Nestlé gives Southeast Asia’s unsung sports their moment

Nestlé MILO Vietnam has launched See Games Equal, a campaign tied to SEA Games 33 that places lesser-seen sports at the centre of Southeast Asia’s biggest sporting moment. The initiative challenges the dominance of football in Vietnam and across ASEAN by giving visibility to disciplines that often struggle for funding, recognition and fan support.

For decades, MILO’s green packaging has featured mainstream sports such as football and basketball, helping motivate generations of children to stay active. With See Games Equal, the brand has deliberately shifted that focus, using its most recognisable brand asset to spotlight sports that rarely receive attention.

Reframing Asia’s sporting identity

The campaign highlights disciplines including sepak takraw, wushu, pencak silat, ju-jitsu and woodball, reflecting the diversity and cultural depth of sport across Asia. These sports are presented through the stories of real children who continue to train and compete despite limited infrastructure and visibility.

In the campaign film, young athletes speak candidly about their experiences, including one pencak silat participant who explains how competing in a less popular sport makes them feel distinctive rather than marginalised.

From packaging to broadcast impact

To launch the initiative, Ogilvy Vietnam and Nestlé MILO brought together more than 30 child athletes from across Vietnam for a green-screen shoot. The production avoided scripts and staging, focusing instead on authentic performances that captured the athletes’ skill and enthusiasm.

The children’s movements were transferred directly onto MILO packaging, with their reactions to seeing themselves featured recorded as part of the campaign. In a departure from standard brand guidelines, the athletes wore their own training clothes, reinforcing the everyday reality and pride associated with these sports.

Reaching mass audiences at peak moments

The campaign film aired during SEA Games football matches, a period of peak viewership, to draw attention to sports that exist outside the spotlight of stadiums and broadcast schedules. It is now running across major television networks and cinemas in Vietnam.

Le Bui Thi Mai Uyen, business executive officer of Nestlé MILO Vietnam: "At MILO, we believe that no matter what sport kids choose, they can grow from it. Every effort deserves to be celebrated. The same MILO green pack that inspired generations of football and basketball players will now become the source of energy and inspiration for the next ju-jitsu or woodball athletes."

Athlete and creative perspectives

The campaign has also resonated with athletes competing in less commercialised sports.

Tran Ngoc Thanh, Vietnamese tug of war athlete at SEA Games 33: "When I learned about this campaign, I was deeply moved. Our sport has grown through a long, quiet journey, self-funded and self-sustained. It wasn’t until See Games Equal that we finally felt seen."

Creative duo Thy and Vu from Ogilvy: "Sport becomes equal only when we see all sports as equal. The SEA Games include some of Asia’s most beautiful and culturally rich sports that simply don’t receive enough love. This campaign gives them the spotlight they deserve."

Long-term commitment beyond the Games

Beyond SEA Games 33, Nestlé MILO Vietnam plans to continue integrating a wider range of sports into its packaging. The brand intends to use its green pack as an ongoing platform for sporting equality, positioning it as a symbol of pride for young athletes regardless of the discipline they pursue.

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