When the Internet Dies, SMS Returns: Russia’s Retro Marketing Boom
In a display of digital desperation, businesses in Russia are fleeing to SMS as mobile internet becomes as reliable as a chocolate teapot. It’s a nostalgic return to 2006, proving that when modern tech fails, spam is the only thing that survives.
When mobile internet starts glitching due to frequent outages, companies stop worrying about fancy social media ads and start spamming your inbox via SMS. Data from major carriers like MegaFon and MTS shows a massive surge in text message campaigns starting in April 2026. While the rest of the world moves toward sophisticated AI-driven marketing, Russian businesses are falling back on the digital equivalent of carrier pigeons.
The growth is particularly aggressive in the retail, finance, and fashion sectors, where brands are desperate to reach customers who can't open their apps. MTS AdTech reports that the number of ad campaigns jumped significantly, with some regions seeing activity spikes of up to 71%. It seems like a brilliant strategy: if you can't reach the user through Telegram or VK, just annoy them directly on their home screen.
However, experts remain skeptical about this sudden love for ancient tech. Firms like Mindbox and NMi Digital note that SMS is expensive, outdated, and lacks proper targeting. It isn't a digital renaissance; it's a frantic insurance policy against a crumbling digital infrastructure.
This is the ultimate paradox of modern stagnation: while the government spends billions building a 'sovereign internet,' the actual business landscape is retreating into the prehistoric era of text blasts to keep the lights on.
Source: Kommersant
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