Hien Nguyen & Project Pluto
Project Pluto from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was founded on the intention of building a design practice with Diversion, Equity and Inclusion principles at the core of their decision making process. In this interview with Hien Nguyen, one of the founders, he talks about how the office was established in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and reflects about which design projects make him proud.
Hien majored in design at university, but started his career as a copywriter. While doing an internship at an advertising agency with his now partner, they won a major pitch and the agency decided to hire both of them. However, since the agency only had one AD position and another for a Copywriter, Hien made the switch. “I wanted to work with him and I thought that pure design scope was not for me.”
He worked as a Copywriter for a couple of years, and eventually became a Strategy Planner. “I actually enjoyed it. Reflecting upon it, the major reason was that I was able to work on a Google account, and I didn’t have to write for FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) clients in or in the digital advertising field anymore.”
During the time on the Google account, Hien had the opportunity to work on 2 programs aimed to upskill small and medium enterprises and students, and empower women in leadership, respectively. “During that time I found purpose in my work.” However, the programs eventually reached their targets and had to stop.
“And when it rains it pours”. At that time, Vietnam was hit by the worst wave of Covid-19 which took his father away. “I couldn’t bring myself to work, and I didn’t feel like working anymore. It was exhausting physically and mentally after returning from the hospital that day. All I needed at that time was a break. So I quit.”
When a social enterprise reached out to talk about their financial difficulty during Covid-19, Hien and his partner thought they could do something. “I believed it was a much-needed purpose that helped redirect and heal myself.”
After organizing a successful online fundraising music show for them, Hien and his partner decided to open Project Pluto. “Both of us wanted to pursue purposeful works that positively impact our community”.
Renata: What are the works you are most proud of accomplishing? How did they come about?
Hien: Weirdly the work that I’m most proud of isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing by a purely design standard. But it was the most transformative work we’ve done so far. It was done for a social enterprise called HopeBox, which supports gender-based violence survivors through work-based therapy (mostly cooking).
The founder is a very compassionate (and overachieved) woman with a disadvantaged background — who I had met many years ago through volunteer work. Two years of Covid-19 have drained their savings and the funds to keep the activities going. We talked to them late 2021 and Christmas time was their riskiest bet to generate some revenue and keep the business afloat.
But we did it — together. With a simple product strategy, and product and packaging design their sales improved by 350% compared to the same period from the start of their operation. That was when HopeBox realized the value of investing in creativity and design. Like all small businesses, Hopebox had been afraid to invest in design, usually seen as a fancy nice-to-have shell. We were able to change that mindset and turn them into a semi-permanent client.
R: Do you have a work philosophy? A set of values or principles you work by?
H: The time when I worked on the Google account greatly influenced and transformed me. The company’s value struck a chord in me. I learned about purpose-driven marketing. DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] principles, and bridging social impact with business agenda, which I carry into the work at Project Pluto.
We create solutions that solve problems in the community; work with clients and partners who want to make a change (not just more sales); build socially impactful work while also being able to deliver the business objective; and put DEI principles at the core of our decision-making process.
How do you think the place where you grew up and what your family life was like has influenced your work practice?
I grew up in a neighborhood where most blue-collar people live and I have a love-hate relationship with it. While it is a noisy and crowded place, the people living there form a very supportive community, which I rarely see in most wealthier areas. Living, breathing and seeing the lives there every day keeps me grounded.
My mother contributed a big part to forming my values. Before retiring, she ran a small clothing manufacture where she brought in disadvantaged youth and distant relatives from rural areas, taught them tailoring skills, and employed them. Many of them began to have better lives and were able to find higher-income jobs. At that time, nobody told her (and she didn’t know either) that what she did was basically a social enterprise. I believe my mother’s legacy has left a lasting unconscious impact on my values, worldview, and practice.
How do you think your design practice stands out from the others? Both locally and globally?
Locally, I’d say the scene is polarized: on one end there are commercial studios that do solely commercial works and care little about making an impact on the community. On the other end, there are artsy studios that pride themselves on craftsmanship.
With Project Pluto, we want to make an impact, and build a healthy creative community, while also being commercially sustainable. There are a few studios that care about environmental impact but it’s a different avenue. We put more focus on people empowerment.
Could you describe your vision for the future?
My vision is for creativity and design to have a seat at the table like all other business areas such as operation, marketing, sale, etc. It’s a place where what we do has a voice and is valued equally.
Why do you think design is important?
As idealistic as it may sound, design can change the world. And I’m not talking just graphic design but all sorts of design. Everything we unknowingly touch, see, and use is the product of design. People may deny all they want, but they all unconsciously tend to lean toward things or objects that are aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly by design.
How do you see the place you are from in the context of the worldwide design scene and practice? Is this something you are concerned about?
Vietnam is but a minor player in this vast playground but I believe will be fast growing. We have a lot of problems to solve but that also means there is plenty of room for improvement.
However, low pay and discrimination toward a small country still prevail, in my opinion.
Could you tell me about a situation(s) in which your background and experience are / might be an advantage or a disadvantage?
With increasing awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion, a person from my background would benefit from an environment where these values and practices are popular.
Asides from Southeast Asia and East Asia, Vietnam’s design scene is still a mystery to other places. People often regard a person from my background with poor skills in many areas.
Short & sweet
What are your sources of reference? How do you get inspired?
Other studios’ works, tech magazines and news, people who share a similar mindset, and my Creative Director. He makes sure I’m supplied with tons of inspiration every day.
What are you interested in at the moment?
Learning more project management and talent management skills. Midjourney and design-by-AI in general.
If you could go anywhere in the world and showcase your talent, where would it be?
Australia and Japan. One is where my university is located. One is my favorite county.
What are the three most important things that designers can do to have success?
- Know how to price themselves
- Speak the language of the clients
- Create works that solve problems
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Seeing people whom I love and knowing that they are healthy and well.
Which talent would you most like to have?
A purpose-driven person who sees beyond what is in front of their eyes but is grounded.
Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
I don’t rehearse but have to note down key talking points because I’m forgetful and easily sidetracked.
What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
Crossing all my to-do lists. But it rarely happens.
Want to know more about Hien and Project Pluto? Here is their webpage.
