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To provide a European perspective and assess how Georgia meets the conditions for obtaining candidate status - this was the verdict of the European Commission of June 17, 2022, which all of Georgia was waiting for. But "Companions" Ukraine and Moldova, together with the prospect, also received a recommendation for granting the status of a candidate for EU membership.
According to the same recommendation, Georgia will become a candidate for EU membership if it manages to pull itself out of the quagmire and implement the already repeatedly demanded reforms in the judiciary, eliminate political polarization, achieve de-oligarchization, effectively investigate crimes, promote the creation of a free, professional and independent media, etc.
The recommendation published by the European Commission on June 17 was a disappointment for many of our compatriots. The opportunity that arose against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the feeling of not using it; Anger at the government or at our own helplessness and a faint hope in our hearts that the Council of Europe will not heed the recommendation of the European Commission - this is probably an incomplete list of feelings and hopes that each of us experienced on June 17th.
The optimistic expectations regarding the status of the candidate for EU membership and the unconditional perception of the advantages of the European choice were once again demonstrated by the survey of 802 respondents conducted by ACT. It is noteworthy that the fieldwork on the study was completed the day before the meeting of the European Commission on June 17 and covered the period from June 11 to 16. The sampling error of the study was 4.2%.
Geography is destiny - this phrase is attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. However, outstanding Georgians believed in changing this fate centuries ago and believe today when we are trying to become members of the European family, despite the fact that we do not have a direct border with it. Europe not only gives many advantages for us in specific areas, but also embodies values that bring us back to the path of our ancestors.
Therefore, the vast majority of respondents have no doubt that the status of an EU candidate - as a path to full EU membership - is important: 84% of respondents think so. The number of those to whom the status of a candidate for EU membership seems insignificant does not exceed 11%.
In your opinion, how important is it for Georgia to obtain the status of an EU candidate?
At the same time, every second respondent expects to receive the status of a candidate member of the EU in the coming months (50%). 33% do not hope to get the status, and 17% of respondents found it difficult to answer the question.
The associated trio of countries - Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova - along with their declared aspirations for European integration have a common heavy Russian legacy and lost territories. A similar context and a distinct orientation towards EU membership at first glance seem to have similar prospects, although the recommendations of the European Commission of 17 June confirmed a somewhat different perception of Georgia. Moldova, which has pulled ahead, has become a kind of disappointment against the background of the fact that the country does not participate in hostilities, and there is definitely no leap forward seen by the naked eye.
The fact that the chances for EU membership for Georgia and Moldova, from the point of view of the population, were very similar, was also confirmed by the study. According to the data, respondents emphasized Ukraine's high chances of obtaining candidate status, while Georgia and Moldova were rated roughly the same.
It can be assumed that in the case of Ukraine, which is at war and daily reflects Russian aggression, the decision could be taken for granted to some extent.
But in relation to Moldova, the perception of equal opportunities and the result contradicted the expectations of the population. They believed, that Georgia will also become a candidate for EU membership.
How do you assess Georgia's chances of obtaining EU member status? For Ukraine? For Moldova?
An indirect confirmation that the population was waiting for the EU candidate status is the response to the statement “Georgia is closer to EU membership than ever”, with which almost 4 out of 5 respondents (76%) agreed, and only 1 respondent disagreed ( 21%). 3% of respondents could not answer the question. It is possible that agreeing to the position would also mean seizing a favorable moment in the world political arena, which the country was unable to take advantage of. This is evidenced by the opinion of 2/3 of the respondents that “if Georgia does not receive the status of a candidate for EU membership in the near future, then it will not have such a chance for a long time” (66%).
Do you agree with the following terms:
The question of whether the country will receive the status of an EU candidate and whose merit it will be, showed how discredited the political class in the country is and how much citizens remain confident only in themselves. In particular, in the case of the status of a candidate for EU membership, the majority of respondents see the merit of the people, not politicians (40%). In general, the role of the Georgian government in this process is 2 times less - 20% of respondents. 14% point to the role of the parliament, the prime minister and the president as a whole. 9% of respondents talk about the role of Western/European partners.
In the event that the country does not receive the status of a candidate member of the EU, the responsibility, according to 4 out of 10 respondents (38%), lies with the government of Georgia. According to 16% of respondents, the Parliament of Georgia, the President, the Prime Minister and Bidzina Ivanishvili are also responsible for the current situation. 12% of respondents also see the opposition parties as guilty.
In your opinion, if Georgia receives the status of a candidate for EU membership, whose merit will it be?
