After suspending advertising in response to the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, several well-known electronics brands, including Honor, Xiaomi, Samsung, and Acer, have resumed official advertising activities in Russia. This shift is visible through multiple media outlets reporting a renewed advertising presence from these brands, signaling a return to pre-crisis visibility in the market.
Observations from industry trackers indicate that mentions of these brands in the Russian media have climbed back toward the levels seen in 2021, reflecting a gradual restoration of marketing investments. In particular, industry analytics show that Honor, Xiaomi, Samsung, and Acer achieved media presence at roughly 65 to 100 percent of their 2021 mention frequency, suggesting a measured rebound rather than a sudden surge.
The return to public advertising appears to be largely driven by collaborations with local content creators, including bloggers, who help brands reach Russian audiences through opinion-forming channels. Analysts from the advertising group note that the most visible activity has come from Honor and Xiaomi, with these two brands reportedly maintaining advertising budgets in 2023 that were about 2 to 5 percent higher than their 2021 levels.
Representatives from Honor, Xiaomi, Samsung, and Acer declined to comment on the analyst data when approached by Kommersant.
Industry sources within retail and marketing say that some foreign brands choose to delegate advertising budgeting and strategic decisions to third-party partners such as marketplaces, retailers, and distribution partners. This approach allows brands to navigate local market dynamics while leveraging established channels for greater reach and efficiency.
Additionally, discussions across several Telegram channels and other informal networks point to significant financial commitments in social and online advertising, sometimes reaching into hundreds of millions of rubles, aligned with the broader trend of renewed foreign brand activity in the Russian advertising ecosystem.