Representatives from the media, business, government, and creative industries discussed the potential for promoting the Made in Russia national brand both domestically and internationally at the session called From Local Trust to Success Abroad: Made in Russia and the Power of Promotion, which took place on October 21 at the Made in Russia International Export Forum at Russia National Center, Moscow. The forum was organized by Russian Export Center (REC, VEB Group).
Today, the need for high-quality promotion, effective advertising, and positioning is becoming paramount, and consumer engagement is reaching a new level, noted session moderator Vadim Galygin, partner at AidaPioneer. The Made in Russia national brand promotion program, adopted by the government in 2025 at the instruction of the President, is designed to help businesses address these challenges both in Russia and abroad.
Session participants discussed the differences between promotion in local and foreign markets, effective promotion mechanisms, legislative intricacies, and the importance of strong Made in Russia national brand.
Veronika Nikishina, General Director of Russian Export Center, emphasized that building a strong national brand is a systematic endeavor that yields not only economic dividends in the form of stimulating export sales or increasing regional incomes, but also crucial social benefits. Therefore, engaging a broad range of stakeholders in promoting the national brand, including media representatives, cultural figures, entrepreneurs, and others, is crucial.
“An entire infrastructure is working to create reliable delivery and sales channels, raise awareness of Russia and its culture, and increase trust and interest in our products, from national exhibitions, Russian pavilions, and trade offices to Russian retail shelves and marketplaces abroad. However, today, it's crucial to strengthen the national brand's position within Russia, where it is literally born. This is a strategic social mission. A sense of pride in domestic products should be natural, an integral part of an even deeper, fundamental sense of patriotism,” Veronika Nikishina.
Since 2022, the program to promote Russian products abroad under the Made in Russia national brand has resulted in export contracts worth over 420 billion rubles, providing support to more than 3,750 companies.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Made in Russia plays an important foreign policy role, strengthening the country's positioning abroad. According to her “Made in Russia embodies the history of the country that combines the power of technology with the depth of culture. Through this brand, we communicate our values, respect for traditions, and a passion for creativity to the world. A strong, recognizable brand is a strategic resource for the state, strengthening Russia's position on the global stage and making its voice even more powerful.”
The session emphasized the role of traditional media in shaping the country's information agenda. The media are not simply a news broadcaster, but a strategic tool for shaping a positive image of Russia and promoting the Made in Russia brand. According to TASS Commercial Director Svetlana Lanyugova, national media are a resource that should be used to the benefit of Russian business.
It's important for companies to not just advertise, but to become part of the semantic space through special projects, partner publications, and reports on technologies, people, and ideas.
MAER CEO Konstantin Mayor emphasized public demand for a positive narrative about Russia and its life. The Made in Russia brand should evoke strong emotions and become a source of pride, creating a positive impression of the country for foreigners. Digital outdoor advertising can play a significant role in this regard, serving as a media resource for supporting the national brand.
Promoting a country is impossible without scientists, cultural figures, athletes, and opinion leaders, recalled Victoria Lopyreva, social project organizer and FIFA Ambassador. Victoria has extensive experience organizing high-profile events abroad that introduce guests to a country's heritage and cultural traditions.
“Each of us is the face of Russia on the global stage. We see a keen interest in domestic brands and culture. Moreover, I can confidently say that this interest is growing. Therefore, it is now important for us to join forces, initiating projects that clearly demonstrate the style and character of modern Russia,” Victoria Lopyreva.
Some of Russia's most recognizable symbols are images from domestic cartoons. For example, The Kikoriki and The Fixies are known in more than 90 countries, a demonstration of the soft power of Made in Russia.
"The language of animation is universal and understood by audiences worldwide. Russian projects have consistently topped the charts in terms of views on international television channels and streaming platforms. Our project, The Fixies, has been released in numerous countries over the past few years. We recently announced expanded partnerships in Latin America, India, and Southeast Asia. Russian heroes are loved for their sincerity, warm, and plain stories. We create characters that can evoke an emotional connection with viewers, regardless of cultural or national features. This is precisely why Russian animation has enormous potential. With the right strategy, cartoons can expand our cultural influence and shape a positive image of our country abroad,” Ilya Popov, founder and chairman of the board of directors of Riki Group.
Made in Russia is a tool for uniting the efforts of private business and the state, while also offering an opportunity to showcase Russian quality, technology, and creativity to the world, noted Dmitry Apolenis, creative director of the AIDA PIONEER. It's important not just to sell a product abroad, but to tell the story of its origin.
This idea was echoed by Pangeran Siahaan, director of the Indonesian Terang Javas IndoTrade. “In Indonesia, Russian culture is known and loved, and products bearing the Made in Russia label are perceived as high-quality and authentic. We are confident that Indonesian consumers want to learn more about modern Russia through technology, design, taste, and creativity.”
Made in Russia International Export Forum is a key event of the year for Russian exporters. The Forum is organized by Russian Export Center. The Moscow Government is the business program partner. TASS is the general information partner. RIA Novosti is the exclusive information partner. Information partners include Channel One, Rossiya24, MAER Media, Vedomosti, Expert, Gazprom Media, and Insight People. Roscongress Foundation is the operator of the Forum's business program.
