Media partnership from Moscow to Beijing: GPM Ads held a big Chinese business breakfast meeting

On July 8, GPM Ads (Gazprom-Media Holding’s sales house) held a business event dedicated to cooperation between Russia and China in the media sphere. New opportunities and projects at the cultural nexus of friendly countries were the key topic of the meeting.

Sino-Russian relations have a significant potential for growth, which is a key factor in ensuring the development of international economic, social and cultural initiatives. In January-April of this year, trade turnover between China and Russia increased by 4.7% compared to the same period of the previous year. Chinese brands are actively continuing to open up their brands, and demand for goods is constantly growing.

To gain trust and build an emotional connection with consumers, new Chinese brands need media expertise. Gazprom-Media Holding is already actively involved in bringing Chinese brands to Russia.

The big Chinese breakfast was a continuation of Gazprom-Media Holding’s strategic line related to the signing of a cooperation agreement with China Media Group (CMG) in May 2024.

The business breakfast consisted of two parts. The first part discussed issues of long-term partnership between Russia and China in the media sphere, the prospects for Asian companies entering local markets, and the features of interaction between cultures that influence the development of creative industries. Ekaterina Veselkova, CEO of GPM Ads, was the moderator.

Speakers at the strategic part were:

• Aleksandr Zharov, CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding

• Li Zheng, CEO of China Huaming International Investment Corporation

• Zhou Liqun, Chairman of the Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia

• Kirill Babaev, Director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences; President, National Coordination Center for International Business Cooperation (NCC)

• Aleksandr Tsypin, Director of Strategic Projects, Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RASPP)

The second block of discussions was devoted to best practices in advertising, content and brand promotion from Gazprom-Media Holding experts. Presentations were given by:

• Nikolay Kartoziya, producer, CEO of Friday! and Saturday! TV channels

• Sergei Malozemov, writer and presenter of Tech Wonder and Food of Life TV programs on NTV

• Aleksandr Tashchin, General Producer, Match TV

• Konstantin Obukhov and Vsevolod Zharov, producers of the Challenge show

As part of the business breakfast, the new host of the international Challenge Russian-Chinese reality show was introduced. Feiya Zou is an actress, blogger and model with Chinese roots. She will help ease interaction between the Russian and Chinese teams, teach them to understand cultural differences, and help the participants to open up fully in the new season.

The topic of effective interaction between the countries in the media sphere united over 150 specialists of the professional community interested in the development of bilateral relations. The business breakfast guests included heads of Russian and Chinese advertising agencies, representatives of national companies of both countries, and heads of departments of government agencies.

Concluding the event, the participants unanimously noted the importance of cooperation for the scaling of business and creative industries of the countries in the international arena. According to the parties, sustainable and mutually beneficial cooperation will expand the cultural horizons of the countries, become a foundation for the creation of advanced media projects, and form a significant contribution to strengthening economic relations.

GPM Ads, and Friday!, Saturday!, TNT, NTV, and Match TV television channels are part of Gazprom-Media Holding.