Alexey Krupenin: we are entrusted with the most valuable task—building a brand

At the Group4Media “Digital Avant-Garde” conference, Alexey Krupenin, Director of Digital Advertising Sales Department of GPM Ads (the sales house of Gazprom-Media Holding), spoke about the prospects for the development of advertising business in Russia and the company’s plans to expand cooperation with Chinese partners.

The departure of foreign competitors and a shortage of quality inventory in the domestic market have created two contrasting trends. On one hand, influencer marketing, native advertising, and streaming are experiencing rapid growth. But on the other hand, the volume of fraud is growing, which raises concerns among advertisers, agencies, and sellers.

Alexey Krupenin

Director of Digital Advertising Sales Department of GPM Ads

Advertisers will ultimately receive higher-quality products if they raise their standards. These standards are not a whim; they require nurturing, and they will enable us to improve the market. The role of verifiers is becoming increasingly important. There are players in the market, including domestic ones, who are dedicated to inventory verification. It is necessary to engage with them and befriend them.

Understanding trends is important, but business goals and objectives should be the primary drivers. Currently, there is a huge demand for video and large screens, and influencer marketing and native advertising remain highly relevant.

In 2023, the agency Insight People became part of the Gazprom-Media Holding. Today, it unites over 2,500 exclusive bloggers across Russia. According to the company’s data, its Native Rent service within the GPM Ads framework has seen revenue growth of over 50% year-on-year. The PREMIER online cinema has become the market leader in revenue growth dynamics among video services, and the daily audience of RUTUBE has exceeded 5 million people.

Alexey Krupenin

Director of Digital Advertising Sales Department of GPM Ads

We have plenty of video products in all formats. In particular, RUTUBE and PREMIER. They are trailblazers growing at a very rapid pace. GPM Ads promotes 17 Chinese brands on the Holding’s platforms.

Recently, the company held the Great Chinese Breakfast, where Russian-Chinese relations were discussed. According to the expert, the priority for Chinese advertisers is not performance, but building brand knowledge. The media help with this: the seller’s portfolio features television, radio and high-reach digital resources.

Alexey Krupenin

Director of Digital Advertising Sales Department of GPM Ads