Made in Russia: a style with a Russian character

Socially Important Projects

Tagline and descriptor • Environmental graphics and navigation signs design • Rebranding •

Customer: Russian Export Center (REC)

Context: Amid external limitations, Russian export is a strategic tool for the country's presence in the global market. For over 10 years, Russian Export Center (REC) has been helping Russian companies enter foreign markets; the Made in Russia national trademark is supposed to act as a global marker of quality, trust and well-deserved reputation of Russian manufacturers.

Objectives:

— Create an integrated system that would bring together various REC functions (export, exhibitions, industry programs, manufacturer support) and remain equally viable at foreign markets
— Ensure continuity of the registered and recognizable trademark, the “bird” that is already being used widely, including abroad
— Transition the brand from isolated manifestations to a controllable architecture, with common use rules and industry scaling

Solution:

The Depot team approached the project as the development of a full-fledged export brand for Russia. We developed a unique image that became a true reflection of the Russian character, bringing together traditions and modern trends.

Our design system was based around the “export as movement” concept that followed the visual languages of routes and junctions, because export is the link between Russian manufacturers and their foreign markets. But a national brand can't possibly exist without the “Russian style.” Bands, braids and weaving were chosen as a key metaphor for Made in Russia: images that convey interweaving industries and the scale of the Russian presence abroad, as well as offer a flexible modular visual set for communications focused on different objectives and markets.

Uniform and correct use is vitally important for a national brand. Instead of changing its nature, we simply make it more controllable and consistent. That strengthens partner trust and makes all communications under the Made in Russia brand easier to align. We used the Depot branding agency's expertise to help us with that task and ensure highest quality implementation and consistent use of brand standards on all platforms and media.

Nadezhda Burakova
REC Marketing Director

Made in Russia: a style with a Russian character - Портфолио Depot

We preserve the logo's continuity through careful amplification. The original trademark was recognizable, but too busy: we removed extraneous details, smoothed out transitions and kept the “bird” outline, so that the updated version would remain modern and not require legal amendments. We used national codes (including the tricolor) in a reserved and competitive manner, so they would improve visibility and trust for the exported products.

Communication media

The Depot team structured the use architecture and application rules for the logo, visuals, colors and typography on all key media (exhibitions, navigation, catalogues, digital and social media). We also provided scaling for various industries that would preserve the nature of the brand. Importantly, the new style also works on product badges and labels, clearly representing the connection to the REC program: Made in Russia. The slogan saying “A style with a Russian character” was established as a semantic anchor for the brand's positioning: modern identity, quality and visibility, recognizable with no need for explanations and supporting the brand's commonality in different markets.

Result:

The Made in Russia brand got its unique concept that fully reflects the Russian identity in a modern way. The “Made in Russia” logo broadcasts unity, lightness and deep meanings revealed through colors and forms. The Depot team created a brand that announces itself proudly at the global market. A carefully structured identity and a detailed brand book help the REC team strengthen the Russian product export, emphasize uniqueness and high quality of Russian brands.

We achieved one of the project's main objectives, transitioning the national brand from inconsistency to a single powerful system that now works to ensure REC's and Russian manufacturer's successes at the international stage. Depot created a brand that announces itself proudly at the global stage.

The REC brand does not simply help promote Russian companies abroad: it speaks in Russia's name when positive communication is particularly important. That's a great responsibility we at Depot feel and share with all reasonable people.

Aleksey Andreev, Managing Partner, Depot

Agency team:

Nikita Potapov, Project Manager
Aleksandra Ivanova, Director, Account Management Team
Anastasia Tretyakova, Executive Creative Director
Aleksandr Petukhov, Creative Director, ID Function
Andrey Anisimov, Art Director
Anna Gavrina, Designer
Anna Kalinicheva, Executive Director
Stasya Vasilenko, PR Manager

Client team:

Nadezhda Burakova, Marketing Director
Maria Popkova, Head, Product Marketing Function

End Date: 10/31/2025