In August 2020, Maxim Galkin* became the official brand ambassador of AliExpress Russia. In October, a music video dropped — a cover of the Romanian O-Zone hit "Dragostea Din Tei" with lyrics about the 11.11 sale. Commenters on YouTube called it the biggest hit of 2020. The entire project — from idea to air — took three weeks, mostly remote.
* Maxim Galkin has been designated a foreign agent in the Russian Federation.
"Dragostea Din Tei" by O-Zone is one of the most recognisable hits of the 2000s. We took the melody, wrote advertising lyrics about AliExpress, and asked Galkin to sing them. The result was a song you want to hear all the way through — and can't get out of your head. That's exactly what advertising needs.
The idea of pairing the brand's tagline "Yes, you can" with a reworked hit proved precise: a familiar sound lowers the barrier to engagement, and the unexpected context — a marketplace ad — makes it twice as memorable.
The entire cycle — from concept to final edit — took just over three weeks. Most of the team worked remotely. Galkin* appeared in five characters: pop diva, retro housewife, Gen Z roller, glamorous punk, and office worker. The arranger was Gleb Solovyov, who has worked with Bilan, Loboda and Pirozhkov.
* Maxim Galkin has been designated a foreign agent in the Russian Federation.
Galkin is one of the rare Russian performers who can be funny without losing dignity. He fits naturally into any genre and doesn't lose himself in an advertising context. The campaign was built on his ability to transform — and it worked exactly as intended.
* Maxim Galkin has been designated a foreign agent in the Russian Federation.
The campaign rolled out in several formats simultaneously. On television and outdoor across Russia — the visual component. In the app and digital banners — targeted distribution. And separately — a full music release on four streaming platforms: Apple Music, Yandex Music, VK Music and Spotify. The song functioned as media in its own right.
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