40+ experts, 500+ participants and endless insights: how MRKTNG MRTHN 2025 went

On June 4, Kyiv lit up with new meanings — the MRKTNG MRTHN "Under the Sun of Insights" took place here, organized by the online media about marketing, communications and creative MMR in cooperation with the business/media holding ekonomika+. More than 40 experts — representatives of leading brands and agencies — gathered on one stage to talk about the main thing: how to keep the consumer's attention in the face of information overload, how to extract real insights from the context and turn them into working strategies, and how not to get lost in the marketing field, reports UNN.

More than 500 MRKTNG MRTHN participants and representatives of the marketing community gathered in the innovative UNIT.City space. The event was hosted by charismatic presenters: Iryna Prokofieva — the face of 1+1 Marathon and a special correspondent of "TSN. Tyzhden", and Volodymyr Rabchun — the host of 1+1 Media TV channels. 

The marathon was started by Ihor Volovy, CEO & Co-founder of the Internet marketing agency Elit-Web, who presented the results of a study of the needs of online shoppers. 

Anna Hladirevska, head of digital products at EVA and EVA.UA store chain, spoke about the creation of a virtual makeup and hair color fitting service and business results. The speaker noted that the service became a complement, not a replacement for physical consultation, and also helped to reduce the burden on consultants.

"The city is not just a collection of billboards, but an environment in which an impression of the brand is formed," said Viktor Ivanchenko, head of Strategy & R&D at Megapolis + holding, during his speech. Together with Oleksandra Baidikova, head of the creative agency of Megapolis + holding, they spoke about cases when outdoor advertising became part of the urban space.

Serhiy Grabchak, marketing director of Oschadbank, spoke about bold investments in culture during the war. He shared cases of unexpected collaborations of the bank with Ukrainian brands: fashion legend Litkovska, culture and design studio MAKHNO and jewelry brand Tsvite Teren. In addition, Serhiy announced a new art project of Oschad, which will unite the voices of Ukrainian artists.

"Insights are still needed, but you don't need to make them a cult," said Borys Tsomaya, a marketing specialist with 20 years of experience, during a panel discussion. Viktoria Shapron, Marketing Director of AB InBev Efes Ukraine, Dmytro Lyuty, Creative Director of Bickerstaff.420, Serhiy Biloshytskyi, Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Ukraine, and Maksym Nezvietskyi, Vice Director of Marketing of the Aurora multimarket chain, discussed how insights are born and what factors influence this.

Roman Gurbanov, creative director and co-founder of Taktika agency, shared how limitations can become a catalyst for creativity, why frameworks are not always enemies and how the right questions help to break them.

How to find a message that resonates in a saturated category? Lyudmila Kvyatkovska, Marketing Manager at Bolt in Ukraine, using the example of the company's communication launch in Ukraine, spoke about what they focused on and how it affected the effectiveness of the campaign.

"The audience wants to be heard, but not to feel deliberate tracking," said Volodymyr Gorshkov, Chief Commercial Officer at Admixer Advertising. During his speech, he shared the principles of building advertising ads and examples of strategies for personalized creative.

Volodymyr Zavadюк, head of Big Brave Events 1+1 media, and Nataliya Vovk, marketing director of 1+1 Ukraine TV channel, spoke about creating content that gives hope, warmth and a sense of belonging, using the example of the projects "Christmas. You are not alone", "Club %1" and "Wheel of Fortune".

Ksenia Sikorska, Marketing Director of PUMB, spoke about the bank's rebranding and the results achieved thanks to it. "Beauty is not enough, there must be meanings. A bright wrapper without meanings no longer works," said Ksenia.

How marketing, creative and brand strategy help attract regular donors and build trust was discussed at a panel discussion by Oleksandr Alimov, co-founder of TWID agency and head of fundraising at Wolves of Da Vinci, Oleksiy Pokryshen, CEO and creative director of TWID agency, Oksana Bondarenko, senior officer of the information and communications department of the 1st NGU Azov Corps, Serhiy Todosan, partnership manager of AZOV.ONE | 12 BrSpP Azov NGU, and Oleg Shulga, creative director of the 20th separate regiment of unmanned systems K-2. The speakers shared how to identify the audience in military marketing, what KPIs are set during the development of campaigns, and how to find new ways to scale the audience. The discussion was moderated by Vitaliy Kapustyan, who professionally asks interesting questions.

