Pop-Propaganda: How the Kremlin Markets its War like Disney and Coca-Cola

This talk will examine how today’s Russian propaganda operates less as classic state messaging and more as a media conglomerate—using influencers, streaming platforms (the Kremlin has its own “Netflix”), branded content, and marketing logic to sell Putin, repression, and the war in Ukraine to those used to TikTok, viral campaigns, and even urban streetwear.

The one-hour lecture traces the evolution of modern Russian pop-propaganda, examines the unique public-private structures behind it, and explains why this model has proven resilient, even grew stronger, despite Russia’s geopolitical isolation. The presentation relies heavily on visuals and case studies drawn from Ryvkin's experience in the Kremlin and contemporary Russian media.

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Host or Publisher BU Center for the Study of Europe