Putin’s image synonymous with Russia
MOSCOW: As Vladimir Putin begins his fourth term as Russia’s president, his image is present everywhere at home and effectively Russia’s “brand” worldwide.
A fixture on state television, he shows up daily – giving instructions to officials, meeting workers, visiting heads of state, and surveying new facilities. Not infrequently, he shows up in a more casual setting such as playing hockey or skiing.
At Sheremetyevo International Airport and souvenir stands throughout Moscow, Putin’s sober, stern visage gazes out from T-shirts, mugs, matryoshka nesting dolls and fridge magnets. Sometimes, the images combine respect with humour, such as him riding a bear, his shirtless torso showing impressive muscles. Analysts say Putin’s portrayal is shifting. “Putin has started to shift from the image of the fighter and a miracle-maker to the image of a considered man and the leader of a young team,” says Yevgeny Minchenko, a political consultant in Moscow.
“He’s now a wise ruler, who doesn’t go solving the issues but sets a strategic course and appoints talented young people who are able to implement this course.”
“He’s a person of a European culture. Putin’s nature is quite reserved. So to him, as a professional spy, the grotesque displays of loyalty are suspicious rather than pleasant,” says Minchenko.
For many Russian enterprises, his face is a commercial opportunity.
The founders of Syet, a pro-Putin group which designs merchandise and slogans emblazoned with his image and message, have sought to capitalise on what they call “the Putin brand”.
Gleb Kraynik, one of the designers behind the Syet project said: “Putin is without a doubt the country’s brand”.
“If before when you asked a foreigner what he thought of when he thought of Russia, he would have said: matryoshka, balalaika, caviar, vodka. Now he’ll say Putin.”