In your opinion, if Georgia does not receive the status of an EU candidate, who will be responsible for this?
EU membership is equal to the developed future of the country
The benefits of EU membership for the population are quite obvious. In particular, for 9 out of 10 respondents, EU membership directly means a developed future for the country (90%), greater interest and motivation of abkhazs and Ossetians citizens to join Georgia (72%), protection from Russian military aggression (66%). Moreover, not only membership in the EU, but even the status of a candidate for its membership for the vast majority of respondents (84%) is a clear signal for Russia that the country has chosen a Western course. It can be assumed that for this part of the respondents, the failure to obtain the status of a candidate for EU membership indicates, if not directly the opposite, then it may still indicate a dubious foreign policy orientation of the country.
Do you agree with the following terms:
As for the benefits of joining the EU by industry, the respondents most of all expect positive things in the economy (57%). This answer is far behind, although in terms of frequency of mention, the second or third place is occupied by education (42%) and the protection of human rights and the rule of law (41%). The top five also include benefits in healthcare (35%) and military (36%) – the perception of the EU's role in the latter is likely due to events in Ukraine.
It should also be noted that the absolute majority of respondents - 89% perceived the granting of the status of a candidate for EU membership in the near future as a fair decision in relation to Georgia. Therefore, it is important that the decision of June 17 does not increase the feeling of apathy, and that the country's authorities do everything possible to implement the package of recommendations and stand on the right side of history.
The air had long been filled with the smell of gunpowder, and the whole world was anxiously waiting for what would happen, but in the morning of February 24, it came as a surprise - Russian troops invaded Ukraine and launched the large-scale hostilities. The last drop of hope that common sense would prevail over ambitions of "big-country", was lost. The "demilitarization and denationalization" of Ukraine, dubbed as a special operation, tuned out a ruthless and aggressive war against a sovereign country for two weeks now.
The war in Ukraine is of the highest interest and excitement in Georgia, where the protests in support of Ukraine, the organization of humanitarian aid, and various acts of solidarity keep continuing. On the one hand, the perception of sharing a similar fate and common threats and on the other hand, the unprecedented fighting spirit and heroism of individual people vastly demonstrated by the Ukrainians have brought this war very close even to ordinary Georgians and made it a part of everyday life.
ACT could not stay away from the hot topics in the country and polled the population with regards to the Russia-Ukraine war. The research aimed to find out how our fellow citizens see this war, what are their expectations like, and how can be valued the level of solidarity towards the parties involved in the war. The telephone survey was conducted on March 4-6, 2022 and it covered 809 respondents. The sampling error is 4.2%.
Though we are accustomed to the endless polarization of views of the population regarding current internal issues and events, The war of Russia with Ukraine revealed the unanimous and clear position of Georgians. The consensus regarding this war is being demonstrated in a way never seen before.
The vast majority of the population - 84% - openly state that "Russia is the enemy." The number of those who do not share this opinion does not exceed 11%. Russia is perceived absolute unanimously in Georgia, which leaves no questions about its aggressive nature. A surprisingly large number of people sharing this attitude leads us to the thought that this issue overgrew the internal controversy and united the people having different views.
The vast majority of the country's population (91%) has no doubt that the developments taking place in Ukraine are nothing but a war crime committed by Russia. It is clear, that the position of Georgians is unanimous and solid regarding where the truth rests.
The survey shows that at least half of the country's population (49%) did not expect Russia to start a war and invade Ukrainian territory. 17% expected hostilities only on the territory earlier occupied by Russia or in their vicinity, and one out of three respondents expected that the war would extend to the entire territory of Ukraine, including Kyiv (31%).
Every 2 out of 3 respondents predict the victory of Ukraine in this war (63%), while 12% seem more pessimistic for Ukraine and expect that Russia may win. One out of five respondents is confused and has no decent answer to this question (20%). Some believe that there cannot be any winner in this war (5%).
9 out of 10 respondents strongly support Ukraine and wish to witness Ukraine‘s victory in this war (88%). The extremely small number of the country's population - 1% - is wishing Russia’s victory.
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The results of the research prove that the war initiated by Russia on the territory of Ukraine is the most sensitive and painful topic for Georgians. Almost all respondents believe that the current developments taking place in Ukraine are completely or partially related to Georgia (96%). According to the research, it is difficult to argue that when answering this particular question, the respondents meant any political, economic, military, or another type of impact on the country, although it's clear, that for them this war is not a thing happening somewhere far distanced from their country having no links and echoes.
