Building a Legacy with the 'Xà Bông Cô Ba' Brand

Recognizing a Market Gap

Noticing the lack of quality local soap products, businessman Trương Văn Bền, with his sharp business acumen, entered the soap manufacturing industry.

Xà Bông Cô Ba was first produced in a small workshop using semi-industrial methods. To secure raw materials, Trương Văn Bền established a cooperative with coconut plantation owners in Bến Tre and Mỹ Tho.

A Once-Dominant Brand: Xà Bông Cô Ba Outshines Imported Soaps

At that time, the Vietnamese soap market was dominated by imported French Marseille soaps. Local soap production was minimal, mainly consisting of small-scale manufacturers who produced low-quality soap with an unpleasant odor, used primarily for washing hands or laundry. Few dared to venture into the production of fragrant bath soap.

Recognizing this market gap, Trương Văn Bền established his soap company on Cambodge Street. His business, Trương Văn Bền & Sons - Vietnamese Oil & Soap Company (Truong Van Ben & fils - Huilerie et Savonnerie Vietnam), quickly became the largest oil and soap producer in Indochina. By 1943, despite the difficulties of World War II, the company was producing 1,500 tons of coconut oil, 600 tons of soap, and 10 tons of glycerine per year.

Offering international-quality soap at an affordable price, Trương Văn Bền’s brand successfully overtook imported soap and dominated the Indochinese market, exporting products to Hong Kong, Africa, and the Pacific Islands.

The Revolutionary Advertising Strategy

While the soap’s fragrance was a key factor in its success, Trương Văn Bền’s innovative marketing strategies played a crucial role in establishing Xà Bông Cô Ba as the leading brand. At a time when advertising was not common in Vietnam, he pioneered bold marketing techniques that remain valuable lessons today.

One of his key strategies was promoting Vietnamese-made products. His advertisements prominently featured slogans like "Vietnamese people should use Vietnamese soap", appealing to national pride and patriotism.

For years, newspapers ran ads stating, "Bad soap ruins clothes" and "Vietnamese people should use Vietnamese soap", reinforcing the brand’s presence.

At annual exhibitions in Saigon and other provinces, his company’s booth always stood out. A giant soap bar model attracted attention, and products were sold at a 25% discount as a promotional strategy.

Beyond posters and billboards, Xà Bông Cô Ba ads appeared on trams, cars, and even football players’ jerseys. He also integrated branding into popular cultural forms like cải lương opera and vọng cổ folk songs, embedding his product into daily life.

A particularly clever tactic was his word-of-mouth marketing campaign. He hired people to visit local stores daily, asking whether they sold Xà Bông Cô Ba. If the store had it, they would buy a small amount; if not, they would leave while pointedly asking, "Why don’t you sell Vietnamese soap? It’s much better than the others." This persistent effort pressured shop owners to start stocking his soap.

Xà Bông Cô Ba vs. Foreign Competitors

The soap’s success inspired many competitors, such as Xà Bông Con Cọp, Xà Bông Nam-Kỳ, and Xà Bông 3 Sao, but none could match Xà Bông Cô Ba’s dominance.

After 1954, with French soaps no longer in the market, Xà Bông Cô Ba faced competition from American brands like Lifebuoy, which was sold at low prices through military PX stores. However, Trương Văn Bền’s strategies helped Xà Bông Cô Ba remain a household name.

Despite competition from Viso detergent, another major brand, Xà Bông Cô Ba retained a significant market share.

The Brand’s Decline

After 1975, Trương Văn Bền & Sons became the Vietnamese Soap Factory, under the Ministry of Light Industry.

In 1995, it was rebranded as Phương Đông Company, forming a joint venture with Procter & Gamble. The Xà Bông Cô Ba brand was revived but failed to regain its former glory. Decades of market absence had erased its place in consumers’ minds, leading to its decline.

Though its prominence faded, Xà Bông Cô Ba remains a legendary symbol of Vietnamese industry and innovative marketing.