Advertising in Russia is a huge undertaking for any foreign company. Russia is not a typical nation that has one set of beliefs and values that shape advertising practices. Rather, Russia is a huge land mass consisting of 9 different time zones, different backgrounds, languages, religions and buying habits. One central marketing strategy is not the answer for advertising to Russians. Buyers in Moscow will respond differently to those in St. Petersburg to those in Siberia. A one size fits all marketing strategy will fail. Winston Churchill said, “Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” Although a marketing challenge, Russia boasts the world’s 6th largest economy, making it imperative for foreign advertisers to tap into. A company can successfully transition into the Russian market by respecting tradition, understanding cultural differences and capitalizing on digital marketing.
Like the song from classic musical Fiddler on the Roof, Russians care about tradition. Understanding their traditions will reveal a lot about their buying habits to a foreign company. Goehner and Richmond note that “Russians are more likely to be cautious and conservative defenders of the status quo. Their cruel climate, harsh history, and skeptical outlook on life has caused Russians to value stability, security, social order, and predictability, avoiding risk.” Americans typically tend to thrive on risk taking and can become frustrated when dealing with this Russian outlook on life. Incorporating Russian culture into advertisements has shown to be extremely successful. A good example of this is Mars Snickers who ran an ad highlighting the last 20 years of change in Russian history since they began advertising in Russia. They were successful because they focused on the steep tradition and heritage that Russians hold close to their hearts. Any foreign marketers hoping to do business in Russian advertising should consider tapping into their core values.
Understanding cultural differences is crucial to implementing a successful ad campaign. For example, Bacardi Rum recently ran an advertisement in Moscow with billboards displaying a bat. In Calabria, home to the Bacardi family the bat is considered wise and is respected. However, in Russia a bat is considered a disgusting animal. Another common faux pas is not properly explaining the product. Bacardi Rum failed to explain the appeal of drinking rum to an entirely vodka based nation. Another example of alcohol ads gone wrong was Jonny Walker Whiskey creating a “Walker-Walking” campaign that Russians did not understood as many have never even tasted whiskey. It’s important to not assume that Russians have your category of brand or an awareness of the product. According to Mekka Consulting, “ studies have revealed that a sizable percentage of Russians cannot even identify some Western product categories, let alone products.” Making sure there is an understanding of the brand and category is imperative to a successful ad campaign. Creating relationships is extremely important to Russians. The idea of traveling to Russia once, hiring a local firm to do all the groundwork without a true relationship is not considered favorable. Having an awareness of cultural differences will allow the advertiser to bridge the gap from one market to another.
Digital and media marketing is key to advertising to such a diverse nation. According to Forbes, Russia is the largest internet marketing audience in Europe (over 53 million). Russia has the highest mobile phone penetration in the world. Due to the poor infrastructure it’s beneficial to turn to digital outlets to advertise. “Reports indicate the Russian media market grew by 13% and is now worth USD 20.5 billion, while the global media market increased by only 4.6%.” (Forbes) Focusing efforts on media and digital will allow companies to reach and access various parts of Russia while reaching different types of people.
By implementing these strategies and developing a greater awareness of Russian culture, any brand can advertise in Russia.
Moorman, C. (2014, February 18). The Riddle Of Marketing In Russia. Retrieved April 15, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2014/02/18/the-riddle-of-marketing-in-russia/#3aa46ea5233e
Guenner, L. (n.d.). Welcome To Russia. Retrieved April 15, 2017, from http://www.goehner.com/russinfo.htm
Repiev, A. (n.d.). A glimpse of Russia’s advertising and marketing. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://www.repiev.ru/articles/glimps_en.htm
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