The more specified questions answered by the respondents with simply expressed agreements or disagreements showed that:
Half of the surveyed respondents (51%) expect the forthcoming problems from Russia in any case. In their view, "regardless of how events unfold in Ukraine, Russia may still invade Georgia." Russia does not need any extraordinary reason or favorable environment to invade the country with tanks.
Georgian people are watching closely the hostilities being continued in Ukraine and are looking for a glorious victory of Ukraine. Time will show to what extent the existing drive of the population may transform into adequate actions and attitudes, though the messages for decision-makers are completely clear and unambiguous.
Coronavirus which has been spreading all over the world and making it upside down for three months now, makes practically every field of occupation face significant challenges. People of various professions are already assuming that the pandemic has changed the world and rules of play not only for now. They expect, that still fully unexplored virus can forever alter some behaviors and everyday life of people.
New reality required businesses to provide answers to seemingly already familiar, already answered questions, while marketing as mediator between business and consumer, appeared one of the first on “frontline”. It is assumed that Covid-19 will result in need of updating the role and approaches of marketing so that under force-majeure, companies can better feel consumer’s heartbeat and needs, not only to respond to their requirements, but create this requirement and manage it.
Considering the importance of the topic, to discuss challenges and future tendencies of marketing, ACT gathered professional marketers working in various sectors. What did Coronavirus change? What is now a tendency in the sector and what lost its importance? How did companies adjust to new reality? What new needs does a consumer have? How will consumer’s behavior change in future and how will he try to meet needs? – these were main topics of discussion.
A meeting was held in the form of online focus group and involved representatives of different fields such as banking and gambling business, sales of food products and hotel business. For those who are familiar with Georgian marketing, will most definitely know names of David Birman, Nino Egadze, Katia Absandze, Misha Kurdadze, Lasha Gogua and Khatuna Mamadashvili. Obviously, we could not involve every interesting respondent in the discussion, but the approach ensured to choose field professionals from completely different sectors in order to obtain maximally diverse opinions. The given article briefly reviews results of discussion on opportunities and challenges of new reality which marketing field had to face.
As believed by markets, now, as never, it is important “marketing to stay relevant and minimize “bullshit” in communication”; to adjust to necessary requirements without becoming artificial and losing connecting with consumer. At the same time, marketing today has to explain and financially prove reasonability of every action.
Under these circumstances, one of the main challenges of marketing is believed to be quick digitalization and as noted by marketers, how well various sectors will address this challenge significantly depends on their previous experience and in general, on specific nature of business, quality of digitalization of its work. For example, banking sector appeared to be advanced from this point of view, while quick transition to online space seems problematic in the sector of food products (lack of so called delivery services, unorganized management of stock, etc.). In sectors where digitalization is organic part of process this did not cause significant revision and changes of marketing strategies. However, marketers described digitalization as a quite complex process requiring specific expertise and companies with less experience in digitalization face the need of enhancing relevant resources. As repeatedly noted during the discussion, “digital is not just boosting on Facebook”.
“Consumer behavior will change and business needs to respond to it, it needs to adjust respectively which requires human resource. This is problematic nowadays. And I think that this is the chance for business to use this pause to adapt, adjust… If you see that consumer asks for digital, then provide digital. It just requires expertise how to provide digital”. [Lasha Gogua, “Europebet”].
Another new reality noted by marketers is the requirement marketing to be more rational than emotional. Digitalization itself helped the marketing to be more numbers now than before, because effectiveness can be better measured with digitalization. As believed by marketers, role of marketing will become more practical and they expect more vivid benefits from it.
“Measuring effectiveness of TV commercial has been a complicated task in this country for over 20 years and this is more or less simple in digital. I believe that now is the time for marketing to being speaking with numbers more than it has ever been before… all these image campaigns and steps taken to play with emotions which can equally be pleasant for founder and client are minimized this time and functions directly supporting sales are mostly activated”. [David Birman, TBC, Football Federation of Georgia, Domains.ge]
Marketing was eventually being digitalized without digitalization of product, but now marketers speak about “accelerated digitalization of products, business”; switching to online space as partially irreversible process. Marketers do not expect offline trade to be fully replaced with online shopping, but they all agree that component of online shopping will be enhanced in every sector. This is backed up by their observation that demand on creating online stores and adding completely new functional to websites has increased to great extent.
