Social Advertising in Russia to Grow to 63 Billion Rubles in 2026

• the high base effect from last year;

• the overall slowdown of the Russian advertising market.

This was stated by Damir Feyzulllov, Director of Digital and Social Media at the communications agency PR Partner.

Who Will Compensate for the Business Slowdown?

The state, according to Mr. Feyzulllov, can close the emerging gap. It has two instruments at its disposal:

• large-scale social campaigns;

• more active placement in the second half of the year.

The final ratio of spending by businesses, non-profit organizations, and the state, the expert noted, will depend on the timing of such campaigns and decisions on budget allocations.

Thus, the key uncertainty in the 2026 forecast lies not in the private sector but in the budget calendar: the launch dates of state social initiatives will determine whether the final market volume lands closer to the lower or upper bound of the 60–63 billion ruble range.

For the advertising market, the social segment remains one of the growth drivers amid the industry's overall cooling. Growth of nearly 40% in the first four months of the year significantly outpaces the market's overall dynamics, and the question for the coming months is whether state placements can keep the segment on this trajectory.