Ukrposhta accused of sexualizing schoolchildren through advertising before February 14: reaction of the scandalous head of Smilyansky

Ukrposhta CEO Ihor Smilyansky has apologized for the wave of criticism that erupted over a controversial advertising campaign with a clothing brand that sparked criticism for sexualizing a schoolgirl.

Smilyansky noted that the advertising that caused such outrage was the result of a company mistake and his personal miscalculation. He admitted that management did not pay attention to sensitive social topics, including discussions around the Epstein case, debates over changing the age of marriage, and the recent rebranding of Ukrposhta. Taking these factors into account, the management made the wrong decision to launch the advertising campaign.

Smilyansky reported that cooperation with the brand has been suspended, but this does not mean Ukrposhta will refuse to partner with youth brands in the future, as the company intends to expand its audience. He also expressed his gratitude to professionals involved in protecting children’s rights and apologized on behalf of himself and his team.

The CEO urged the public to distinguish between sincere reactions to the topic and attempts to attract attention. He emphasized the difference between parents who are genuinely concerned about the issue and anonymous commentators who are using the scandal for their own purposes.

The conflict began on February 6, when a Threads user expressed concern about a Valentine’s Day advertisement, a joint project of Ukrposhta and Rikky Hype. The image chosen for the advertisement caused outrage, which eventually became the subject of wider discussion. The original post was quickly deleted, but its screenshots were shared online. In the context of recent criticism of the expensive rebranding, this caused a new surge of negativity.

Some users supported the criticism, while others did not see anything provocative in the advertisement. The brand later updated its visuals and stated its intention to revive the tradition of paper valentines. It was planned to install special mailboxes in stores in Kyiv and Dnipro. As discussions about the first version of the advertisement continued, the company published old photos of its team, claiming that the teenagers’ clothing style at the time did not imply any hidden meanings.

Smilyansky also clarified that at first he did not see any problems in the advertising materials and did not familiarize himself with them. However, if a significant part of society perceives them differently, the company is ready to suspend the project and decide on a possible revision of the concept or termination of cooperation.