Last month, March 1-2, Sam Stone, Creative Director at London-based Identica, taught a masterclass on visual identity and branding for the Russian designers and managers in Moscow. Popsop sat down with Sam to discuss how local Russian brands can fulfill their potential to become globally known and iconic, and why Russian FMCG brands choose to imitate Western style rather than developing their own.

Creative Social, founded in 2004 by Daniele Fiandaca and Mark Chalmers, is a collective of the world’s most pioneering, interactive creative directors and business owners (the Socials)—a group of people who recognise that collaborating in this digital landscape is how they’ll advance the industry and enjoy the journey.