At adfest 2026, Julian Boulding, Founder and President of thenetworkone, and Bolor Narantsatsralt, Chief Marketing Officer of Pizza Hut Mongolia at Tavanbogd, presented “Pizzas to Mongolia.”
Opening the session, Boulding, who founded thenetworkone over 20 years ago, shared his vision to help independent agencies compete on an equal playing field with non-holding company agencies. Not because one model is better than the other, but because an independent perspective and protecting diversity of thought strengthen the entire industry.
The role of independents within the creative landscape centers on several core values:
Ecosystem Collaboration: “Independents cannot succeed on their own.” Independent agencies may be smaller, but cross-border collaboration allows them to access skills, talent and opportunities beyond their individual capabilities.
Speaking Truth to Tech: Because standard digital interactions now take place through screens, independent agencies bear a responsibility to call out industry shifts, advocate for authentic human connection, and champion real human experiences over automated delivery.
Maintaining Humanity: True creative efficiency isn't replacing humans with automation—it's using tech for repetitive tasks, but maintaining human empathy, culture, and storytelling must remain at the core.
Live, Real-World Experience: Nothing can replace live, shared experiences. Physical events, networking, and human connection will always be essential.
Narantsatsralt then took the stage to share her slice of Mongolia on how brand strategy must adapt to distinct local cultures. She traced how pizza went from something completely foreign to most Mongolians, and how Pizza Hut grew with the market.
Before the democratic revolution in 1990, Mongolia had limited access to Western culture. As the country opened up, Western films and television offered a first glimpse of unfamiliar food and lifestyles. For many Mongolians, their first encounter with pizza was through the blockbuster hit, Home Alone. The question was simple: what is Kevin eating, and what does it taste like?
The food was unfamiliar, but it looked strangely familiar. Mongolia has a traditional snack called Gambir, made from round and flat dough fried in oil. So when Mongolians first saw pizza, the resemblance made it easier to understand. Even today, some people still call pizza Gambir.
Pizza Hut was not the first to introduce pizza or a global brand to the Mongolian market. Local pioneers laid the groundwork with a local chef crafting pizzas for expats in the late 1990’s, followed by the opening of Noyon Pizza, Mongolia’s first local pizza chain, in 2008. Inspired by Mongolians carrying fast food home from overseas as gifts for their families, Tavanbogd recognised the local demand and launched KFC as Mongolia’s first international fast-food brand in 2013.
In 2014, Tavanbogd launched Pizza Hut in Mongolia. The brand now operates 31 stores nationwide and leads global franchise brands in the country in market share and brand awareness
Pizza Hut also arrived with an unusual head start in recognition. Mongolia’s long exposure to Russian aculture meant some people already knew the brand from the famous 1997 Pizza Hut commercial featuring Mikhail Gorbachev. The restaurants were new, but the name was not completely unfamiliar.
Once Pizza Hut was established, the challenge changed. Pizza was no longer the mysterious food from foreign films. The brand now had to stay relevant to a young audience growing up with Korean pop culture, convenience stores, animation and global food trends.
Narantsatsralt shared three examples of how local culture and behaviour shaped their strategy:
Pink Melts: colour to the rescue. Pizza Hut launched Melts in 2023 to win back the individual meal occasion as Korean convenience stores expanded their grab-and-go offer. Sales remained weak despite repeated promotion, and stock was approaching the end of its shelf life. Leveraging the popularity of K-Pop in Mongolia, the team changed the product to pink. Daily sales per store increased 110%, while individual meal occasions grew 7%.
PinkBlack Pizza: one local success led to the next. After the success of Pink Melts, the team pushed the idea further by combining a pink stuffed-cheese crust with black dough and launched PinkBlack Pizza. They planned to run the campaign for three and a half months, but sold out in one month.
Animation for Gen Z: the format changed with the audience. Around 80% of Pizza Hut Mongolia’s customers are Gen Z or younger. Many grew up with animation, manga, webtoons and other visual forms of storytelling. Pizza Hut began using animation and comics to simplify its messages and make the communication feel closer to the content young audiences already consumed. The work generated strong engagement and highly shareable content. Narantsatsralt’s takeaway was direct: if you want Gen Z to listen, speak their language.
That brings the story back to Boulding’s opening point about Human+. Screens can introduce people to new cultures, products and ideas. But the relationship becomes real through experience. Pizza first reached many Mongolians through television. It became part of everyday life when people could taste it, share it and build memories around it.
Pizza Hut Mongolia grew by paying attention to what was already there. Gambir gave pizza something familiar to connect with. Russian television gave the brand some early recognition. Pink Melts responded to local behaviour. PinkBlack Pizza is connected with K-pop culture. Animation matched the way younger audiences already consumed stories.
A generation ago, many Mongolians were wondering what Kevin McCallister was eating on television. Today, people queue for Pizza Hut in cities across the country.
The lesson for global brands is straightforward: understand what people already know, then build from there. Global brand playbooks must remain flexible enough to integrate with local traditions, visual culture, and genuine human connection.
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