate tangible impact across both social platforms and business performance.

Join us as we revisit the seven most outstanding campaigns across seven award categories – each representing a unique perspective on Social Media Marketing, from social impact, AI, Social Commerce, Events, and Influencer Marketing to innovative approaches that redefine how brands connect with communities.

THE BEST ADVOCACY & INFLUENCER STRATEGY

VINAMILK OPTIMUM - Nhà Nào Cũng Có Mẹ

Some campaigns build influence through celebrities. Others create lasting influence by giving a voice to the community itself.

With "Every Home Has a Mother," Vinamilk Optimum was built on a simple yet deeply relatable truth: not every mother can exclusively breastfeed her child, but that does not make her any less of a mother.

Rather than relying on celebrities to drive the conversation, the campaign put real mothers at its heart—single mothers, mothers of twins, and women caring for multiple generations within their families. Each authentic story became an expression of empathy, gradually fostering a community where understanding took precedence over judgement.

At the centre of the campaign was the "Support Cabinet" (Chiếc Tủ Hậu Phương), a unifying symbol that connected both online and offline activations while representing the quiet, unwavering support behind every mother's journey.

The campaign generated more than 350,000 social conversations and secured the top spot on the BSI Top 10 Campaigns ranking for October 2025.

At a time when influencer strategies are evolving beyond borrowing influence from public figures to cultivating influence from within communities, "Every Home Has a Mother" demonstrated that the most authentic voices are ultimately the ones with the greatest and most enduring impact.

THE BEST AI-POWERED SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

MANULIFE (VIETNAM) LIMITED - CHOOSE GREEN CHOOSE BETTER - FOR A TRULY HEALTHIER VIETNAM 

Protecting our health is essential—but how do you encourage people to take better care of themselves without sounding overly prescriptive or preachy? Sometimes, a gentle reminder is all it takes to inspire meaningful action.

That is exactly what Manulife achieved with "CHOOSE GREEN CHOOSE BETTER". The campaign transformed health reminders into personalized AI-generated songs. Through just a few simple steps on the Green Radio by Manulife platform, anyone could create a custom song carrying a heartfelt health message for someone they care about.

In this campaign, AI was more than a content-generation tool—it became a catalyst for creativity, sharing, and participation. Health reminders that are often difficult to express were turned into catchy, memorable melodies that were easy to sing, share, and spread across social media.

The technology also redefined the role of audiences, transforming them from passive recipients into active co-creators. The campaign inspired thousands of user-generated songs while achieving an overwhelmingly positive sentiment across online conversations. In doing so, Manulife helped make proactive healthcare a more relatable and everyday conversation.

By using AI not only to generate content but also to generate participation, "Choose Green for Better Health" demonstrated that technology delivers its greatest value when it enables people to connect in more natural and meaningful ways.

THE BEST INNOVATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

P/S VIETNAM -P/S Tet Add One Smile - Minus A Thousand Miles 

Innovation does not always mean telling an entirely new story. Sometimes, it means telling a familiar story through new formats and experiences.

With "P/S Tet Add One Smile - Minus A Thousand Miles", P/S began with a uniquely Vietnamese insight: the generational gaps that often become most apparent during Tết reunions. Rather than relying on a single emotional narrative, the campaign orchestrated a series of social experiences, with each platform playing a distinct role in bringing generations closer together.

Facebook became a "Smile Hotline", encouraging conversations between family members. A musical collaboration between Mono and veteran artist Bạch Tuyết bridged modern V-pop and traditional cải lương before extending naturally onto TikTok through content featuring young people alongside their parents and grandparents. Meanwhile, a Google Gemini AI-powered microsite invited users to explore Tết through the perspectives of different generations, turning technology into a catalyst for empathy and deeper family connections.

Each activation was compelling on its own. Together, they formed an integrated ecosystem where every touchpoint reinforced the same shared experience: helping generations understand one another a little better—and smile together a little more.

THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

BOSCH - Rule Like A Bosch

With "Rule Like a Bosch," Bosch stepped beyond its familiar image as an engineering-led home appliance brand to join a conversation that felt deeply personal: the pride of caring for a home in your own way.

Building on its global "Like a Bosch" platform, the campaign was thoughtfully localized for Vietnamese audiences. Cooking, cleaning, and caring for the family were no longer framed as household responsibilities but as expressions of personal lifestyle and the standards people set for themselves.

