3:27:38 PM | 8/7/2026
On August 7, 2026, Moonfolks, one of Southeast Asia’s most awarded independent advertising agencies, has officially launched operations in Vietnam. The strategic expansion aims to bridge Vietnam’s rapidly maturing digital economy with broader ASEAN markets, targeting the growing wave of domestic enterprises seeking international scale.
The Vietnam office will be led by Livio Grossi, who joins as Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner. Grossi brings over 10 years of creative leadership in the Vietnam market, most recently serving as Executive Creative Director at Dentsu Redder, his credit regional and global recognitions at One Show, One Asia, New York Festival, Adfest and MADstars. The launch also marks a return to the market for Moonfolks Founder and CEO Anish Daryani, who previously led major agency operations in Vietnam from 2012 to 2016 before establishing Moonfolks in Jakarta.
Leveraging on Vietnam’s Economic Shift
The agency’s entry coincides with a fundamental structural shift in Vietnam’s economy, transitioning from a consumption-heavy market to one driven by domestic wealth creation and regional capital investment. With a GDP growth rate reaching 8.18% in the first half of 2026 (among the top in ASEAN) and a digital economy valued at over $39 billion in 2025, with the e-commerce sector valued at $25 billion, Vietnam is positioning itself as a dominant regional player.
Moonfolks wants to play the role of a catalyst in this transformation. Earlier this year, the Vietnamese government has introduced the “Go Global” Program (2026-2030), which seeks to develop 1,000 globally capable enterprises. According to the UOB Business Outlook Study 2026, over 80% of Vietnamese businesses plan to expand internationally within the next two years, with ASEAN as the primary destination. This intent is backed by capital, as outbound foreign direct investment (FDI) from Vietnam surged 2.5 times in early 2026 alone.
Mr. Anish Daryani spoke at the launch event at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts on the evening of August 6
“Vietnam’s economy has matured significantly over the last decade. With its strong digital adoption and highly capable workforce, the country has built a solid foundation for local businesses to compete on a regional scale”, said Anish Daryani. “As local brands look toward regional expansion, particularly into massive consumer markets like Indonesia, they require strategic frameworks that navigate complex cultural, regulatory, and digital moats. Our goal is to serve as the catalyst for that cross-border growth”.
A Technology and Creator-Driven Playbook
To facilitate this cross-border expansion, Moonfolks is introducing its proprietary “Audacious Growth” model to the Vietnam market, leveraging its established network and experience across the region. While the framework provides comprehensive end-to-end capabilities - integrating branding, digital and social media, public relations, and shopper activations into a cohesive commerce engine - its ultimate goal is to help Vietnamese brands move beyond the "Made in Vietnam" cost advantages. Instead, the agency focuses on helping clients export intellectual property, design excellence, and compelling brand narratives.
To achieve this regional scale, Anish Daryani advises expanding enterprises to anchor their strategies in three critical pillars, which Moonfolks integrates into its advisory approach:
AI and Creator Commerce Integration: ASEAN is a highly fragmented market with distinct local cultures. Moonfolks leverages AI to help brands automatically identify and manage thounsands of everyday local influencers (KOCs) across different countries, allowing brands to scale word-of-mouth marketing authentically and efficiently.
Authentic Sustainability: Helping enterprises bridge the gap between operational reality and brand communication. By adopting verifiable ESG practices rather than superficial positioning, expanding brands can secure the green financing, cross-border partnerships, and consumer trust required to compete regionally.
Cultural Fluency: Developing bespoke, agile go-to-market strategies rather than relying on one-size-fits-all regional rollouts.
Mapping local consumers, culture, and competition is essential to uncover the powerful intersection of “Brand Truth” and “Human Truth” in new markets. The agency then brings this to life by leveraging data and consumer journeys to connect with audiences through content, creators, communities, and culture.
“Cultural fluency in a new market is only half the equation, staying true to your core is the other. Vietnam has an incredibly rich culture that can be harnessed as regional soft power. The most successful outbound brands won't be those that try to blend in completely, but those that adapt locally while also exporting their Vietnamese heritage”, Daryani added.
Local Collaboration and Ecosystem Building
Rather than adopting a competitive stance, Moonfolks is entering the market with an ecosystem approach and the objective of raising the bar for creativity in Vietnam, and contribute to the country’s creative economy. The agency has already established a collaborative network with communities, creators and industry partners like Rice Content, IDM, Pmax, among others.
Mr. Livio Grossi, who joins as Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner, Moonfolks Vietnam
“After more than a decade in Vietnam, I believe the most interesting creative chapter is ahead,” said Grossi. “Moonfolks Vietnam is a chance to build something sharper and more intentional about the kind of work the Vietnam creative industry puts into the world”.
The agency officially marked its entry into the market with the “New Locals” campaign, generating significant buzz across Ho Chi Minh City through an immersive pre-launch activation. Three “Moonfolks” roamed the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, taking their audience through a journey of discovery – from being “aliens”, to understanding the local culture, habits, food, which they embraced. Their role transformed from being foreign agents to familiar personalities, who went around the city helping city folks with the daily chores.
The "New Locals" campaign let "Moonfolks aliens" to explore and immerse themselves in the local culture, lifestyle, and cuisine, and become “new locals”
The activation concluded with an official launch event on August 6 at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, presided by the Chief Guest Dr. Vipra Pandey, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City. In attendance were leaders of the business community, Ms. Cindy Quyen Vuu, CEO of Biti’s, Ms. Venus Yeoh Kim Wei, EVP of Marketing, Suntory PepsiCo Beverages Vietnam, Mr. Sunardi Tjhin, Managing Director, Mayora Vietnam, among other notable figures.
“As Moonfolks forays into Vietnam, we want to leverage our regional presence to provide accelerated growth to ambitious Vietnamese brands, in-market and beyond. Our proprietary Audacious Commerce model of combining content, creators, communities and culture to create commerce for brands will go a long way in redefining Vietnamese brands. We aim to do this by providing cultural fluency across markets, that will shape the commercial landscape of our region over the next decade. The opportunity is immense, and the time to cross the border is now.”, Moonfolks Founder and CEO Anish Daryani remarked at the launch event.
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
