DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) on smart vending machines is redefining outdoor advertising in Vietnam. Instead of "display and hope" like traditional billboards or LCD screens, Dropfoods' DOOH Retail Media platform enables brands to measure the entire journey — from ad display, to interaction, to actual purchases at the point of sale. This article explains what DOOH on Smart Vending is, the two advertising product types, the 3-tier measurement framework, and the 300+ machine network across Ho Chi Minh City.
1. DOOH on Smart Vending — How is it different from traditional outdoor ads?
DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) refers to digital advertising displayed in public spaces — commonly seen on LED billboards, LCD screens at airports, shopping malls, or elevators. However, most traditional DOOH platforms can only measure the number of video plays (impressions), without knowing who actually watched, interacted, or made a purchase after seeing the ad.
DOOH on Dropfoods Smart Vending Machines differs in 3 fundamental ways:
- Point-of-Purchase: Ads are displayed right where consumers make buying decisions — on the LCD screen of the vending machine. The distance from "seeing the ad" to "making a purchase" is just one tap.
- Non-skippable & Captive Audience: 6–10 second video ads play continuously for 15 hours/day (7AM–10PM), 100% unskippable. Buyers stand in front of the machine for 15–45 seconds while selecting products — this is precious "captive attention" time.
- Closed-Loop Measurement: For Type A products, Dropfoods can precisely measure: which videos played, who interacted, and how many purchase transactions occurred — directly on the same device, at the same moment.
💡 The Core Differentiator
Billboards give you impressions. Facebook gives you clicks. Dropfoods gives you Verified Purchases — proof that your brand was not just seen, but directly generated purchase transactions at the point of sale.
2. Two DOOH Product Types: Type A (Closed-Loop) vs Type B (Interactive)
Each type serves a different group of brands, with distinct measurement methods and value propositions.
Type A: DOOH + Product on Machine
For: Brands WITH products sold on the machine (beverages, snacks, dairy, food...)
- Video ads + Product placement on machine
- Measurement: D-Spots → Interacted → Verified Purchases
- Closed-loop: View → Interact → Purchase — all measurable
- Crystal-clear ROI: know exactly how many purchases followed an ad view
Type B: Pure DOOH (Ads + Interaction)
For: Brands WITHOUT products on the machine (banks, insurance, automotive, apps...)
- Video ads + Interaction (games, surveys, QR, sampling)
- Measurement: D-Spots → Interacted (clicks, game plays, QR scans)
- Lead collection: phone numbers, emails, survey data
- Brand activation at point of sale
| Comparison | Type A — Closed-Loop | Type B — Interactive |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Brands with products on the machine | Brands without products on the machine |
| Core Value | Ads + Product placement + Purchase data | Ads + Engagement + Lead data |
| Top Metric | Verified Purchases (100% VCR) | Interactions (game, survey, QR) |
| Examples | Beverages, snacks, coffee, dairy | Banks, insurance, automotive, apps |
3. The 3-Tier Measurement Framework: D-Spots → Interacted → Verified Purchases
From "video played" to "actual purchase" — each tier measures a different level of engagement.
(ambient, passive)
surveys, QR scans
(Type A only)
| Metric | Meaning | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 🥉 D-Spots | Video/banner played in the loop cycle — with or without a direct viewer. Equivalent to "impressions" in traditional DOOH. | Type A + B |
| 🥈 Interacted | User actively engages: clicks the ad, plays a game, answers a survey, or scans a QR code. | Type A + B |
| 🥇 Verified Purchases | Video plays directly when a buyer selects the product → watches the full video → completes the purchase. 100% Video Completion Rate. This metric is unique to Dropfoods. | Type A Only |
📊 Real Case Study — 3-Tier Measurement in Action
In a Type A campaign spanning 48 days across 100+ machines, Dropfoods recorded:
- 🥉 5,466,932 D-Spots — continuous video play 15h/day, unskippable
- 🥈 542 Interacted — direct clicks on the advertisement
- 🥇 7,040 Verified Purchases — watched video then purchased right at the machine
- Cost per Purchase: only 3,636 VND (~$0.15) — 14–82× cheaper than Facebook, Google, YouTube
4. The 300+ Machine Network — 6 Venue Clusters in Ho Chi Minh City
Venue-based targeting helps brands reach the right audience segments.
The Dropfoods DOOH network consists of 300+ smart vending machines across Ho Chi Minh City, distributed across 6 Venue Clusters — each targeting a different demographic:
Gen Z aged 16–30
Travelers, business guests
Families, shoppers
Professionals aged 22–45
Young families
Patients, visitors
| Cluster | Distribution | Price Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDU — Education & Language | ~42% | Standard | F&B, apps, fashion, tech |
| HOTEL — Hotels | ~23% | Premium | Travel, airlines, premium F&B |
| RETAIL — Shopping & Entertainment | ~11% | Premium | FMCG, lifestyle, entertainment |
| CORP — Corporate | ~10% | Premium | Banking, insurance, automotive |
| RESI — Residential | ~8% | Standard | Food, household, services |
| HEALTH — Healthcare | ~5% | Premium | Pharma, health insurance, dairy |
Brands can select clusters matching their target audience, or combine multiple clusters for broader reach. For example: EDU + HOTEL = ~65% of the network → covering both Gen Z and business travelers/tourists.
5. Get Started with an Ads Pilot — 4 Simple Steps
Dropfoods encourages brands to start with an Ads Pilot — a test campaign on 10+ machines, for 1 month, to evaluate real-world performance before scaling up.
| Step | Description | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Register & Consult — Submit the registration form, the Dropfoods team will contact you within 24 hours to understand your needs. | 1–2 days |
| Step 2 | Choose Package & Cluster — Select Type A or B, the right cluster, number of machines, and campaign duration. | 1–3 days |
| Step 3 | Provide Creative — Submit your TVC video (6–10 seconds, MP4 or MOV). Dropfoods will handle technical checks and upload to the system. | 1–2 days |
| Step 4 | Go Live & Report — Campaign starts broadcasting. Reports on D-Spots, Interactions, and Verified Purchases (Type A) are delivered weekly/monthly. | Ongoing |
🚀 Register for a Free Ads Pilot
Turn every purchase moment into measurable media impact. The Dropfoods team will contact you within 24 hours.
Register Now →🏢 For Agencies & Media Partners:
- Agency Commission: Attractive commission for agencies introducing clients — contact us for the partner rate card.
- Co-selling: Dropfoods provides pitch decks, media proposals, and case study data for agency co-selling.
- White-label Reporting: Campaign reports can be branded with your agency's identity.
Contact Dropfoods Vietnam
Address: 34 Lê Duẩn, Phường Sài Gòn, TP. Hồ Chí Minh. (Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm)
Phone: (84) 028 6290 6066
Email: contact@dropfoods.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maybanhangdropfoods
Website: https://www.dropfoods.com