abanin · Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine ·
Social and military-themed advertising is a major part of modern Ukrainian culture. It’s not just about communication or public messaging anymore—it’s about identity. It’s how the state, the military, and the people talk to one another. And in the middle of a full-scale war, you can see very clearly how that dialogue works. There’s a constant stream of official information—updates, warnings, morale-building messages—but also a surprising amount of creativity and wit. Look at the third advertisement rolling out on the billboard in my video. It doesn’t show a soldier in the mud or a battlefield filled with smoke. It shows a fully grown Ukrainian soldier — riding a giant cat into battle. Yes, riding a cat. Like it’s a horse. And the two of them are charging headfirst into a horde of zombies. Slogan says: “Preparing for any scenario”.. It’s surreal, funny, and this kind of approach became an important part of nowadays communication culture. That poster is a good example of the uniquely Ukrainian way of coping with crisis: with humor. With absurdity. And most importantly—with an openness to humor even when it comes from official sources. From the government. From the military. From institutions we don’t always associate with irony or satire. There are contradictions, of course. At times, communication here can feel rigid, top-down—bordering on authoritarian in tone. But at the same time, it’s a country bursting with color, with wit, with the kind of irony I'd normally expect from British or Dutch comercials, brought by creatives from Leo Bernette, or Saatchi & Saatchi agencies. There is room for controversial solutions that I’m not always agree with, but definitely I can confirm that cheesy recruiting advertisement is not a bug, but a feature