On February 17, the offsite meeting of the PR Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) took place in the conference hall of the Grand Hotel Europe. The session was moderated by Darya Krivosheeva, Head of Marketing and Communications at Acsour and Co-Chair of the PR Committee.
The venue was chosen thoughtfully. Grand Hotel Europe is one of St. Petersburg's oldest hotels, the first luxury-class hotel in Russia, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year.
Key Discussion Points
The meeting's theme was "Creating New Products Through Historical Heritage." Ekaterina Vasilyeva, Director of Public Relations, and Daniil Shamshurov, Senior Corporate and Diplomatic Segment Manager at Grand Hotel Europe, shared insights on how a brand with a 150-year history remains contemporary and in demand.
However, the core of the meeting addressed a broader question: how brands can transition from advertising messages to creating genuine meaning. Participants explored:
How to identify and articulate a brand's core value or mission.
Where to find authentic narratives and which channels to use to convey them to the audience.
Who speaks on behalf of the brand today, and who does the audience trust more — CEOs, employees, clients, or influencers?
Which tools (immersive technologies, UGC, documentary content) truly deepen engagement.
And finally, what "influence" means for a brand today, and how to measure the depth and quality of connection with the audience.
After the Discussion
The meeting concluded with a tour of the hotel. Participants witnessed firsthand how a historic space becomes part of communication and the client experience — a living example of the very concepts discussed in the conference hall.
For us, participation in AmCham's professional committees is an opportunity to engage in dialogue with the market, understand how communications are evolving, and bring this knowledge to our work with clients. The themes raised at the meeting — trust, meaning, and depth of audience connection — are relevant today for any business aiming to remain visible and influential.