Ukrposhta’s Valentine’s Day advertising campaign caused outrage on social media

Ukrposhta and the Rikky Hype brand have found themselves at the center of a scandal over Valentine’s Day advertising.

Users of the social network Threads expressed outrage over an advertising campaign held in a school environment. The promotional materials featured images of teenagers in school uniforms, which caused a wave of critical comments. Many Ukrainians noted the inconsistency of such images for advertising associated with the state-owned postal operator.

Among the photos, the image of a girl in a short skirt near a blackboard was particularly resonant. In addition, users drew attention to a guy holding an object resembling a cigarette. This prompted many to demand the removal of the materials and a public apology.

After a surge of criticism, Ukrposhta deleted the advertising photos from its accounts, but some images remained on the Rikky Hype page. Later, Ukrposhta published an apology on its official platform, explaining that the joint campaign aimed to popularize the school tradition of giving Valentine’s Day cards by installing special mailboxes in the brand’s stores.

We will also recall that recently, Ukrposhta introduced a new logo, which also caused outrage among users. They believed that the funds spent on the update were inappropriate. Then the company’s director made several controversial statements to critics, which further fueled the scandal.

In the face of such events, the question of communication between the company and society remains, as does how marketing campaigns are perceived in the modern context.