[E-magazine] Cuder - From a caricature to the icon of FSOFTer

The “father” of Cuder is Mr. Bui Anh Tuan, Art Director of FSOFT. In his role, Mr. Tuan pondered on ideas and innovative ways to capture the unique essence of FSOFT’s office life.

During a casual conversation with Mr. Phan Phuong Dat, the former Deputy General Director of FSOFT, Mr. Tuan was suggested to try something in the style of comic strips. Acting as a powerful catalyst, Mr. Tuan immediately took on the task. The first step was to give a name to the character.

“After a thorough discussion, we came up with a series of suggestions such as Code, Coder, Cucumber, Culi… flipping through and combining words… eventually, the name Cuder was officially born”, shared Mr. Tuan. The name Cuder originated from the first of CUcumber (the internal newspaper’s name) and the last letters of CoDER (developer).

With a name in place, the next step was to create the character’s appearance. Drawing inspiration from the characteristics of FSOFT developers – predominantly male, working through the night, sedentary, academically excellent, gentle with minimal “social collisions”… Cuder was depicted with a comical appearance: small and chubby, large head, nearsighted eyes, slim chest, and a bit chubby belly, small limbs… capturing the intelligent and mischievous nature, as well as the honest and innocent personality. On February 15, 2006, Cuder officially debuted in the story “Cuder – Newcomer.”

Before Cuder’s introduction, satirical cartoons only occupied a small space, occasionally appearing in the Cucumber internal newsletter. Since Cuder’s inception, it has become a distinctive feature for FSOFT readers, consistently appearing on a weekly basis.

The big-headed, nearsighted Cuder quickly integrated into the lives of FSOFT employees, making appearances everywhere from cultural events to the company’s business and production activities. Everyday stories like “saving electricity,” “trying on a helmet,” “going to RAC,” “BCS,” “CHE,” “USB”… or year-end summary films, signs in the building, and even the way colleagues address each other affectionately all revolve around Cuder.

As a result, the name Cuder has become a familiar “pronoun” replacing or used when referring to FSOFT employees.

For FSOFT, Cuder serves as a diary, while for the creators, Cuder is a place to convey personal thoughts, perspectives, and a canvas for unlimited creativity.

With the support of the former FSOFT Chairman Hoang Nam Tien, and the desire to create a real-life embodiment of Cuder for the leaders and employees at all levels, Cuder was transformed from a 2D design into a sculptural project.

The most challenging aspect of bringing Cuder into the real world was translating the spirit from the 2D paper design into a new expressive language while still capturing Cuder’s personality and essence. In late 2013, the “graspable” version of Cuder was officially introduced to FSOFTers at the deployment ceremony to F-Ville 1 – the exclusive headquarters of FSOFT in Hanoi. The first Cuder statue, standing at 2.4 meters, was crafted from white salt stone by artists Ha Lien Hoang, Tran Van Thuc, and a team of craftsmen from Non Nuoc village (Da Nang) over a period of more than three months.

With a large head, nearsighted eyes, holding a hoe, and featuring the numbers 0 and 1 under its feet symbolizing binary code, the base of the statue resembling an inverted monitor… Cuder represents the diligence of FSOFT programmers – those individuals who tirelessly “plow” the technology field day and night.

Standing proudly in F-Ville 1, Cuder leaves a strong impression on FSOFT’s customers, partners, and new employees. During a visit to F-Ville 1 in 2014, Mr. Hitoshi, a customer of FSOFT, was immediately captivated by Cuder. Being someone with a hobby of crafting souvenirs, Hitoshi created a mini version from the original. Soon after, he produced dozens of artworks and gifted them to friends and colleagues at FSOFT.

In the commemoration ceremony of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of FPT Japan (FJP) in 2015, Cuder was also a special gift reserved for 11 major customers here. Later on, Cuder was transformed into various chibi versions, appearing in desk calendars, red envelopes, and more.

It can be said that Cuder not only becomes more familiar and increasingly present in both business and cultural activities at FSOFT but also contributes to building, promoting, and enriching the corporate identity in the eyes of friends and international clients.

In 2023, on the occasion of FPT’s 35th anniversary and FSOFT’s celebration of reaching the milestone of 1B USD in revenue after 25 years of establishment, FPT’s Co-founder and Vice Chairman of the Board Bui Quang Ngoc presented the Cuder statue at FSOFT campuses as an affirmation of Cuder’s value in building the corporate culture.

According to Mr. Ngoc, the Cuder statue is a symbol of FSOFT, carrying significant spiritual meaning. “In Cuder, we see diligence, hard work, and dedication. This is also the essence of FSOFT’s people: industrious, diligent, skilled, and always passionate about their work,” Mr. Ngoc expressed.

The Cuder statues presented by Mr. Ngoc are prominently displayed in the main halls of F-Town Campus, F-Ville 1, F-Ville 2, F-Complex, and various offices abroad, including Japan and the United States. Despite being made from different materials and sizes, the image and value remain consistent. This captivating image is the first thing customers worldwide see when visiting FSOFT branches and offices.

From a simple drawing to meticulously crafted sculptures by dedicated artisans, Cuder has fully embodied the spirit, intelligence, and mission of FSOFTers on the journey to illuminate Vietnamese intelligence to the world. Over the 25-year journey, upgraded versions of the big-headed, nearsighted figure holding a hoe continue to represent FSOFT’s talented individuals who are daring to change, constantly striving to evolve, and adapting quickly to the times.

“Cuder is one of the components of FPT/FSOFT culture. The higher our ranking in the world, the more we must preserve the corporate culture, standing firm on the traditional foundation to affirm our class and reach new goals, new visions. With this gift, I hope to contribute to the spirit and vitality of FSOFTers on the journey to realize the vision of achieving a $5 billion revenue and entering the Top 10 software service providers in the future,” Mr. Ngoc said.

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