The advertising industry in Armenia has undergone a transformation; major corporations that have traditionally relied on TV, outdoor advertising, and online media to promote their products are now allocating a portion of their budget to bloggers and influencers.

Shushan Avagimyan, business development director of the “Yerevan Mall” shopping and entertainment center, says that working with bloggers has become imperative for business in recent years because “the trust in the media is decreasing, and so is the efficiency.”

Shushan Avagimyan explains that it has become important for their fashion and entertainment sector to deliver their message through specific influencer audiences. By allocating budgets, social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook enable businesses to achieve precise and effective audience targeting; this evidences the efficacy and precision of these platforms for enterprises operating in similar industries.

According to Samvel Sahakyan, head of the “Prime Commercial” network advertising agency, advertisers currently allocate around 6-7% of their total budget to bloggers and influencers.

Sahakyan says that the funds are allocated specifically from the television advertising budget.

According to him, television advertising remains the most sought-after in Armenia, with major advertisers allocating over 50% of their budgets towards it.

There are several reasons for this:

1. Television advertising in Armenia follows international standards, is effectively measured, and provides clear results for advertisers.
2. In the Armenian online domain, advertisers tend to allocate most of their budget to television due to the lack of competitive content.
3. Yerevan Municipality is tightening regulations on outdoor advertising, leading to a reduction in street ads and higher costs. As a result, advertisers may have to turn to television advertising once again.

According to Samvel Sahakyan, television advertising has increased compared to previous years.

“Large Russian companies, such as “Yandex,” have entered the market, which activated the advertising market. Another company called “Ozone” is expected to enter the market soon, which will further boost the industry. The rise in purchasing power due to Russian relocators in Armenia has led to increased advertising investment. The television advertising market has expanded by around 10-15 percent,” – says the expert. 

Hasmik Mkrtchyan, the head of the advertising and communication department of “Ucom” company, also says that their primary advertising platform is television.

Mkrtchyan notes that the choice of advertising platforms depends on the target audience; different advertising formats are used to reach different target audiences.

“Digital advertising allows for more targeted and efficient promotion of products and services, while television advertising reaches a larger audience,” she adds.

Tigranuhi Martirosyan