40 08/2019
IN THE 80S, MY DAD HAD A
chintzy maroon jacket which he wore
everywhere. It paired with bell-bottom
jeans or sensible polyester dress slacks
with equal ease. The kid in me thought
it was the coolest thing ever, not just
because it was shiny and had shoulder
epaulettes but because it had a tiny label
which read “Members Only”. What secret
society was my father a part of? And
would I be able to join when I got older?
The idea of belonging to an
exclusive group with access to some
of life’s finest pleasures is the driving
concept behind WisePass, a lifestyle
membership available in Ho Chi Minh
City, Hanoi, Bangkok and Manila.
With a month’s Standard membership
costing VND6,000,000, users are
able to receive a service (or “pass” in
WisePass-speak) once a day for 30 days
at over 300 partner venues (think:
lunch at Runam, a bottle of Absolut at
Hard Rock Cafe, or even a chiropractic
session). A Premium Membership
(VND15 million) allows two Standard
passes or one Premium pass a day.
Luxury is defined as “a condition of
abundance, or great ease and comfort”
which sounds a lot like the WisePass
tagline of “Enjoy anything, anytime,
anywhere”. Launched in 2016, the
company hopes to log 20,000 passes
a month by the end of the year. At a
reasonable cost of VND200,000 per day
at the Standard level, I set out to answer
a few questions: Is WisePass worth the
VND6 million a month? Would I be
treated the same as a regular paying
customer? Would services and products
be the same quality as if I paid cash? And
what would my ego (and waistline) look
like after a month of living like the 1%?Day 1: Lunch at San Fu Lou
I download the WisePass app (available
on both iOS and Android) on my phone
and head to a San Fu Lou at lunchtime.The server helps me scan the WisePass
QR code on the distinctive black pyramid
by the cashier to redeem my set lunch.
She brings over a special menu just for
WisePass customers and when she’s
not looking, I compare it to the regular
menu. Serendipitously, the regular menu
indicates how many pieces each serving
has and I can confirm both menus are
the same. Dishes come out quickly—an
appetizer, dim sum, and a noodle dish.
Value: VND290,000Day 2: Breakfast at Propaganda
I normally scarf down a quick breakfast
to start the day, but since Propaganda is
one of the few WisePass partners to serve
breakfast, I head out for a leisurely stuffed
banh mi and an iced Vietnamese coffee.
While not quite adding up to the average
VND200,000 of a pass, Propaganda’s
colorful murals in the regal shadows of
the Notre Dame Cathedral always put a
smile on my face. Value: VND150,000An app that offers a license to luxury
Text and images by James Pham