A 1997 Commercial Featuring Gorbachev Bringing People Together by Helping Pizza Hut Open in Russia

Lori Dorn
March 18, 2021

A rather surreal 1997 ad for Pizza Hut featured Mikhail Gorbachev, then-leader of the Soviet Union, taking his granddaughter to dinner at a Pizza Hut in Moscow. The pair sits quietly in the corner while a father and son argue about Gorbachev’s leadership. The two angrily go back and forth until the mother steps in to make the point that because of Gorbachev, Russia now has Pizza Hut.

Father: Because of him, we have economic confusion!
Son: Because of him, we have opportunity!
Father: Because of him, we have political instability!
Son Because of him, we have freedom!
Father: Complete chaos!
Son: Hope!
Mother: Because of him we have many things…like Pizza Hut.

Mikhail Gorbachev and Granddaughter Pizza Hut

Thanks Chip Beale!

Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.