New York, NY, April 16, 2002 - Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, American companies have spent billions of advertising dollars to reach consumers in Russia (in 1999 alone, Proctor & Gamble spent 297 million dollars, Wrigley spent 87 million dollars, and Coca Cola 54 million*), while the Russian-speaking market in the U.S. remains largely untapped. In the past, most American companies with multicultural marketing programs tended to focus their efforts solely on Hispanic, African-American, and Asian consumers. In recent years however, progressive companies began to turn their attention to consumers of Eastern-European origin.

"More and more companies have recognized the tremendous buying potential of the surging Russian-American population and are benefiting from it," says Svetlana Ivanova, Advertising Director for RTVI, a Russian-language television network available to all Russian-speaking residents in the U.S., "Yet, some companies are still trying to find the best way to reach this affluent community." For maximum results, Ivanova says that companies should not simply translate their message into Russian. Instead, they must adapt their message to fit the Russian culture as a whole. "Once companies tailor their message to the 'Russian way of thinking,' the level of penetration is usually much higher than within any other ethnic market or even in the general market," she says.

Russian-American consumers are aspirant and brand loyal, with a strong tendency to 'keep up with the Jones'. These consumers are adverse to propaganda tactics, such as hard-selling and direct testimonial advertising. Russian culture has taught them to value advertising that draws on humor, irony, and Russian themes. Ivanova says that Russian culture is also extremely family-oriented and therefore, the opinion of friends and relatives strongly affects buying behavior. Similarly, Russian-language media is viewed by most Russian-Americans as being more trustworthy than other media. “In a way, these native language sources actually become part of a Russian family, and its main source of information,” she says.

Today, in the United States, there are more than 90 Russian-language publications, over a dozen Russian-language radio stations, and only one 24-hour, two-channel, nationwide Russian-language TV package RTVI. The network’s objective in the United States is not to compete with American television, but to complement it by catering to the informational and entertainment needs of the Russian-speaking audience. RTVI offers around-the-clock, award-winning programming specifically tailored to meet the tastes and preferences of the Russian-speaking population in the United States. As the leading provider of original and acquired Russian-language programming in the U.S., RTVI is the most watched network in Russian-American homes.

RTVI's two channels, RTVI and RTVI Plus, provide an extensive line-up of programming produced in Russia and abroad. The programming is similar in format to that of major English-language networks, including news and information, comedy and drama series, talk shows and game shows, motion pictures and documentaries, sporting events, music concerts, and even children’s programs. The RTVI and RTVI Plus channels are distributed via local cable operators and a satellite network. Major advertisers on RTVI include Daily News, MCI, Western Union, AT&T, Lot Airlines, Verizon, MoneyGram, and Zepter International.

For more information on RTVI, please contact Svetlana Ivanova at 917-606-2588.