Is it true that every brand interaction should have an impact, and likes and creating a positive mood are superfluous? Olha Divushchak, marketer at Foundation Coffee Roasters, Alina Smyshlyak-Boroda, reputation and CSR director at Kormotech, Yana Merkotan, marketing director of Kachorovska brand, Polina Tolmachova, marketing director of ICTV and ICTV2 TV channels, Valeria Tolochina, CMO MEGOGO, and Kateryna Zakharash, corporate communications director L'Oreal Ukraine, shared examples of how brands influenced the audience through projects. The panel was moderated by Olena Plakhova, Director of Reputation and Marketing Management of Nova Poshta Group.

Roman Kominyarskyi, project manager of Continental Farmers Group, spoke about how to make a CSR project media-oriented and how to attract allies in a win-win format.

"True art of marketing communications can be created only by people who have motivation and common values," said Anastasia Livenets, head of the marketing communications center of MHP. The speaker shared the philosophy and principles of MHP's marketing communications.

Svitlana Popova, Head of Marketing Department of AFINA Group, spoke about why a distributor needs its own brands and why it is important to support Ukrainian manufacturers.

Daria Malikhatko, Director of Publicis Groupe Data Science, spoke about approaches for finding insights through visualization and the stages of their creation. She noted that insights are born when we interpret and apply them. 

Vasyl Yatsyshyn, Director of Mass Market Brand Management at Kormotech, spoke about why even classics need changes, using the example of updating the Meow! cat food brand. 

Natalia Yevdokimova, Sales Director of Nexinsight, shared practical advice on working with analytics and BigData and why it is a necessity for modern marketing.

Marianna Konina, Founder & CEO of Reputation City, spoke about what online reputation management is and how it works. 

Taras Matsypura, Vice President of Marketing at PJSC Carlsberg Ukraine, spoke about the principles of forming, developing and retaining effective employees who generate results.

Iryna Metnyova, founder of Vandog Agency, spoke about why the state needs a brand, shared a checklist of an effective working brand from the state, and also how to create a working brand for a state institution.

Valeria Rusanenko, Marketing Director of Pandora in Ukraine, Viktoria Sereda, Marketing Director of Smysl bookstores, Katya Taylor, founder of the agency and NGO Port of Culture, and Svyat Zahaykevych, founder of Underground Standup, discussed how to build marketing for a niche industry, why culture has become a new "fashion" and how brands can become part of this wave. The speakers discussed what art is in their business, recalled their own cases, and also concluded that art is the driving force of marketing, but not a must-have. The discussion was moderated by Serhiy Kostya, Marketing Director of Bolt in CEE and Asia.

The MRKTNG MRTHN also hosted the X-RAY award ceremony for the best marketing projects. 

At the MRKTNG Marathon 2025, creativity became not only a tool of strategy, but a real front of support. The organizers organized a fundraiser for tens of kilometers of communications for the 5th Assault Brigade, raffling off merch from the brigade and gifts from ekonomika+. Each donation is a meter that brings benefits to the front line.

The organizers, the business/media bureau Ekonomika+ and the online media mmr.ua are grateful to the partners: 

general partner – Oschadbank;

general media partner – 1+1 media.

Also, technological partner Motorola, thank you for the support of L'Oreal Ukraine, partner AB InBev Efes Ukraine, creative partner Taktika, coffee partner Foundation Coffee Roasters, water partner Morshynska, delicious partner Lantmännen AXA, sweet partner ALVIVA GROUP, sparkling partner Mer de Glace, alcoholic Jack Daniel', flower partner Ukraflora, branding partner MAIKOFF. 

Media partners: Promodo, ADV.EXPERT, Reclen media, BFC Gulliver, Infoviizion, BC media, ICTV, ICTV2, "We are Ukraine+ ", Kyiv 24, Pryamiy Kanal, RBC Ukraine, UNN, "Kommersant Ukrainskyi", Liga Zakon, HiTech.Expert, "Glavkom", "Delova Stolitsa", xsport, Burda Media Ukraine, PaySpace Magazine, "44.ua", Postfactum, "First Business", TrueUA, "Logist FM", Marketer.ua, "Economist", Founder, "ShoTam", CASES, CIAU, European Business Association, and AUB.