Nguyen Tien Huy
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Pencil Group is a Vietnam-rooted creative collective that specializes in brand transformation through the lens of culture. As an indie creative network united by a shared vision, Pencil partners with purpose-driven businesses to craft impactful stories that resonate deeply with Vietnamese values. With a belief that creativity should inspire and uplift society, Pencil combines strategic thinking and cultural insight to drive meaningful change. Their signature approach—cultural marketing—translates brand identities into narratives that connect, inspire, and transform. More than a creative agency, Pencil is a catalyst for positive cultural movement, helping brands not just grow, but contribute to a better Vietnam.
Stay rooted in purpose, but remain agile in execution, and choose clients as carefully as you choose teammates.
Growing up in a small town in Vietnam, I saw how cultural narratives shape people’s aspirations. When I entered the creative industry, I realized that many Vietnamese brands lacked the confidence and creative frameworks to tell authentic, meaningful stories rooted in our culture. I founded Pencil Group to change that: not just to advertise, but to inspire. Our mission is to help purpose-driven brands use creativity to make Vietnam better economically, socially, and culturally.
Pencil has supported major Vietnamese and international brands in shifting from traditional communication to brand storytelling powered by cultural insight. We introduced “cultural marketing” as a strategic approach, using deep empathy with Vietnamese values to shape campaigns that inspire change. We have assisted in the brand transformation journey of 5 out of the 10 most-valuable brands in Vietnam (Brand Finance 2024). More importantly, we’ve nurtured a new generation of creative thinkers who believe Vietnamese culture is not a limitation but a launchpad.
We also support clients in education, sustainability, and public health, ensuring our work leaves social value beyond commercial goals. One of the biggest challenges was building trust in a model that didn’t yet exist—cultural marketing. Many clients were used to fast, transactional campaigns. We had to educate, prove, and sometimes fail before we succeeded. I overcame this by consistently aligning with clients who shared our long-term vision and by building a multidisciplinary team that could blend culture, data, and creativity.
One of the proudest moments was when Pencil’s work was recognized not only by clients but also by young creatives who told us, “You make us believe we can stay in Vietnam and still do world-class work.” That, to me, is the real transformation—empowering the next generation to dream big and dream from home.