By partnering with the right creators, developing a multi-platform content ecosystem, and maintaining a consistent creative identity across every touchpoint, Bosch transformed a brand message into a cultural conversation. "Rule Like a Bosch" not only achieved widespread reach but also inspired other brands to rethink their own social communication – from visual storytelling to tone of voice.

When a campaign is not only seen but embraced, repeated, and echoed by the community – ultimately influencing how brands communicate on social media – it demonstrates that the true value of social media extends far beyond awareness.

THE BEST EVENT WITH SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

RED BULL VIETNAM - Bản Lĩnh Tới Cùng - Húc Tới Đi

With "Húc Tới Đi", Red Bull did more than organize the Húc Tour and Húc Fest. It created a journey where every touchpoint was intentionally designed to encourage community participation. From the "Ghế Bản Lĩnh", inspired by a memorable quote from Sơn Tùng M-TP, to social media challenges and a live stage celebrating people who dared to step outside their comfort zones, the campaign continuously invited young people to become part of the story rather than simply watch it unfold.

The campaign reached its peak at Húc Fest, where Sơn Tùng M-TP's exclusive performance and reflections on his 10-year artistic journey quickly transcended the event itself, becoming widely shared moments across social media. As fans continued to post, discuss, and inspire one another, "Charge Ahead" evolved beyond a Red Bull campaign into a mindset embraced and amplified by the community.

Its impact was reflected in impressive results. The Húc Tour – Húc Fest series ranked No. 2 on the BSI Top 10 Events chart for September 2025, while Red Bull's "Go All In. Charge Ahead." campaign also secured No. 2 on the BSI Top 10 Campaigns ranking for the same month.

In today's marketing landscape, a successful event is no longer defined solely by what happens on-site. Its true success lies in how social media transforms live experiences into stories that communities continue to tell, share, and build upon long after the event has ended.

THE BEST SOCIAL & COMMERCE INTEGRATION

JOLLIBEE VIETNAM - Jollibee Xmas Reindeer

Social media starts conversations. Commerce turns those conversations into action.

With "Jollibee Xmas Reindeer", Jollibee seamlessly brought these two forces together. What began as a limited-edition gift with purchase evolved into a symbol of the holiday season - a plush reindeer that represented warmth, thoughtfulness, and the joy of giving, rather than simply another promotional giveaway.

Instead of relying on direct sales messages, the campaign sparked engagement through three waves of content. Authentic stories shared by store employees created a sense of familiarity and trust. Gen Z communities then amplified the campaign by personalizing their reindeer plushies and sharing them online. Finally, a batch of reindeer with unexpected "manufacturing imperfections" organically became highly sought-after internet memes, generating a powerful sense of FOMO without a single hard-sell tactic.

Every social share fuelled greater demand. Every online conversation brought more customers into stores. Rather than operating separately, social media and commerce continuously reinforced one another, creating a natural flywheel of engagement and conversion.

Within just 15 days, the entire limited-edition reindeer collection sold out across Jollibee's nationwide store network. The campaign generated 320 million views and 138,000 online conversations, with more than 70% earned media, while delivering a 250% marketing ROI and claiming the No. 1 position on the BSI Top 10 Campaigns ranking for December 2025.

THE BEST SOCIETAL IMPACT CAMPAIGN

OMO - Gieo Triệu Mầm Xanh, Phủ Vạn Cánh Rừng

A purpose-driven campaign does more than inspire—it empowers people to believe that even the smallest action can contribute to meaningful change.

With "OMO - Gieo Triệu Mầm Xanh, Phủ Vạn Cánh Rừng", OMO built on a belief deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture during Tết: that planting seeds of goodness today helps create a brighter tomorrow. Rather than simply raising awareness about environmental protection, the brand transformed social media into a platform where millions of individual actions came together as a collective movement.

From seed-ball-making activities at supermarkets and shopping malls to immersive experiences at Núi Chúa National Park, and a large-scale music festival that brought the spirit of the forest into the heart of the city, every offline activation was amplified online through KOLs, content creators, and the community itself.

The campaign ranked No. 5 on the BSI Top 10 Campaigns chart for February 2026, generating 406,900 online conversations and achieving 214% of its target KPI, with 94,700 unique participants contributing to the discussion. It also recorded a perfect sentiment score of 1.0, with 72.9% positive conversations and 63% brand mentions, demonstrating how conversations about environmental sustainability remained strongly associated with the OMO brand.

Ultimately, the campaign showed that the greatest impact of purpose-driven marketing comes not from asking people to care, but from giving them meaningful ways to participate—and making every contribution feel like part of something much bigger.