Russian Export Center (REC, VEB Group) is a government institution that supports non-resource, non-energy export. It provides companies from various industries with both financial and non-financial support at all stages of entering international markets, including as part of the International Cooperation and Export national project. Most services offered by the REC Group are available online on My Export digital platform. REC is also responsible for the key functions of supporting and implementing the Made in Russia program.
Today, the need for high-quality promotion, effective advertising, and positioning is becoming paramount, and consumer engagement is reaching a new level, noted session moderator Vadim Galygin, partner at AidaPioneer. The Made in Russia national brand promotion program, adopted by the government in 2025 at the instruction of the President, is designed to help businesses address these challenges both in Russia and abroad.
Session participants discussed the differences between promotion in local and foreign markets, effective promotion mechanisms, legislative intricacies, and the importance of strong Made in Russia national brand.
Veronika Nikishina, General Director of Russian Export Center, emphasized that building a strong national brand is a systematic endeavor that yields not only economic dividends in the form of stimulating export sales or increasing regional incomes, but also crucial social benefits. Therefore, engaging a broad range of stakeholders in promoting the national brand, including media representatives, cultural figures, entrepreneurs, and others, is crucial.
“An entire infrastructure is working to create reliable delivery and sales channels, raise awareness of Russia and its culture, and increase trust and interest in our products, from national exhibitions, Russian pavilions, and trade offices to Russian retail shelves and marketplaces abroad. However, today, it's crucial to strengthen the national brand's position within Russia, where it is literally born. This is a strategic social mission. A sense of pride in domestic products should be natural, an integral part of an even deeper, fundamental sense of patriotism,” Veronika Nikishina.
Since 2022, the program to promote Russian products abroad under the Made in Russia national brand has resulted in export contracts worth over 420 billion rubles, providing support to more than 3,750 companies.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Made in Russia plays an important foreign policy role, strengthening the country's positioning abroad. According to her “Made in Russia embodies the history of the country that combines the power of technology with the depth of culture. Through this brand, we communicate our values, respect for traditions, and a passion for creativity to the world. A strong, recognizable brand is a strategic resource for the state, strengthening Russia's position on the global stage and making its voice even more powerful.”
The session emphasized the role of traditional media in shaping the country's information agenda. The media are not simply a news broadcaster, but a strategic tool for shaping a positive image of Russia and promoting the Made in Russia brand. According to TASS Commercial Director Svetlana Lanyugova, national media are a resource that should be used to the benefit of Russian business.
It's important for companies to not just advertise, but to become part of the semantic space through special projects, partner publications, and reports on technologies, people, and ideas.
MAER CEO Konstantin Mayor emphasized public demand for a positive narrative about Russia and its life. The Made in Russia brand should evoke strong emotions and become a source of pride, creating a positive impression of the country for foreigners. Digital outdoor advertising can play a significant role in this regard, serving as a media resource for supporting the national brand.
Promoting a country is impossible without scientists, cultural figures, athletes, and opinion leaders, recalled Victoria Lopyreva, social project organizer and FIFA Ambassador. Victoria has extensive experience organizing high-profile events abroad that introduce guests to a country's heritage and cultural traditions.
“Each of us is the face of Russia on the global stage. We see a keen interest in domestic brands and culture. Moreover, I can confidently say that this interest is growing. Therefore, it is now important for us to join forces, initiating projects that clearly demonstrate the style and character of modern Russia,” Victoria Lopyreva.
Some of Russia's most recognizable symbols are images from domestic cartoons. For example, The Kikoriki and The Fixies are known in more than 90 countries, a demonstration of the soft power of Made in Russia.
"The language of animation is universal and understood by audiences worldwide. Russian projects have consistently topped the charts in terms of views on international television channels and streaming platforms. Our project, The Fixies, has been released in numerous countries over the past few years. We recently announced expanded partnerships in Latin America, India, and Southeast Asia. Russian heroes are loved for their sincerity, warm, and plain stories. We create characters that can evoke an emotional connection with viewers, regardless of cultural or national features. This is precisely why Russian animation has enormous potential. With the right strategy, cartoons can expand our cultural influence and shape a positive image of our country abroad,” Ilya Popov, founder and chairman of the board of directors of Riki Group.
Made in Russia is a tool for uniting the efforts of private business and the state, while also offering an opportunity to showcase Russian quality, technology, and creativity to the world, noted Dmitry Apolenis, creative director of the AIDA PIONEER. It's important not just to sell a product abroad, but to tell the story of its origin.
This idea was echoed by Pangeran Siahaan, director of the Indonesian Terang Javas IndoTrade. “In Indonesia, Russian culture is known and loved, and products bearing the Made in Russia label are perceived as high-quality and authentic. We are confident that Indonesian consumers want to learn more about modern Russia through technology, design, taste, and creativity.”
Made in Russia International Export Forum is a key event of the year for Russian exporters. The Forum is organized by Russian Export Center. The Moscow Government is the business program partner. TASS is the general information partner. RIA Novosti is the exclusive information partner. Information partners include Channel One, Rossiya24, MAER Media, Vedomosti, Expert, Gazprom Media, and Insight People. Roscongress Foundation is the operator of the Forum's business program.
Russian Export Center (REC, VEB Group) is a government institution that supports non-resource, non-energy export. It provides companies from various industries with both financial and non-financial support at all stages of entering international markets, including as part of the International Cooperation and Export national project. Most services offered by the REC Group are available online on My Export digital platform. REC is also responsible for the key functions of supporting and implementing the Made in Russia program.