For Pham Thi Uyen Chau (Cathy Pham), Managing Director of Brandidas Squad Vietnam, branding is not just about campaigns or visuals-it is about trust and integrity. Over the past decade, she has positioned her agency as the “right hand” of clients, walking alongside them in the journey of building resilient, authentic brands.
Speaking with Doanh Nghiệp Việt Nam, she reflects on her journey, her philosophy of “living and working with integrity,” and how her team navigated the Covid-19 crisis without losing its people or its principles.
The Foundation of Integrity
Born into a family of teachers in central Vietnam, Cathy learned discipline and ethics early. “My parents were strict about how we thought and behaved. They taught us to live with dignity and finish what we started,” she recalls.
That sense of responsibility carried through her early career. Starting work in her third year of university, she credits mentors for shaping her professional outlook: “They showed me what it meant to work with professionalism, empathy, and fairness—even to a young graduate like me.”
When she founded Brandidas in 2011, this ethos became her compass. “My guiding principle for every decision—business or personal—has been to live and work with integrity.”
Pham Thi Uyen Chau (Cathy Pham), Managing Director of Brandidas Vietnam
Building a Culture of Trust
Brandidas operates in the fast-moving world of communications, where deadlines are short, expectations are high, and mistakes are visible. Yet for Cathy, two values override all others: Trust and Integrity.
“In my team, no one—myself included—is allowed to make promises we can’t keep. If we’re not certain, we’d rather walk away from a contract than risk breaking trust,” she says.
That culture has resonated with her team. She describes the joy of seeing employees celebrate a client’s simple “thank you,” and their determination to fix even the smallest complaint. “That’s when I know integrity has truly taken root here.”
The Brandidas team in a YEP event
Fighting for the Brand
The agency’s slogan, “Brand fighters on your side,” reflects this philosophy. “We don’t see a boundary between agency and client,” Cathy explains. “We position ourselves as part of their team, facing challenges together. By putting ourselves in the client’s shoes, we can better protect their interests and avoid negative surprises.”
This mindset, she adds, is often what wins over clients. “Most don’t decide based on price or presentations alone—they decide when they feel trust.”
A Lesson from Failure
Cathy recalls one defining moment years ago: a three-day corporate event where the opening night fell short due to miscommunication. “The client didn’t say much, but their sighs and disappointed look cut deep. It shook the team.”
Instead of dwelling on the setback, she pushed her staff to regroup and refocus for the following days. “We stayed up all night preparing. The next day everything ran flawlessly, and by the final evening, something extraordinary happened.”
Instead of the usual thanks reserved for the client’s internal organizers, the MC called Cathy and her team on stage to receive flowers and applause from 200 guests. “It was a moment I’ll never forget. If we had let emotions take over, that recognition would never have happened.”
Brandidas team in a brand communication event
Weathering the Covid-19 Storm
The pandemic hit the events and communications sector hard, with clients canceling projects overnight. Many agencies resorted to layoffs, but Cathy chose a different path.
“I decided to preserve our team. We negotiated with suppliers to cut costs, trimmed non-essential expenses, and shifted to online services,” she says. “It wasn’t the year we had hoped for, but we survived with minimal losses—and most importantly, without losing people.”
This resilience positioned the company to rebound quickly as the market recovered.
Cathy and Brandidas team in a special brand event
Advice for the Next Generation
Asked what she would say to young people entering the industry, Cathy is direct: “Whatever field you’re in, work with integrity. Knowledge and skills are critical, but attitude comes first. Skills can be taught—character cannot.”
She also cautions aspiring entrepreneurs that expertise alone is not enough. “Running a company requires financial management, strategy, and leadership. Passion and technical skills will take you far in your career, but sustaining a business takes much more.”
Brandidas itself has long embraced giving back. Over the past decade, the agency has supported social programs and charities, and in 2021 launched a CSR initiative to help students pursue careers in communications.
The Takeaway
Over years, Brandidas remains guided by the same values it was founded on. For Cathy Pham, trust and integrity are not just ideals—they are the foundation of enduring partnerships and lasting brands.
“As long as we live and work with integrity,” she says, “success will follow.”
By Ho Ngoc
