The book "Baltic Weekend: 25 Years of Communications" was presented in Moscow

A Book on 25 Years of Communications, AI, and Tourism: How the Baltic Winter Forum Went

The fourth Baltic Winter communications forum took place in Moscow, the central event of which was the presentation of the book "Baltic Weekend: 25 Years of Communications," dedicated to the development of the PR industry in Russia.

AKOS is a long-standing partner and participant in the forum.

As Andrey Barannikov, the event organizer and CEO of SPN Communications and Vice President of the Russian Public Relations Association (RASO), noted, Baltic Winter in Moscow is a continuation of the Baltic Weekend forum, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.

"We are essentially launching the 2026 business season together. Over the four years of its existence, the Moscow Baltic Winter forum has been attended by over 1,000 people. It's very gratifying that the number of people coming to us is growing every year," said Andrey Barannikov, opening the event.

The History of Communications in Russia – A Practitioner's View

The presentation of the book "Baltic Weekend: 25 Years of Communications," dedicated to the forum's anniversary, was the key event.

"Twenty-five authors. Twenty-five stories of those who have been and are behind the development of our industry. This isn't a textbook, but revelations. This is what they would have liked to tell their younger selves when they were just starting out. This is the wisdom they've earned through years of work, mistakes, and discoveries," emphasized Andrey Barannikov.

Aleksey Goreslavsky, Director of the Internet Development Institute (ANO IRI), one of the essay's authors, noted the book's uniqueness: "It brings together the thoughts and comments of practitioners—people who create PR with their own hands, the very PR that traditionally is the center of discussion at Baltic Weekend. Practical cases and professional reflection—that's what makes this book truly valuable."

Ekaterina Khvatova, Director of External Communications at Lemana PRO, compared the book to a time machine, allowing one to travel from the first press releases to the era of digital consciousness.

"It mirrors the development of the industry in our country—the transition from propaganda to PR, from one-off tools to comprehensive strategies, from information deficit to information overload. It serves as a bridge between generations of communicators, preserving professional heritage and unique experience, analyzing mistakes and successes, and shaping the future of the industry," said Ekaterina Khvatova.

AI, Technology, and Tourism

The forum program covered current industry topics—experts discussed the key industry trends by the end of 2025 and forecasts for 2026.

Borislav Volodin, Director of the ArtMasters National Open Championship of Creative Competencies, shared his recommendations with the participants on how to create something that will be remembered for years to come.

"The intersection of art and technology—art challenges technology, and technology inspires art. It is at this intersection that new growth emerges, new products and production solutions emerge, and a new audience is formed. The interaction of creativity and technology is a crucial factor in the development of creative industries today," noted Borislav Volodin.

Yevgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor and Government of Moscow and Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, spoke about the role of communications in promoting Russia.

"Tourism is highly competitive and a team effort, and success is only possible when the city, business, and society work together," he noted.

Yevgeny Kozlov gave a telling example: "The celebration of Chinese New Year in Moscow has become an organic international news event with billions of dollars in reach, without direct advertising purchases. This demonstrates the power of meaning and events." He added that "businesses of any size can participate in festivals and projects not simply as sponsors, but as co-creators of meaning and programs."

Journalist and media manager Alexander Lyubimov noted that the abundance of information in the modern media environment is driving people to create their own information worlds. He believes journalism is undergoing a profound transformation: "From a sincere search for truth to a system where the boundaries between journalism and PR have long been blurred."

Vladislav Stratonnikov, Head of Product Development at Medialogia, spoke about the use of AI in Russia. According to a joint study by Medialogia and MTS AdTech, 53% of artificial intelligence users in Russia are women. People under 24 (25%) are the most active. On average, Russians spend 5 minutes working with text using neural networks and 13 minutes creating images. Alice AI and DeepSeek led the way in popularity, but ChatGPT remains the most mentioned neural network on Russian social media.

Baltic Weekend 2026

В этом году форум Baltic Weekend пройдет 23-25 сентября в Санкт-Петербурге. Традиционно в рамках форума пройдет торжественная церемония вручения коммуникационной премии PROBA Awards и студенческая конференция Student Baltic Weekend. Ежегодно мероприятие собирает более 400 участников, объединяя представителей бизнеса, государственных структур и СМИ. Организатором форума выступает коммуникационное агентство SPN Communications.