“It’s hard to somehow make our thoughts clear about the war that is happening now at our home. Everything still feels surreal. 2 months ago, we were not ready for it at all.
Everyone had their personal plans, our heads occupied by thoughts like “where should I spend my summer,” “are we going to have an office party soon” & “what commercial projects are we going to prepare for ad festivals and competitions?” Basic problems of everyday people.
Everything changed on 24.02.2022. It feels like these 46 days passed like one. One endless horrible day.
From the 1st day of the war, we decided to continue working just because we needed to do something at the very least. So, we did & kept doing what we’re good at: communication and telling the truth. Even though our commercial clients immediately froze all projects (which was logical for UA businesses), we started “creative volunteering.” Working mainly free of charge for humanitarian foundations, creating identities & designs for communicational projects, taking part in fighting against Russian propaganda, & supporting Ukrainian brands that need to be heard & seen abroad now more than ever. We also continued looking for foreign commercial clients to help the team by paying salaries & to support the country by paying taxes.
Our team’s routine changed dramatically too. It wasn’t about the comfort of office morning coffees anymore. It’s about starting the day by checking if everyone is alive, safe, has electricity & an internet connection to keep working. The week is no more divided into working days & weekends; every week is just another 7 days of war we need to fight to make our victory closer every day. Work has been one of the most effective therapies against reading news 24/7 & being paralyzed by all the hell happening in our cities.
It may sound weird, but except for all the horror which Russia is doing to our Ukraine today, the war helped us see one significant thing. We see how strong & proud Ukrainians are, how much we love our country, & how self-sacrificing we can be if anybody tries to offend our people or take away our homes.”
Words by Bickerstaff.734. #StandWithUkraine.