Russia’s war against Ukraine has become a global factor for business reputation. The companies that announced their position and withdrawal from russia received the audience’s approval. Tetyana Voronchuk, a PR specialist at the Perfect PR agency, tells in a column for MMR whether global PR agencies are leaving the russian market.
According to Brand Keys research, 85% of respondents will boycott russian brands to show solidarity with Ukraine. And on Twitter, those slowly leaving the country are being criticized: #BoycottMcDonalds and #BoycottCocaCola trended online before both brands suspended their operations in russia.
And what about global PR agencies, whose offices work in different countries worldwide, while russia is no exception? The most famous agencies mostly left russia or plan to leave it soon. Here is the list:
- Edelman — cooperation is suspended,
- Hill+Knowlton Strategies — announced withdrawal from russia,
- Brunswick Group — leaving russia,
- Ogilvy — leaving russia,
- FleishmanHillard — also leaving russia,
HAVAS Group continues to work with russia, but the agency has announced that it is suspending new investments indefinitely. As the spokesperson explained: “We do not work directly in russia. It is a local partner serving our global customers. The branch, which is russian, with russians and a mostly local client base, continues to operate independently.”
- WPP PLC, which owns BCW, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, Ogilvy, Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R — is ceasing operations in russia,
- Accenture ceasing work in russia,
- Interpublic Group (the parent company of PR agencies Web Shandwick, Golin, DeVries Global, Current Global, Rogers & Cowan/ PMK, ReviveHealth and United Minds) — stopped cooperation with russia on March 14,
- MSL і Qorvis (Франція) — leaving russia,
- Publicis Groupe — also leaving russia,
- Omnicom, which includes PR agencies FleishmanHillard, Ketchum and Porter Novelli, has confirmed that it is withdrawing from russia,
- Ketchum — left russian market.
- The Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey agencies also announced that they are ending cooperation with russian structures.
The fight is not only on the battlefield but also in the information space. Therefore, the exit from the russian market of communication agencies, which influence the economy, the media market, and the formation of public opinion, is essential.
According to information from open sources
