This year’s ADFEST has officially drawn to a close, capping off three days of meaningful connections, unforgettable moments, and fresh insights from industry leaders.
Hundreds of delegates from around the world attended the festival held at the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. Alongside the keynote presentations, the second round of Lotus Awards was unveiled, with winners across the major categories now announced. View the full list here.
Check out our recap of ADFEST Day 3 below:
The Comfortable Lie of AI Adoption
Varun Khiatani and Namrata Chawla of mktgstack Bengaluru and Mumbai kicked off the day’s sessions with “The Comfortable Lie of AI Adoption: A support group for leaders who’ve been pretending.”
They urged attendees to reorganize their structural ecosystems and incorporate AI as a core component of a new operating system. The session highlighted that leaders must stop treating AI as a separate, external tool and instead weave it into the very fabric of their business operations.
Pizzas to Mongolia
One of the key highlights was “Pizzas to Mongolia,” a talk by Julian Boulding of thenetworkone and Bolor Narantsatsrait of Pizza Hut Mongolia. Introducing a completely unfamiliar product into a new market is no small feat — especially in a region with little to no prior exposure to the cuisine.
In the 1990s, pizza was entirely unknown in Mongolia. However, the famous chain successfully broke that cultural barrier and has since sustained 35 years of business success by adapting to the local landscape while maintaining its brand identity.
YouTube is the Epicenter of Culture
In this panel discussion, speakers explored how YouTube — the largest video streaming platform in the world — became the definitive epicenter for modern brands. The panel featured Geia Lopez of Google Southeast Asia, Supphasit Chokmongkolsatian of Ogilvy Thailand, Sandipan Bhattacharyya of Monks/S4 Capital, and Toy Watcharapruk of AnyMind Group.
Google Presents Young Lotus Workshop 2026
In the Young Lotus workshop hosted by Google, delegates examined the progress of 15 participating teams from across Asia. The session included a creative brief summary by Wei Watthanasittha of Google Southeast Asia.
Attendees saw the creative work developed by the top five Young Lotus teams selected as finalists. This session provided a glimpse into the next generation of talent and how they are navigating the boundless era of creative culture.
Creative Bravery
D&AD hosted the post-lunch session, where Donal Keenan led an exploration into the power of creative bravery, unpacking work that truly resonates and drives brand impact.
AI Unlocking Human Creativity
Julie Jihyun Kang of Flux AI Asia, Ian Tae Woong Jeon of Compound Collective, and Joel Lim of Gengis AI examined how artificial intelligence is redefining both the pace and framework of modern production.
They explored the shifting creative reality across platforms and formats, highlighting how AI is shaping everything from virtual environments to on-location shoots. The panel underscored how these tools are fundamentally transforming the way stories come to life.
Building a Beauty Community for Gen Z
Thanh Dao of Jung von Matt NERD outlined a transformative blueprint for building communities where Gen Z already gathers, centering on inviting participation and play, rather than interrupting their digital experiences with traditional advertising.
Moving Audiences from Awareness to Advocacy
As the day drew to a close, Naved Qureshi of Voxxy Media shared a practical ecosystem model linking creator output to brand health and business outcomes.
He explained how content repurposing, proof loops, and KPI translation can move an audience beyond simple view counts toward genuine advocacy. This model provides a roadmap for brands to drive tangible business results within the creator economy.
Humanizing Brands: Creativity in the Age of AI
The session “Humanizing Brands: Creativity in the Age of AI” featured keynote speaker and ADFEST Grand Jury President Yasuharu Sasaki of Dentsu, who highlighted the agency’s belief that the future lies in using AI to augment human intelligence and ingenuity. Sasaki argued that brands can maintain their soul by focusing on the human element, even as they embrace the efficiency of machine learning.
As the sun set over Pattaya and the curtains closed, ADFEST 2026 leaves behind a legacy of curiosity and bold transformation. The festival is a powerful reminder that while technology like AI provides the canvas and the speed, it is human creativity that gives soul to every campaign.
Delegates return to their respective cities not just with what they’ve learned during the three-day festival, but also with the collective bravery necessary to shape the next era of global storytelling.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of ADFEST 2026.
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