Prime Iconic Design Contest 2026: Launch & Factory Tour

On the morning of April 9, 2026, the auditorium of the University of Industrial Fine Arts (UAD) in Hanoi was full for the launch of the Prime Iconic Design Contest 2026 — a tile design competition organized by Prime Group for the university's students. Two days later, more than a hundred lecturers and students boarded buses to a Prime factory to see for themselves how a tile is made. Now Agency supported Prime with event organization and communications for these two opening activities. This article looks back at what happened, and at what we learned from running a creative contest for students.

Prime Iconic Design Contest 2026: a dialogue between heritage and the contemporary

The contest ran from March 30 to June 3, 2026 under the theme "A dialogue between heritage and the contemporary flow in tile design". The brief asked contestants to design a collection of tile patterns carrying Vietnamese cultural identity — inspired by traditional motifs, ceramics, architecture and nature — that would still work in modern living spaces, in one of four styles: Minimalist, Contemporary, Luxury or Rustic.

The contest was open to UAD students from the second year onward, entering individually or in groups of two to three. The prize structure included the Vietnamese Identity prize (VND 30 million), the New Application prize (VND 25 million), the Creative Design prize (VND 20 million), two Judges' Choice prizes (VND 10 million each) and one Community Choice prize (VND 5 million).

The April 9 launch at the University of Industrial Fine Arts

From the university lobby onward, students met the contest's identity: a large banner over the entrance, a welcome and registration area, an artwork display and a photo backdrop. The registration desk worked non-stop before the opening; each student received a Prime gift bag and a hand-held sign for check-in photos.

Students registering for the Prime Iconic Design Contest 2026 launch in the lobby of the University of Industrial Fine Arts.

Students taking check-in photos at the launch backdrop.

In the auditorium, the program was attended by representatives of Prime Group, the university's leadership and the professional judging panel. Mr. Tanakorn Theeramankong, General Director of Prime Group, and Ms. Nina Yoo, Marketing Director, spoke about Prime's hopes in co-organizing a tile design contest with the university for the first time; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Hung Cuong, Rector of the university, shared its practice-oriented approach to training.

A full auditorium at the launch on the morning of April 9, 2026.

A Prime Group representative speaking at the launch.

After the judging panel was introduced, the organizers announced the rules, timeline and prize structure. The most anticipated part was the live Q&A: students asked about topic direction, judging criteria and the practical application of their designs, and received answers from the organizers and judges on the spot.

The organizers announcing the rules, timeline and prize structure.

A student asking the organizers and judges a question.

The April 11 factory tour: seeing how a tile is made

Designing a tile pattern is different from drawing on paper: contestants need to understand sizes, materials, printing technology and the limits of production. That is why, right after the launch, Prime invited lecturers and students to visit its factory. The group departed from the university, put on safety helmets and walked along the production line guided by the factory team.

Lecturers and students at the Prime factory during the April 11, 2026 factory tour.

Students touring the tile production line at the Prime factory.

In the factory auditorium, a Prime representative presented a session titled "The Dance of Ceramic Tiles – bringing artistic thinking into tile production". After lunch, the group toured the showroom, where students could handle tile samples, glaze color charts and surface finishes, then returned to the auditorium for a Q&A session before the group photo.

Students examining tile samples and surface finishes in the showroom.

The Q&A session in the factory auditorium.

The numbers after the two opening activities

Item	Result
Individual registrations (online)	88 contestants
Group registrations (online)	32 groups
Total registered contestants, including late registrations	169 people
Factory tour participants	111 people (103 students, 8 lecturers)
Fanpage posts in the contest's communications calendar	10 posts, from March 30 to June 4
Press coverage of the launch	Dan Tri, Tap chi Kien Truc (Architecture Magazine), Kienviet

The launch was also featured on the fanpages of Prime Group and the University of Industrial Fine Arts.

The next stage of the contest

Under the rules, contestants had four weeks after the factory tour to develop their ideas, with submissions due on May 6–9. The judging panel then selected a Top 15 for the second round, in which contestants worked directly with Prime to produce 3D samples and present their ideas, ahead of an award ceremony planned for June 3, 2026.

What Now Agency learned from running a contest for students

Start where the students study: holding the launch on campus, with university leaders and judges present, makes the contest part of academic life rather than a promotional activity from outside.
Show contestants the real product before they design: a factory visit answers questions the rulebook cannot — and brings entries closer to what can actually be produced.
Make time for Q&A: at both events, the Q&A was when students were most engaged. It is also when the brand learns where contestants are stuck.
Communicate to the rhythm of the contest: announcement, deadline reminders, event coverage, results — one post per milestone, combining the brand's fanpage, the university's fanpage and trade press.