10 Jun 2026
The market is professionalizing, but isolated company successes are not converting into shared intellectual capital for the industry — until that changes, the gap between visibility and real value will keep reproducing itself.
Shodiyakhon Akhrorova is a co-founder of the Ansoff marketing agency and a trainer and expert with international programs (the UN's Tech4Impact, AWE by American Councils). On how the market is moving from isolated successes to a shared ecosystem.
Assessing how systematically today's marketing and advertising industry in Uzbekistan operates, and speaking of the private sector, one can say with confidence: yes, it does work systematically. Over the past 5–10 years the industry in this country has become significantly more professional. Marketing is no longer just advertising or SMM — large companies now see it as a tool for managing the business, for strategic development and transformation.
A vivid example is the Uzum marketplace, which has united fintech, logistics and banking services into a single ecosystem and built a modern brand architecture. The Korzinka chain has set market standards in retail marketing and customer experience. Artel has placed marketing at the very center of its business strategy as it transforms from a local manufacturer into an international export brand. TBC Uzbekistan plays a key role in popularizing fintech services and shaping a culture of digital banking, while the developers Murad Buildings and NRG are striving to take real estate marketing beyond ordinary sales — to the level of lifestyle and community marketing.
Even more important changes are happening in how specialists think. The market is now producing professionals capable of managing entire marketing systems, not just individual SMM specialists or targeting experts. AI tools, automation platforms, data-driven decision-making systems, AI agents and various artificial intelligence solutions are being actively embedded into team workflows. Hard skills are visibly strengthening, and middle and senior managers are shifting from operational tasks to questions of strategic thinking, management and transformation.
Yet in many places the main problem lies not in a lack of knowledge but in a lack of system. In many companies:
As a result, even excellent ideas and promising projects fail to deliver stable, long-term results.
If we analyze which pain points stand out most sharply in the Uzbek market, then in my view the key challenge is the gap between visibility and value. In today's market it is sometimes not the best product or the strongest idea that wins, but the project with the biggest media budget. With advertising investment growing — especially in fintech, retail, telecom and real estate development — it is becoming ever harder for small businesses and startups to reach their audience.
Another problem is the uncontrolled expansion of the education market. In recent years the number of courses in marketing, SMM, ad targeting and IT has grown sharply. On the one hand, this is a positive trend, since there are now more opportunities to gain knowledge. On the other hand, the market is becoming oversaturated with specialists who lack real experience and strategic thinking. As a result, companies are forced to work with people who hold diplomas and certificates but have no understanding of business outcomes. Going forward, the main task will be not simply transferring knowledge but genuinely building competencies.
Considering whether the "rules of the game" in Uzbekistan can be called fully transparent, I would not claim so unequivocally. In tenders and major projects, networking and personal connections still remain an important factor alongside professional competence.
I would, however, point to another aspect. In recent years international organizations, foundations and donor programs have been relying more and more on the potential of local specialists. I myself have worked as a trainer and expert in international projects such as the UN's Tech4Impact, AWE by American Councils and others. These organizations engage precisely local experts to deliver training in marketing, IT, entrepreneurship and innovation. This is a very important signal: international institutions recognize Uzbek experts not merely as students, but as specialists capable of passing knowledge on.
Unfortunately, in the public sector there are still too few systematic talent development programs of comparable scale. What international organizations implement often finds no continuation in the state system and is not replicated at scale.
When it comes to discussing the social responsibility of business, it is important to note that ESG and CSR represent a culture that is only just taking shape in Uzbekistan. Today a systematic approach in this area is demonstrated by companies such as Artel, Korzinka, Uzum, Beeline Uzbekistan and Ucell. Across the market as a whole, however, CSR is still often limited to hashar (community volunteer work), tree planting or one-off charity events.
Modern CSR, by contrast, implies long-term strategic directions:
When we reflect on what exactly Uzbekistan can offer the world, rather than only borrowing from the leading countries, we often concentrate on what we need to learn abroad. It seems to me the question today should be posed differently: what can we ourselves offer the world?
Today Uzum is building a digital ecosystem model for all of Central Asia. Artel demonstrates a unique experience of transforming a local manufacturer into a global brand. TBC Uzbekistan has become one of the fastest-growing fintech projects in the region, while Murad Buildings has set new standards in real estate marketing through storytelling and emotional communication. Our main advantage does not lie in resources. Our strength lies in the ability to adapt quickly, to master new technologies instantly and to produce quality results even with limited resources.
Speaking of whether Uzbekistan is capable of adopting new methodologies and technologies on its own, my answer is: yes, absolutely. Today many local specialists work to international standards in AI, data-driven marketing, process automation and business transformation. What is more, marketers are optimizing their workforce and cutting entry-level (junior) positions, training AI agents and digital assistants to take their place. As a consequence, marketers themselves are noticeably strengthening their soft skills in IT.
The problem lies not in a shortage of knowledge but in how to spread that knowledge systematically across the entire market. To do so, we need to:
In conclusion, assessing the need to discuss these challenges more broadly, I want to stress: it is absolutely essential. Today the most valuable knowledge often stays inside business clubs, closed forums and narrow professional circles. If we want to build a strong market, we must democratize knowledge. Through universities, media platforms, podcasts, open conferences and professional communities, real experience and practical case-studies must reach a wide audience. Strong companies can achieve individual success, but a strong economy and a strong market take shape only when a developed and healthy shared ecosystem exists.
Uzbekistan's marketing and PR market is today in the midst of a deep transformation. On the one hand, companies such as Uzum, Korzinka, Artel, TBC Uzbekistan and Murad Buildings are creating fundamentally new standards. On the other hand, enormous room for growth remains in terms of systematization, transparency, strategic management, the quality of education and knowledge sharing. If just 10 years ago we mostly learned from the world, today individual local companies and specialists are themselves creating practical case-studies for all of Central Asia.
Our main task now is to turn these isolated successes into the shared intellectual capital of the entire market.