Faced with the widespread issue of harmful, low-quality content on social media, a group of FPT University students has launched the campaign “Refresh Your Brain” to eliminate “toxic” entertainment content.
Students from cohorts K16 and K17, majoring in Multimedia Communication at FPT University, made a strong impression during the Summer 2025 project defense with their communication campaign Mind Back. The initiative aims to raise public awareness—especially among young people—about the phenomenon known as “Brain Rot”, a habit of consuming low-quality content that is spreading among the younger generation like a virus.
The student group, from left to right: Nguyen Duc Anh, Hoang Tuan Anh, Vuong Huyen Nhi, Tran Trung Hieu, and Nguyen Tam An.
The idea for the project stemmed from the personal experiences of its five members—digital-native Gen Z students who had directly faced the negative effects of being drawn into meaningless social media content. The turning point came when the group encountered a video about Brain Rot shared during a talk show by Hoang Nam Tien, former Vice Chairman of the University Council at FPT University Hanoi. His insightful analysis served as a wake-up call that urged the students to take action. “We realized it was time to speak up and find solutions for our own generation,” the team shared.
The Mind Back campaign engages young people through a variety of online and offline activities. On social media, the team created short comparison videos, playful infographics, interactive games, and Q&A activities to spark reflection in an approachable way. Offline, panel discussions and mental health workshops offered participants hands-on experiences and the chance to hear from experts and inspiring speakers. The challenge “24 hours without scrolling on social media” also strongly amplified the campaign’s message: “Refresh Your Brain.”
With the message “Bring your brain back to its place” and the slogan “Refresh Your Brain,” the project adopts a humorous, Gen Z-friendly tone to emphasize the urgent need to reset thinking, restore focus, and make smarter content choices. Instead of unrealistically urging young people to quit social media, the students chose a more practical approach: guiding their peers toward mindful and sustainable digital use.
The 3D model was designed and printed by the student team for display at the thesis defense
The Mind Back campaign ran from May to August 2025. In the digital space, the project spread widely through Facebook, TikTok, user-generated content (UGC), word of mouth, influencers, press, and television. Offline, the team organized a series of engaging activities such as talk shows, installation art exhibitions, and interactive workshops—where young people could directly experience, converse, and reflect on their own mental health and that of their peers in the digital age.
Thanks to its multi-platform strategy, the Mind Back campaign achieved impressive results: 1.8 million views, 1 million reach, more than 40,000 interactions, and 1,358 exhibition participants. The campaign also drew coverage from nearly 30 press and media outlets and appeared live on VTV3’s Morning Coffee program.
During implementation, the young team faced no shortage of challenges: limited experience in organizing exhibitions, time constraints, and financial shortages. Yet, moments like “getting caught in the rain on the road,” boldly knocking on the doors of the Vietnam Fine Arts Exhibition Hall to seek support, or receiving encouragement from artists, advisors, and lecturers became powerful motivators that kept the group going to the very end.
Vuong Huyen Nhi, a team member, shared that the campaign’s success was partly due to the dedicated support of their supervising lecturer and the university. She said: “Ms. Hoang Mai Anh always made time to accompany us in many important schedules. She and our group were very close and in sync, which made communication and collaboration easy.” In addition, FPT University helped amplify the campaign through its official media channels, enabling Mind Back to reach more young people.
After the defense, the team described feeling both relieved and happy, considering the project not just a graduation assignment but also a “lifetime project.” The outcome was more than just numbers—it was growth, responsibility, teamwork, and the belief that young people can indeed make a social impact through creativity. Looking ahead, the team hopes this will inspire many other campaigns and projects on mental health in the digital era, carrying the message: “Gen Z is not indifferent. Gen Z is ready to stay alert, selective, and shape a smart digital culture.”