Transformation period for businesses may impose more radical changes – expansion of their work or revision of profile. As an example of the best adapted businesses during pandemic, marketers repeatedly named Glovo and Wolt which maximally adjusted to consumer’s needs (even with certain technical gaps). As believed by marketers, these companies managed to maximally utilize opportunities – they not only thought about survival, but diversified their offers during crisis and acted as rescues for those staying at home. Example of more radical changes in future may appear some eateries which may enhance delivery service component and completely remove in-house service. In these case, marketer’s role is to feel and predict market’s demand with skin.
Changes resulted from Coronavirus acted as a spur for companies to promptly switch to digital platforms, adjust to e-commerce. However, marketers assessed reaction as partially belated, dictated from outside. They believe that not being appreciative to e-commerce and postponing digitalization process cost businesses lose years. As believed by respondents with more critical attitude, from this point of view, marketers were significantly late in responding to opportunities and “raising the alarm” when they could create this demand years ago.
„I think marketing was late in responding reality in many sectors. Challenge of digitalization was already obvious before COVID-19, but many businesses and many marketers too preferred to remain in traditional format. For instance: we see the development pace of e-commerce service, this service was available before, but many companies did not even have website in their priority not to say anything about e-commerce and delivery. One more observation is that players of the sector need to develop the sector, every player has its share of educational and innovative role. These insights and signals were a bit forgotten but clearly sent by the market but responses were made to so many things only after bumping into the crisis”. [Nino Egadze, TBC]
Professionals of marketing field speak about re-consideration of the role of marketing, its organizational function. This is one of the key challenges of modern marketing and at the same time, inevitable outcome. Marketing has become greater part of organizational structure, expanded its objectives and to some extent, got involved in “execution” processes too. Marketing does not exist independently from other organizational units. It more often has to unite consumer experience, brand, management, digital and non-digital communication; it does not view events “in narrow marketing perspective” but is a part of broader picture. Marketers more often consider marketing as functional and effective in tight cooperation with other units. From this point of view, the most serious challenge for companies may become finding professional and multifunctional staff. Depending the level of the respective staff on the market, companies will make decisions what competences to develop on their own and what services to buy.
„Marketing will play altered role in the company… there were companies not aware of digital, not aware of the function of marketing. They said it is simple to respond to messages in Inbox of Facebook page. There are companies where marketing and sales do not work together, without realizing that every penny spent is a big support for sales. Every department works in the company, each of them has their goal, so it will be much more united now, marketing’s function will become wider and other departments will probably appreciate it more…” [Katia Absandze, Le Meridien Batumi”]
On its part, marketers have hard time predicting how consumer will change after pandemic hurricane goes away. They noted that to do so, marketers have long observation ahead. However, in this case too, they agree that business will play important role in “growing up” the consumer as business creates demand and draws interest of a client.
It is believed that it’s still early to observe any specific changes in consumer behavior. It is hard to predict, because of euphoria of the given period on one side and on the other side, impossibility to foresee what habits will be forgotten by consumer and which of their current behaviors will “turn into a habit”. However, what marketers can clearly predict, is increased use of digital services as trust towards them will increase during this period and respectively, demand will raise in future; marketers expect that behavior of spending money online will reinforce. Each of us may feel the result of this – for example, by minimizing the need of receipts, when paying utility bills online will become a routine for people. This perspective may feel a bit strange now, but an example from nearest past makes it fully realistic – how taxi drivers who were used to completely different reality promptly headed over to online apps and turned them into integral part of their work.
„I think it will be a new mix of online and offline judging from what happens now and what we are observing. People who had problems with digital now get known with it. Us, who use digital cannot imagine that someone does not use it, but now is such a crisis, people are getting familiar with benefits of digital who were afraid of it in the past, I mean they had hard time spending money online”. [David Birman, TBC, Football Federation of Georgia, domains.ge]
Marketers are even more careful to discuss and practically unable to predict what changes consumer’s lifestyle may endure. For example, no one can tell whether abstaining from ordinary leisure (attending concerts of football games) for months will leave consumers loyal to once favorite activities or not. It is even more difficult to tell how consumers’ needs will change to not emotional, but more rational needs. For instance, will consumer who are thirsty for face-to-face interaction will eagerly attend physical trainings or seminars or will they prefer to participate from online space already turned into a comfort zone and save money. Marketers predict altered habits of consumers, but no one knows where it will bring us to.
The universe is still carefully observing spread of Coronavirus and changes resulted from pandemic, but this situation, together with lots of difficulties, may become a source of opportunities and inspiration as well.
*ACT continues series of meetings with professionals of various fields, stay tuned for our next article on Georgian brands engaged in export of their products and services.