An interview with Humans of Globe, to be featured in its “Innovative Business Leaders to Watch in 2024“ series. I had a chance to share an inside look into our journey, our unique approach to effective communication in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, and how we’ve been able to bridge the gap between global brands and the local audience.
In the dynamic world of public relations and marketing, Clāra (Tuong-Minh) Ly-Le has emerged as a prominent Vietnamese entrepreneur, leading the way with her company, EloQ Communications.
With a passion for effective communication and a deep understanding of the Vietnamese market, Clāra has successfully built a reputation for herself and her company as a trusted partner for brands seeking to make an impact.
EloQ Communications is all about effective communication in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Our mission, tied to our name “EloQ” (derived from “Eloquent”), is to cut through today’s noisy marketing world. We blend local insights with global best practices, offering comprehensive solutions that blend PR and marketing seamlessly. We’re a local agency with a global outlook.
“We’re known for being a boutique PR firm supporting multinational companies. We’re the go-to local partners for these global brands, bridging the gap between them and Vietnamese consumers. Our secret? We focus on international clients while using our deep knowledge of local business, culture, and audience connections in Vietnam. This approach has been our key to success.” She explains.
The agency doesn’t just follow the usual PR approach. It offers valuable insights, working with clients to shape their messages and connect with local media in a way that respects Vietnam’s diverse society. In our work culture, we champion equality, actively supporting women’s progress in the workplace. This sets us apart and aligns with our goal of making PR more inclusive in Vietnam.
With the trust of global clients like Rakuten Viber, AstraZeneca, and Techtronic Industries to name a few, the firm prides itself on maintaining trust through high quality results surpassing expectations. Ly-Le puts this impressive client list down to the Vietnam entity’s international focus and global standards:
“Our efforts have been noticed internationally, as we’re the first Vietnamese agency in the respected Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA). We also joined other global networks like Public Relations Network (PRN) and One Asia PR Group, which allows us to collaborate with agencies worldwide for regional and international PR campaigns. These affiliations shape our client service, ensuring we bring global standards to our work in Vietnam.”
Even the name distills this global notion, as “EloQ Communications” embodies their commitment to fostering robust, transparent, and fluent communication between their clients and their stakeholders, according to Ly-Le:
“We prioritize clarity and strength in our interactions, ensuring that messages are conveyed effectively and resonate with the intended audience. By employing a blend of local insights and global best practices, we craft communications that are not only clear but also culturally sensitive, allowing our clients to connect authentically with their stakeholders. Our emphasis on eloquence lies in our ability to articulate messages that are compelling, persuasive, and resonate with the diverse audiences our clients seek to engage with, ultimately building lasting relationships and fostering trust.”
She goes on to explain that the recipe to success is as a result of the fact that the team members are more than just professionals – they’re invested partners in our clients’ branding and positioning.
Each member brings a wealth of experience, creativity, and dedication to the table, personally investing in understanding our clients’ visions, values, and objectives. This deep understanding allows us to tailor bespoke strategies that resonate authentically with the audience, ensuring every communication piece aligns seamlessly with the client’s brand essence.
The team doesn’t just work for our clients; Ly Le and management works with them, fostering a collaborative environment where their goals become our goals. We believe in the power of personalized attention, going beyond traditional approaches to create innovative, impactful campaigns that elevate and solidify our clients’ positioning in their respective markets.
This personal investment in our clients’ brands is what drives us to deliver exceptional results and cultivate enduring partnerships built on trust and shared success.
Background
This ability to work at such a high level is grounded by her strong and stable academic background and education. Clāra (Tuong-Minh) Ly-Le is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background.
EloQ Communications
EloQ Communications, founded by Clāra in 2015, is a leading public relations and integrated marketing agency based in Ho Chi Minh City. The company specializes in providing comprehensive communication strategies and services to both local and international clients.
EloQ’s core services include media relations, crisis management, influencer marketing, social media management, and content creation.
Unique Approach
What sets EloQ Communications apart is its commitment to understanding the Vietnamese market and culture. Clāra and her team recognize the importance of tailoring communication strategies to resonate with the local audience.
By combining their expertise in public relations with a deep understanding of Vietnamese customs and values, EloQ ensures that their clients’ messages are effectively conveyed to the target audience.
The Business of PR
In the PR industry, relationships are paramount, driving both business development and the services we provide. Ly-Le is one to understand that the PR landscape thrives on building and nurturing connections with various stakeholders and audiences and ensures that collaboration is central to her work method and corporate approach.
At the heart of all she does is a commitment to ensure that the strategic vision aligns with that of her clients and partners, genuine collaboration unfolds. Understanding their unique needs and goals allows her to tailor our services effectively.
Honesty and genuineness are core values in maintaining these relationships. By being forthright and sincere, Ly-Le has cultivated enduring partnerships with numerous clients.
One particular example is the firm’s fruitful partnership with Viber which spans 8 years, while collaborations with entities like the Hong Kong Tourism Board and AstraZeneca have extended over several years, showcasing our dedication to trust and reliability since our inception in 2016.
