Advertising and business image: the Russian specificity

Abstract

Unfortunately, it is otherwise in Russia – for a variety of reasons. Therefore, the image of business as a whole in this country is extremely low. First on the list of these reasons is the inertia of mass consciousness. Throughout several generations, the spirit of unacceptability of market relations has been brought up. The second reason is the behaviour of domestic businessmen, resulting in the negative image of entrepreneurship. The third is a certain selectivity of Russian mass media as to the activity of domestic businessmen, which supports the widespread prejudice that private business is a “dirty thing”. Surely, in the existing circumstances we shouldn’t ignore the factor of unfair competitive struggle and the so called anti-PR. And the fourth reason is a kind of “illiteracy” of Russian businessmen, expressed in the absence of any recognition of social responsibility before the consumer, and in ignoring the severe social situation in the society.