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Natalia Okulova
Brand manager Lipton
UNILEVER

I believe that marketing is… the heart of every business. Effective marketing fastens all the processes and fulfills with energy. Like the heart in a body, marketing activities in a company should be running 24/7, as you can come up with a bright idea at any time: on your way home, during the dinner or on the weekend. It is very important always to be open to something new.

The most important marketing trends are… rapid internet usage development that makes brands closer to customers; retail sales growth and increasing of corporate social responsibility. Unilever certainly takes into account all of them. One of the examples of our social responsibility is that Unilever’s tea packing factory in St. Petersburg recycles and reuses its waste.

Russian market offers great possibilities to create and to experiment.

In a big corporation... the processes management is as significant as people who stay behind them. In a company as big as Unilever, everyone should follow the guidelines and know precisely what results are expected from them in order to keep the company running as a clockwork.

The strategy of an international company implies that… a lot of things are designed at global level. But in reality many products and advertising campaigns are created in local offices. And it’s a pleasure to do it here in Russia! Creating new products is a part of our daily routine.

Experiments are great, but when it is about choosing a partner, you should experiment carefully.

Well-formulated tasks... can save you a lot of time and energy. When I am working to a tight deadline, I prefer to make the agency’s task as clear and exact as possible. It is of high importance to plan all the steps carefully and to choose only well-proven agencies as partners, especially when you are working on a project under time pressure.

What I expect from our partners... Is, first of all, personal involvement and commitment. If the project implies creating something new, it is obvious that I expect people to think out of the box. But even if the task is rather simple and doesn’t involve great creative work, it’s important that the agency regards it as significant and takes full responsibility.

There aren't many true professionals and outstanding talents in the market, and it's significant to build good relations with them. I am happy that there are agencies like Depot, as I can count on them both on big creative projects and in local technical tasks.

Three highly effective success tips for a brand manager:

1. Know and love your brand.
Lipton is a famous brand, loved by many people. And I love it too.

2. Know and love people you work for.
You can't conquer their hearts if you have no idea who they are.

3. Cultivate the atmosphere of partnership and trust.
It may take long, but it's worth it.

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