Client Success Stories
Under Clāra’s leadership, EloQ Communications has achieved remarkable success in helping brands achieve their communication goals. The company has worked with a diverse range of clients, including multinational corporations, startups, and non-profit organizations.
Through strategic planning, EloQ has helped clients increase brand awareness, manage crises, and build strong relationships with stakeholders. Ly-Le explains some of her projects and recent successes with ease:
“We had experienced many excellence projects, but there was a project that perfectly described the value and high quality that EloQ always promises to bring to our customer, our most extensive CSR campaign: AstraZeneca’s raising awareness about Covid-19 that saves millions of lives. We’re proud to be a part of this. The campaign focuses on communicating the importance of vaccination and promoting inclusion for the immunocompromised community who require alternative options for COVID-19 prevention. As AstraZeneca’s representative in Vietnam, EloQ works with healthcare partners such as medical associations, professionals, and doctors to promote scientific data about vaccination and improve public perception. We aim to educate the public about pandemic precautions, their responsibilities, and basic medical information through talk shows, media content boxes, and thematic documentaries. With those efforts, we were honored to win Gold Agency of the Year Awards in 2021 and 2022 organized by Ad World Masters. This award joins the achievements that EloQ received in 2021 after winning the titles of ‘Best PR Agency’ and ‘Best PR Practitioner at the third ASEAN PR Excellence Awards.”
Thought Leadership and Industry Recognition
Ly-Le is not only an entrepreneur but also a thought leader in the field of public relations and marketing. She frequently shares her insights and expertise through speaking engagements, workshops, and industry publications. Her contributions have earned her recognition as a trusted voice in the Vietnamese business community.
The PR services are all rooted in care, respect, and the delivery of high-quality results that translate into tangible business benefits for all our clients.
“We approach every client relationship with a deep sense of care and respect, understanding that their success is intertwined with ours.”
By focusing on delivering tangible business benefits, we ensure that our efforts directly contribute to our clients’ bottom line. Whether it’s enhancing brand visibility, increasing market share, or driving engagement, our goal is to create measurable and meaningful results that impact our clients’ businesses positively.
She recognizes that effective PR representation transcends mere translation; it involves understanding the nuances of the local culture, values, and societal norms.
“This understanding isn’t just about speaking the language – it’s about embracing the cultural context, incorporating it into our communication strategies, and ensuring that our clients’ messages are not only understood but also embraced by the diverse Vietnamese audience.
By leveraging this cultural insight, we create impactful campaigns that resonate deeply, fostering genuine connections between our clients and the local market.”
International Business Considerations
For our international clients, the firm serves as a gateway to navigate the dynamic Vietnamese landscape. The team is fortified with experts that are well-versed in the latest market trends and developments, bridging the gap to convey your message effectively to the local audience.
With team members experienced in global environments and proficiency in English, we offer a blend of business acumen, cultural insights, legal knowledge, and familiarity with local media practices. This amalgamation empowers us to facilitate your expansion in Vietnam seamlessly.
For our Vietnamese clients, the focus lies in elevating brand visibility, securing market positioning, nurturing positive brand reputation, and executing compelling advertising campaigns using state-of-the-art communication tools. The agency employs modern strategies to bolster brand awareness and effectively reach target audiences, fostering growth and market presence locally.
EloQ Communications serves as a one-stop PR and IMC coordinator across the Asia Pacific region and adapts clients’ visions to global realities. EloQ Communications always takes pride in being the go-to one-stop destination for PR and IMC needs across the Asia Pacific region. The approach revolves around seamlessly adapting their clients’ global visions to local realities – what EloQ terms “glocal” strategies.
We understand that a global vision must resonate with local audiences to truly succeed. Our expertise lies in bridging this gap by customizing strategies that harmonize global objectives with the nuanced preferences and cultural contexts of each market in the Asia Pacific region.
By leveraging our extensive network, local insights, and deep-rooted connections, we act as coordinators, ensuring that our clients’ messages are not only heard but also understood across diverse markets.
Our approach involves tailoring PR and IMC strategies that resonate with the local audience, embracing their unique dynamics while aligning with the overarching global vision of our clients. This adaptability and localization of strategies allow us to serve as effective “glocal” coordinators, ensuring our clients’ success in the diverse and vibrant Asia Pacific market landscape.
Conclusion
Ly-Le leaves us with inspirational thoughts to take away on the PR industry and her approach as a holistic greater vision:
“Our promise isn’t just about providing PR and marketing services – it’s about being a reliable partner committed to caring for our clients’ needs, respecting their objectives, and consistently delivering exceptional results that make a tangible difference to their business growth and success.”
Clāra (Tuong-Minh) Ly-Le’s entrepreneurial journey and the success of EloQ Communications serve as an inspiration to aspiring professionals in the field of public relations and marketing.
Through her dedication to understanding the Vietnamese market and her commitment to delivering effective communication strategies, Clāra has established herself as a respected figure in the industry.
With EloQ Communications, she continues to empower brands to connect with their target audience and achieve their communication objectives.