Bilguun Munkhjargal: “Creativity is clarity, meaning, and soul.”

Founder & Managing Director, WHYZE Agency | Spikes Asia 2025 & Mad Stars 2025 Jury Member | Brand Strategy & Creative Communications Leader

When we met at a quiet restaurant beneath the co-working space that houses his boutique agency, WHYZE, Bilguun Munkhjargal’s passion for connecting Mongolian creativity with the wider world was unmistakable. Over coffee, he spoke candidly about his journey—from leading Mongolia’s first WPP-owned agency to founding WHYZE during the pandemic—and the lessons he has learned as a creative director, strategist, and international jury member.

From the Ceiling to the Strategy House

After years as a creative director overseeing countless campaigns, Bilguun hit a professional ceiling.

“Too many brands in Mongolia were jumping into marketing without a clear strategic foundation. Most had a strategy, but it was often an afterthought. I wanted to change that.”

In 2020, he founded WHYZE, originally as a strategy and copywriting house. Today, the agency offers a full spectrum of creative services, but strategy remains its DNA. His years in branding taught him to think quickly, solve real problems, and identify what audiences want—often before brand owners recognise it themselves. In Mongolia’s market, this ability to balance creative spark with strategic direction has been key.

Creative Philosophy: Clarity, Meaning, Soul

Bilguun’s work spans both social-impact campaigns and commercial brands, but his creative philosophy is constant:

“We live in the attention economy. If you’re doing anything to capture attention, it becomes noise. There’s already too much of it. There has to be clarity, meaning, and it has to be soulful.”

This mindset has guided award-winning projects like Let’s Read and Only Mine, and it’s a philosophy that he believes levels the playing field for brands—small or large—in the global marketplace.

On the Global Stage: Spikes Asia & Mad Stars

In 2025, Bilguun represented Mongolia as a jury member for both Spikes Asia and Mad Stars. The experience reaffirmed a core belief:

“The idea is still king. Even in this day and age of AI's ‘disruption,’ the flame and soul of the idea are still alive.”

While technology and innovation featured heavily, he noticed that the most compelling campaigns were grounded in universal human truths. McDonald’s Japan’s subtle yet bold TikTok work and Hyundai’s Night Fishing—filmed entirely on car cameras—stood out for their craft and originality.

From Mad Stars, he took note of the festival’s inclusivity, with nearly half its entries coming from the non-professional sector. He believes Mongolia could benefit from adopting this openness, especially to nurture young creatives.

Bridging Distances: Mongolia, Asia, and Beyond

Geographically and mentally, Mongolia remains distant from Southeast and Central Asia’s creative hubs. Bilguun sees this as a critical hurdle:

“It’s like we’re on the other side of a huge wall called China, mentally in many ways. We need a sense of community and regional identity to expand our market and mindset.”

He advocates for physical presence in regional markets, outsourcing production to Mongolia’s world-class crews, and exporting talent to culturally aligned countries like those in Central Asia.

AI: Tool or Trap?

Bilguun approaches AI with a mix of pragmatism and caution. While AI can speed up testing and concept development, he worries about its impact on foundational skills:

“It takes years of mediocrity to become a master. AI risks erasing this process.”

He urges young creatives to learn AI tools deeply, but also to retain the ability to write, design, and conceptualize without them.

Future-Facing: Agility and Adaptability

If starting out today, Bilguun says he would prioritise adaptability and curiosity above all. WHYZE itself is built for agility, operating with a lean core team and drawing on a network of freelance talent. His long-term vision? Expand into regional markets like Southeast and Central Asia, and serve as a bridge between Mongolian brands and global agencies.

“I hope my legacy will be that I helped pave the way for creatives who made it further than me, and produced work that made an impact beyond Mongolia.”

About Bilguun Munkhjargal

Bilguun began his career in Singapore and China before returning to Mongolia to lead VMLY&R Mongolia, where he brought home the country’s first Spikes Asia awards in 2016. As founder of WHYZE, he has shaped campaigns for over 20 local and international clients, advised organizations like the ADB and EBRD, and continues to mentor emerging talent through ventures like Ritm Publishing.

Spikes Asia 2016