Ukrainian Marketing Forum 2026: Navigating Life and Work in a Broken World

Every year, the Ukrainian Marketing Forum conducts a search for creative ideas for its advertising communications, supporting the key theme of the event. In 2026, critical questions for the professional marketing community will revolve around how to live and work in a broken world, as well as how to keep progressing when traditional models and rules no longer apply.

Iryna Bondarenko, the general producer of the forum and owner of the event management company IdeasFirst, elaborates on the organizers' vision: "When we discussed the theme of the forum, we realized that it was essential to emphasize this very turning point. The main challenge is to look at the situation soberly: not to manipulate fears, not to sell illusions, not to pretend that everything is under control. Instead, we need to create supports for ourselves and others. It is under such conditions that new meanings and strategies emerge, not through loud promises, but through honesty, resilience, and the ability to see reality as it is."

Serhiy Kostya, the producer of the Ukrainian Marketing Forum and regional marketing director for Bolt in Central, Eastern Europe, and Asia, adds that the main value of this year's forum lies in the collective search for answers: "We have gathered people who are already operating in this new reality and are ready to share what works and what doesn’t."

This year's creative concept unfolds in two dimensions: "The World is Broken. But We Are Not" — about accepting and understanding the new reality; and "The Path Through the Darkness" — about finding solutions and developing despite uncertainty.

The campaign kicked off in mid-February with a teaser flight, showcasing deliberately crumpled banners from previous Ukrainian Marketing Forums. This reflects the reality that what was discussed at the forum just a few years ago does not always work in today's context, and many solutions no longer yield results. This teaser represents the state in which Ukrainian businesses currently exist and signals that it is time to recalibrate direction and share fresh experiences.

The second flight, which began in mid-March and will continue until the date of the forum, complements and visually enhances the idea. At its core is the image of a broken world. In the videos that have become a key element of the campaign, familiar scenes of life crack, deform, and lose their integrity. The familiar reality crumbles right before the viewer's eyes.

The advertising campaign was developed by Arriba! Creative Agency. Max Burtsov, the creative director and founder of the agency, comments on the choice of concept and visual solution: "The events that have transpired since last year's Ukrainian Marketing Forum have definitively proven: the world we knew has broken. Systems, institutions, forecasts, markets — everything we were accustomed to has been shattered, altered, and mixed up. In such times, the best thing we can do for ourselves and the community is to acknowledge the new reality and collectively seek new ways to exist within it. The organizers of the forum — the country's main marketing platform — have set themselves this very task: not to embellish reality but to speak honestly about the state of the industry and the relevant approaches today. Our goal was to create a visual style that not only underscores the forum's theme but also conveys, almost physically, the state of the world in which we will have to live."

The main theme of the campaign is logically revealed in the program of the Ukrainian Marketing Forum 2026. Speakers at the event will focus on how businesses and marketing can operate under new conditions, how to rethink strategies, and how to find growth points where none existed before.

Among the key speakers and experts are strategists, communicators, and researchers of Ukrainian and international business. More details about the topics of the speeches and speakers can be found on the UMF website: https://tinyurl.com/4dj658m4.

The creative idea and execution were provided by the team at Arriba! Creative Agency: Max Burtsov — creative director; Olga Burtsova — account director; Oles Pasichnyk — motion designer. The post-production of video materials was handled by the Starlight Media team.

The organizer of the Ukrainian Marketing Forum is IdeasFirst: Iryna Bondarenko — UMF producer and owner of the event management company IdeasFirst; Serhiy Kostya — UMF producer and regional marketing director for Bolt in Central and Eastern Europe and Asia; Olga Haraschenko — project manager of UMF.

The title partners of the forum are Visa and Bolt, with general partners including Rockets, Promodo, PrivatBank, and Work.ua.

The Ukrainian Marketing Forum is the primary annual meeting place for a community of professionals who offer new ideas, develop strategies and products, and shape customer experiences. This platform allows the market to discuss the agenda for tomorrow and analyze the lessons learned.