Rethinking “VTR” as a KPI IN VIETNAM’S NEW REALITY

For years, View-Through Rate (VTR) has been the proxy for success in digital video campaigns. A higher VTR meant better performance. A lower VTR raised questions. However, with Vietnam’s new regulation mandating a skip button after 5 seconds, this approach is becoming increasingly flawed. This shift creates an opportunity to move beyond forcing completion and instead focus on earning attention and capturing intent.

The Illusion of Completion

It’s time to rethink what VTR really tells us. VTR measures one thing: Did the user watch the video till the end? It does not measure: whether the user paid attention or whether the message even landed. This is largely because high VTRs come from:  forced, non-skippable formats where users simply wait for the content (be it a game, a video drama, etc.) to resume. In short, Views ≠ Attention and Completion ≠ Impact.

The ACTUAL Reality of User Behavior

The moment a Skip button appears, users make a decision: Stay → because it’s relevant. Skip → because it’s not. This exposes the truth: Many ads are not designed to earn attention. They are designed to complete. And that’s a problem.

3 WAYS BRANDS CAN WIN IN VIETNAM’s NEW REALITY 

1. Shift from ‘Completion’ to ‘Attention’ 

Stop chasing forced video completions. Give users something to do, not just something to see. For instance get users to interact (swipe, tap, vote) instead of just watching. Turn exposure into decision moments.

2. Capture Signals. Not just Impressions. 

Move beyond ‘reach’ metrics. Reach is no longer a differentiator. Understand who is engaging and what they care about. Start building audiences based upon on signals including:

• Need States
• Preferences of Formats/ Flavours/ Colours
• Moments of Consumption
• Demographics
• Behaviours
• Choices, etc.

3. Build Audiences Segments That Can Be Activated 

• Data is useless if it just sits there
• The real value lies in what happens after engagement.
• Explore solutions that can help collect signals, build audience segments that can be activated: Across platforms. Across campaigns. Across the funnel.

Final Thought – THe SHIFT WE NEED

Instead of optimizing for video completion, we should focus on: Capturing real user intent and engagement. This means moving from:

• Passive viewing → Active participation
• Assumed interest → Declared intent
• Impressions → Meaningful interactions

In a world where users can skip anything: The goal is no longer to complete a video. It’s to create a moment that users choose to engage with. VTR isn’t wrong. It’s just no longer enough.

Get in touch with us to demonstrate how capturing real audience signals can help you drive stronger performance across your social and media ecosystem.