On 22 May 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Circular 12/2026/TT-BVHTTDL detailing specific provisions of the Advertising Law and its implementing Decree.
The Circular provides implementation guidance on the use of superlative terms in advertising, appraisal of advertising materials, and procedures for group advertising activities.
Read the full circular here:
Circular 12/2026/TT-BVHTTDL Implementation Guidelines for Advertising Law in Vietnamese
Purpose of the Circular
To provide implementation guidance on specific provisions of the Advertising Law and its implementing Decree.
To clarify requirements relating to advertising claims, appraisal of advertising materials, and procedures for group advertising activities.
Scope of Application
This Circular applies to businesses, organizations, and individuals engaged in advertising activities in Vietnam.
It is particularly relevant to advertising materials that use superlative terms or equivalent claims, advertising materials requiring appraisal, and group advertising activities.
Key Highlights
Use of Superlative Terms in Advertising
For advertising materials using Vietnamese or foreign terms that claim a product, good, or service is leading, unique, or absolutely superior, such as “the best”, “number one”, “the only”, or equivalent expressions, the advertiser must submit valid legal evidence.
Acceptable evidence includes:
- Market survey results issued by a legally established organization authorized to conduct market research; or
- Official certificates issued by competent authorities or organizations through national, regional, or international competitions, exhibitions, awards, rankings, or formal evaluations recognizing the claim
These supporting documents may only be used in advertisements during the validity period of the certificate or market survey results.
Advertisements must clearly and accurately state the name of the supporting document, its reference number or code, and the publication date of the market survey results or the issuance date of the certificate.
Advertising Product Appraisal Council
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism establishes the Advertising Product Appraisal Council defines its membership, operating principles, and evaluation procedures.
Organizations or individuals seeking an appraisal must submit a formal request using Template 01, together with the advertising materials, to the central authority managing state advertising activities.
The Council reviews the submission to assess its legal compliance.
Based on the Council’s meeting minutes, the managing authority submits the findings to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who issues a final determination on legal compliance and officially notifies the applicant.
Procedures for Group Advertising Activities
The Circular sets out the dossier requirements and procedures for notifying authorities regarding group advertising activities.
To organize a group advertising event, the organizer must submit a notification dossier comprising:
- A completed notification form
- Advertising materials, such as mock-ups, scripts, or equivalent content
- Proof of compliance with legal advertising requirements
Specific submission timelines and procedural steps are also clearly defined.
Implications to Clients
Businesses and individuals engaged in advertising activities should be aware of the new requirements related to advertising activities using superlative terms or other words with similar meanings.
Clients should also take note of the requirements for appraisal of advertising materials, as well as the dossiers and procedures for reviewing the organization of groups of people conducting advertising activities.
Companies should review advertising claims, supporting evidence, and internal approval procedures to ensure compliance with the updated requirements before publication or campaign launch.
Effective Date
5 July 2026
For Inquiries
For inquiries or support regarding medical device regulatory requirements in Vietnam, please contact sales@andamanmed.com.