Aleksey Andreev, chairman of the Designer jury of KIAF,  president of branding company Depot WPF and Co-president of Branding Companies Association of Russia, devoted his master class to the subject of branding in modern terms. In his «One-act ballets» (so the name of master-class sounded) guru of Russian branding partaken with an audience by the ideas «on themes, perturbing citizens». Some of these ideas Sostav.ua partakes with readers:

«The questions concerning the construction of successful brand drive us, professional brandmen, to the deadlock. How to build a super successful brand? How to do a super product? In this logical chain the further following questions are: how to become a millionaire, how to get married with Tom Cruise, or how to do such advertising which would provide hundred-per-cent sales. The questions of such paradoxical sense logically result in an answer, that it is impossible to guarantee 100% success in any way. It is needed to understand that we invest the labour, time, money, but we do not have the assured result here. Perhaps, it will be the most truthful approach. If we are engaged in the construction of brand, then we must expressly say that brand - it is a mirror of that social environment which we live in.

It is impossible in Ukraine to build a brand the model of which follows from American or European, and even it is very hard to build a brand which works in Russia. In principle, it is possible to work without any brand. All of us know perfectly, that if there is a possibility to produce something and to sell it all, then no brand in this case is needed. And as soon as a market begins to be heated, a necessity for brands appears.

From one side brand is a company super active. From the other - it is not a panacea which necessarily will help to manage with problems. Brand - it is not only a logotype, name, brandname style, packing or product.  In our presentation, brand - is «rakes». For someone - it is a wonderful instrument, and for someone - source of danger. Some specialists assert that in the period of crisis it will be especially hard for brands to survive, because they will be under the pressure of the promises and regalia. And they either will need high investments or will wane much quicker, than products no-name. The others say that everything  is vice versa - brands will survive in the conditions of crisis, because the amount of their stability allows to save a "good face in a bad game". It is very philosophical approach, because, in fact, both points of view have right to exist.

Crisis is not only bad but also is good in something. First of all, it became advantageous to the companies to order advertising. It is impossible to assume, that perception of brand tumbled into a crisis. To sit out, reduce a slat and whip off prices, and then again come back into a premium segment will not be succeeded. It is very hard to become again a strong brand, if the whole year you had sales, and the user got used to the low prices. In a word, hold a brand!

But do not over-estimate the role of your brand in the life of user. Follow the changes, in fact fashion on «product for all» have already passed long time ago. Commodities occupy the unique niches, it is much easier to score a success if you are unique.

Concerning the tenders, our position - NO to tenders. We historically got used to take everything from the West, and then to read instruction, how to use it. Essence and concept of tenders in the West differ cardinally from ours. There it is a search and choice of a long-term partner which will grow together with their brand. For us - it is an attempt to get creative from many agencies quickly and cheap».