UCHANU: milk, Saigon, vacuum cleaners, dancing, Holland...I swear this relates to our class!

So we're in Saigon. And a group of us find ourselves exploring this crazy "Dutch Lady" commercial fair where various activities were set up relating to milk, Holland, and the Dutch Lady company. It was frankly really bizarre--with an area where people could put on Dutch lady costumes, a game where kids "milked" cardboard cows, and stands where you could insert your face into Dutch related scenes. And I guess the Dutch Lady company is somehow associated with the Phillips corporation. So we're walking around and happen upon a bizarre scene where a bunch of young people in costumes are dancing onstage with Phillips vacuum cleaners. And not just any dancing--there was some serious choreography going on here. At some point they ask for volunteers for something, and, of course, as probably the only white person raising my hand, I end up on stage. And find myself learning ridiculous choreography, performing onstage to roaring crowd of around 150 people, and winning an apron. So, obviously, this was a memorable experience....
Apparently the people onstage were encouraging people to have fun while vacuuming (with a Phillips vacuum cleaner of course!). And this whole fair seemed to be oriented towards developing in people warm and fuzzy feelings for these corporations and their products. Brand familiarity and loyalty. Anways, I'm not sure what this experience says about Saigon (or my judgement...), but it seems like there's got to be something about this place that would attract this kind of event. I mean, I really can't see this happening in the States. It just seems so blatantly corporate and commercial--just really over the top. Why did the Dutch Lady corporation choose to have this promotional event here?
I wonder how people at the fair responded to it? I mean, it looked like everyone was having a really great time. I mean, we were having a really great time! So, who knows what effect this fair had on everyone.
Will there soon be similar events in Hanoi? Are there already similar events here? Are these (expensive!) promotional events actually paying off for companies? I'm curious about the answers to these questions.