The article delves into the evolution of media communications in business, tracing the journey from traditional advertising to the formation of media ecosystems and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In the face of socio-economic turbulence, companies are compelled to adapt to a rapidly changing environment, which necessitates business diversification and the adoption of modern media tools. The authors thoroughly examine the key tasks of media in the context of both internal and external communications, emphasizing their role in building a sustainable brand, fostering customer loyalty, and optimizing client interactions. Special attention is given to successful examples of media resource utilization, such as Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign, which exemplifies socially impactful content, and Nike’s strategy, rooted in value-based positioning and personalization. The article also explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on media and advertising. The authors describe how AI enables content automation, enhances targeting, analyzes vast amounts of data, and predicts audience behavior. Case studies of successful AI implementation are provided, including Netflix’s recommendation system, which has significantly boosted user engagement and reduced operational costs. At the same time, the article raises important ethical considerations, such as data privacy and the challenges of integrating AI into existing business processes. In conclusion, the authors stress the importance of business adaptation to digital transformation, the development of domestic media platforms, and the resolution of ethical issues associated with AI usage. The article offers a comprehensive perspective on the transformation of the media industry and its impact on business processes, making it highly relevant for professionals in marketing, advertising, and media communications.
Keywords: media communications, artificial intelligence, business diversification, branding, digital transformation.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Gurushkin P.Yu., Titovnina E.I., Shlyapov I.V. The evolution of media for business: from advertising to ecosystems and artificial intelligence. Media: Theory and Practice, 2023, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 5–14. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp001

The article examines the role of game in the organization of narrative construction in the social reality of documentary films and the formation of a cognitive tunnel in the viewer’s mind. The article analyzes the social life of a person in a story mode, where the story is presented as a kind of game through which the control of the social world is carried out. At the dawn of its formation and the struggle for identity, documentary films strongly deny the existence of game elements within the cinematic space. The founder of Russian documentary filmmaking, Dziga Vertov, opposed the mixing of arts, and saw in filmmaking, as he called documentary films, a pure genre without music, theater and literature. However, this position did not consider the fact that society plays into the reality in which it lives. The object of documentary film study is a person, and accordingly his inner world, designed by the brain. The human brain creates a kind of neural cinema, where a neural model of reality is built from social beliefs and manifests itself in human behavior. The focus of this article is on social connections: hero — director — viewer and their transformations in the production and distribution of documentary films, including in the digital age. The connection within this triad (hero — director — viewer) is flexible, which allows the participants in the cinematic process to change places and social roles, just as it happens in a game. In the era of digitalization, documentaries are becoming available thanks to gadgets, which leads to a flood of ordinary people and a restructuring of the rules of the game by these non-professionals already at the production stage and distribution. One of the tasks of documentary cinema is a sensual form of complicity, everything that happens to the main character happens to the viewer at the same time. Because of this, from the point of view of emotional fuel, it is the story, as a game, that makes us human and allows us to exchange information within society and form a collective identity.

Keywords: documentary films,game, social reality, social connections, personality, society.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Nikitina T.S. The game as an emotional resource for narrative in documentary films. Media: Theory and Practice, 2023, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 15–19. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp002

This article is devoted to the study of the processes of medicalization of everyday life and the formation of a cult of health as a form of marketing, cultural and ideological manipulation. The mechanisms of transformation of a normal state into a pathological one, the role of pharmaceutical companies in the creation of «new diseases», as well as the influence of the fitness industry, digital technologies and telemedia practices on the perception of the body and health are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the phenomenon of the «digital patient» and the role of neuromarketing in the promotion of dietary supplements and wellness services. The empirical part includes the results of a focus group study confirming the presence of anxiety and internal pressure in respondents in response to health standards broadcast by the media. The findings emphasize the need for a critical approach to the health industry as a cultural and economic construct based on self-control and consumption.

Keywords: medicalization, neuromarketing, dietary supplements, fitness culture, digital health, telemedicine, invented diseases, body cult, self-control.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Muradyan L.A., Alizarchik M.S., Shcheglova A.S. Psychology of the Cult of Diseases: Trends in the Health Industry. Media: Theory and Practice, 2023, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 20–26. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp003

The cosmetics market currently occupies a leading position according to research. This is manifested in its constant growth and improvement. And all this makes us think about what mechanisms to use in order to make the brand more recognizable and build customer trust. Of course, advertising plays an important role in promoting a particular brand, the importance of which increases every day. How to sell this or that product, how to present this or that service, how to make sure that we are recognized. Advertising makes it easy to answer all these questions. At the heart of any advertising activity is the study of the target audience of a particular product that will need to be advertised, the definition of goals, objectives, as well as advertising tools. Advertisers, mass media, advertising agencies, as well as consumers of advertising of goods and services can act as participants in advertising activities. It is important to note that more and more new advertising formats are emerging, especially in the cosmetic field, which makes it necessary to conduct a SWOT analysis of the advertising environment of cosmetic brands, as well as a comparative analysis of brand approaches to promoting Russian youth cosmetics on a natural basis.

Keywords: promotion, advertising, brands, cosmetics, cosmetics brands.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Kovaleva A.I., Emtseva O.V. Analysis of approaches to promoting a cosmetics brand using the example of the brand «Shine». Media: Theory and Practice, 2023, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 27–32. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp004

This article is devoted to the analysis of the problem of integrating SMM promotion tools into media communications of political campaigns. Which is especially relevant today, since for a modern audience, including the target audience for political actors, communication via social networks and media is the most preferable. The relevance of studying this problem is also due to the fact that SMM promotion is traditionally perceived as a tool inherent in the commercial sphere, but the experience and analysis of studies devoted to this topic demonstrate that the practice obtained in the business environment can be successfully integrated into political media communications. Domestic and foreign experts highlight the main areas of application of this technology: commercial organizations that use this technology to generate financial and client flows; non-profit organizations, the main purpose of integrating SMM into their communication strategy is the need for constant communication with the audience and maintaining a positive image; political organizations and politicians, for whom, as experts note, this tool serves, first of all, as a channel for communication with the audience; as well as the features of its integration into the communication interaction of political actors with their target audience. The article provides an analysis of examples of the use of this tool by domestic and foreign political actors, which demonstrates the similarities and differences in approaches to the integration of SMM promotion technology in different countries and political contexts. Based on the analysis of examples, recommendations are formed for the effective integration of SMM promotion technology into media communications of political campaigns, which, due to the specifics of the political sphere, are unique.

Keywords: SMM technologies, media communications, promotion, communication, Internet, political actors, politics.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation:
Baburov D.G. Media communications of political campaigns in the context of SMM promotion tools. Media: Theory and Practice, 2023, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 33–39. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp005