In an effort to elevate its new messaging app, Max, VK, the prominent Russian tech company, has turned to a roster of internet personalities and celebrities to amplify its message. While these endorsements have largely been formulaic, the consensus among users is clear: the app functions as intended. This promotional initiative coincides with speculation that Russian authorities may restrict access to popular foreign messaging platforms like WhatsApp, thereby steering users towards a domestic alternative.
VK’s Strategic Campaign for Max
VK, the powerhouse behind Russia’s largest social media platform, is intensifying its marketing for Max, which is currently in beta testing. Positioned as a national messenger, it aims to fill the void that might be left by WhatsApp, should the government decide to impose a ban. “The authorities have limited options to persuade users to abandon familiar and user-friendly platforms in favor of a cumbersome state messenger,” remarked Sarkis Darbinyan, a lawyer with the digital rights organization Roskomsvoboda.
To enhance the visibility of Max, VK has enlisted the support of notable figures from the entertainment industry, including Daria Zoteeva, known as Instasamka, and Valentina Karnaukhova, or Valya Karnaval. Zoteeva, who has recently aligned herself with government sentiments, took to Instagram to laud Max just days ago.
<figure class="EmbedBlock-modulerootwNZlD EmbedBlock-moduleccGyw44 EmbedBlock-moduledefaultnp8MO EmbedBlock-modulemobileFullwidth1MDT5 EmbedBlock-moduleproportional_zDPfm”>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/48C4pGLZ2VM?feature=oembed&ivloadpolicy=3&showinfo=0&color=white” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen title=’Инстасамка: “Скачивайте приложение Макс”))’>
Karnaukhova echoed similar sentiments, both praising the app’s voice call quality. Zoteeva claimed she managed a two-hour conversation in an underground parking garage without losing connection, while Karnaukhova noted that the app maintained a clear signal “even on the move or in an elevator.” Other local celebrities, such as comedian Denis Dorokhov, have also joined the chorus, sharing their positive experiences with Max while traveling.
<hr class="SimpleBlock-moduledivider-VXBu SimpleBlock-modulecenterD1CsV”/>
However, the heavy-handed nature of these promotions has not gone unnoticed. Some users and online commentators have pointed out that Max is being lauded for merely meeting basic expectations. Streamer JesusAVGN (Alexey Gubanov) humorously remarked that the app’s standout feature appears to be its basic functionality, quipping, “Max will catch you even in an elevator,” subtly alluding to concerns over user data transmission to the authorities.
On June 30, VK announced that Max had garnered one million registered users within just three months. Less than two weeks later, the company released another statement, revealing the introduction of group video calls and claiming that user numbers had surged to over two million by early July. Whether this growth is a result of effective marketing or inflated statistics remains a topic of speculation.
