In an increasingly competitive and professionalized design industry, strong technical skills are no longer a differentiating factor–they are simply a baseline. To truly stand out and build sustainable careers, young designers need more than an attractive portfolio. They need real-world projects with high visibility, recognized by both the industry and the market, as a foundation for structured and credible personal branding.

Within this context, the VIFA EXPO Mascot Design Contest emerges as a strategic branding opportunity, where creative ideas go beyond drawings or concepts to become brand assets associated with a prestigious international exhibition.

VIFA EXPO MASCOT – WHEN DESIGN BECOMES A BRAND ASSET

A mascot is not merely a visual creation. In brand strategy, a mascot functions as a core identity symbol, representing the spirit, values, and narrative of an event or organization.

For VIFA EXPO – Vietnam’s leading international exhibition for furniture and handicrafts, the mascot plays a key role in:

● Appearing consistently across official communication activities.
● Integrating into the exhibition space and visitor experience.
● Becoming a recognizable signature of the event for international buyers and partners.

This means that mascot designers are not simply entering a creative contest; they are directly contributing to the brand identity of an international-scale exhibition.

PRESENCE AT AN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION – A DISTINCT BRANDING ADVANTAGE

One of the most significant values of the VIFA EXPO Mascot Design Contest is the opportunity for real exposure within an international exhibition environment, bringing together:

● Tens of thousands of domestic and international buyers.
● Enterprises, manufacturers, and brands from multiple markets.
● Industry organizations, associations, and experts.

Winning mascots do not remain as conceptual ideas only; they may have the opportunity to:

● Be displayed within the exhibition space.
● Be applied across event branding and identification activities.
● Engage directly with the business community and the market.

For young designers, this represents a real-world, international-level case study, enabling them to:

● Demonstrate applied design capability.
● Gain a clear competitive advantage over purely academic portfolios.
● Increase personal visibility within the professional design community.

OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION – A CREDIBILITY ENDORSEMENT FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS

Unlike self-published work on personal platforms, VIFA EXPO mascots are:

● Communicated through the Organizer’s official website and channels.
● Featured in exhibition publications and promotional materials.
● Transparently credited to their designers under the VIFA EXPO brand.

This official communication framework delivers critical branding value:

● Enhances credibility for the design and its creator.
● Positions young designers with a more professional industry image.
● Establishes a strong foundation for engagement with enterprises, partners, and recruiters.

In a market that increasingly values the origin and real-world context of creative projects, recognition by an international exhibition serves as a powerful and lasting endorsement.

TURNING CREATIVE IDEAS INTO PROFESSIONAL MILESTONES

Are you a young designer seeking a real-world project to elevate your personal brand?

The VIFA EXPO Mascot Design Contest offers a unique opportunity to bring your creative ideas into an international exhibition setting—transforming them into long-term professional milestones recognized by both the industry and the market.

Outstanding mascot designs may have the opportunity to appear at VIFA EXPO 2026—the 17th edition of Vietnam’s largest export-oriented international exhibition for furniture, interior décor, and handicrafts, taking place from March 8–11, 2026, at two international-standard exhibition venues in Ho Chi Minh City: WTC EXPO (Binh Duong Ward) and SKY EXPO (Trung My Tay Ward).

View the contest guidelines and submit your entry here: https://vifaexpo.com/mascot-design-contest-vn/

Alternatively, contestants can submit their entries online via this link: https://forms.gle/xrJquwaZn1jN3wbL7