Ukrainian business is undergoing a period of profound transformation, with marketing and communications at the heart of these changes. Anna Samarska, an independent marketing expert in strategy and communications, shared insights on common corporate mistakes, misunderstandings of marketing’s role, distorted perceptions of communications, and the new media context in which brands must operate today.
Communication Is About Substance, Not Just Pretty Words
The speaker emphasizes that her mission is to shift the perception of communication, urging owners and marketers to consider what truly lies behind their messaging. Today’s market is oversaturated with:
- Artificial “care”;
- Empty “meanings for the sake of meanings”;
- Company missions that no longer reflect reality;
- Phrases that lack any connection to substance.
The problem is that brands artificially inject depth where there is none, instead of practicing honest, natural communication.
To speak or to stay silent? Brands often face this dilemma. Silence is not an option; a brand must have a position, react to events, and remain “alive.” However, taking pauses is normal. There is no need to panic about being forgotten. According to recent research, an optimal pause can last up to 6 days. Conversely, many companies do the opposite: having nothing to say, they publish dozens of meaningless posts just to maintain a “presence.”
Role Confusion: SMM ≠ Marketing
It is crucial to remember: an SMM team is not a marketing department. Their task is social media communication. An SMM team should not build the overall marketing strategy or the online presence strategy. SMM must function under the leadership of marketers.
The correct workflow structure:
- Business Goals (primary foundation)
- Marketing Strategy (roadmap to achieve those goals)
- Communication Strategy (component of marketing; what we say)
- Media Strategy (component of communications; where and how we say it)
- Content Plan (specific materials we publish)
The Classic Mistake: Starting with Media Strategy (e.g., just launching SMM) without the first three levels. Approximately 80% of Ukrainian companies launch this way, leading to a dependence on social media algorithms and limited results.
Elements of Communication & Media Strategy
Brand Archetype: Define your brand’s personality (e.g., using Jung’s 12 archetypes) to simplify communication.
Tone of Voice: The brand’s speaking style must match its archetype (defining what is “okay” and “not okay” for this persona).
Segmentation and Vocabulary: Expert communication should be as simple and clear as possible.
Platform and Format: Clearly defining where (Instagram, PR clubs, outdoor ads) and how you interact with clients.
Information Hooks: What exactly are you broadcasting (promotions, products, social responsibility)? Any idea must pass through all strategy levels and should not conflict with any of the above points.
The Attention Crisis in Content Consumption
A key challenge in modern marketing is the drastic reduction in time a client takes to decide whether to engage with content:
- The speed of content browsing has decreased 12-fold over the last 18 months. A company now has less than one second to capture a client’s interest.
- When a product or service is excellent and competitive, simply stating its value is no longer enough. Now, that value must be explained, clarified, and delivered repeatedly.
- A content line that previously consisted of one message is now transforming into 5–7 different messages. For example, instead of 12 identical billboards, 12 different ones are used, each with its own “hook” explaining a specific benefit for a specific person.
Communication Strategy: Rules and Constraints
A brand’s communication strategy is a set of rules, constraints, and application areas that must be documented in writing.
Key Strategy Elements:
- Constraints: The most important aspect is clearly defining what we do not do. Just as there are rules for logo usage, there must be rules for communication.
- Tone of Voice: This includes how you greet clients and even orthography (e.g., capitalizing keywords like “Clients”).
- Avoiding “Communication for the Sake of Communication”: Analyze what the brand has said over the last 1–6 months and establish a general “North Star” for communication (e.g., “We create unique business events that grant exclusive status to our powerful community”).
Situational Reactions (to trends or news) should only be used if they are relevant to both your company and your audience. Otherwise, it becomes mindless trend-chasing.
Summary
Communication only works when it is honest. A brand must understand itself, respect its audience, speak simply, allow itself to be authentic, and act like a living personality. Such communication triggers the right emotions and builds trust — the most valuable business resource in 2025.
We thank Anna Samarska for her honest examples and practical advice, and all participants for their active engagement and insightful questions.