OMD SUMMIT 2026 took place in Kyiv: what awaits the communications market in 2026?
OMD Summit 2026 — Open Minds Day, the annual summit of OMD Optimum Media Ukraine — took place at the innovative park UNIT.City in Kyiv. This year, the event was held under the OMD Oracle concept and brought together more than 300 guests — clients, partners, and industry representatives — to collectively reflect on the future of the communications market.
The official part was opened by Oksana Belyaeva, CEO of OMD Optimum Media, who outlined the key message of the event: communications professionals should not try to “guess” the future, but rather shape it through mature management decisions, strategy, and systematic action.
“We live in a time when everyone has access to the same platforms, technologies, and tools. Competitive advantage today is not about a ‘magic button.’ It lies in the quality of a team’s thinking and in the discipline of leaders’ decisions”, — says Oksana Belyaeva.
OMD Summit 2026 focused on the tools and approaches that will determine business and communications effectiveness in 2026. Among the key topics discussed were competition for consumer attention amid information overload, the transformation of media consumption, innovative ecosystems and the Predictive Brain, sponsorship partnerships, the future of content and TV series, the development of OTT and the video ecosystem, Retail Media, and decision-making principles in conditions of incomplete data.
Representatives of leading market companies took part in the discussions and presentations, including 1+1 media, Gradus Research, Forbes Ukraine, PepsiCo Ukraine, Starlight Media, IAB Ukraine, MEGOGO, Epicentr K, and others.
“People now need glimmers. These are small moments of joy that signal to our brain that everything is okay, that you are safe. Television projects, including ours, serve as such glimmers and as support for viewers”, — comments Nataliia Vovk, CMO of the 1+1 Ukraine TV channel.
“We work with entertainment content — it is a tool of support. Through our content, we support people and create a safe space for the whole family, where they can switch off, exhale, and recharge with positivity”, — adds Anna Bereza, Head of Project Development and Partnerships at the TET TV channel.
“We live in the era of artificial intelligence, yet the brightest emotions are where there is no AI. Those are the emotions we will continue to give to viewers”, — says Ihor Polosmak, Deputy Commercial Director of 1+1 media.
A special feature of the event was the OMD Oracle zone, where participants had their “2026 predicted” using marketing tarot cards. Guests completed a thematic test, based on which they were categorized as strategists, creatives, or dreamers. Each participant also received a special issue of the OMD Oracle Times newspaper — an editorial recap of the event.
In addition, during the summit, the CEO of OMD Optimum Media publicly commented on the news about global integration processes within Omnicom Group:
“In recent days, news about global integration processes within Omnicom has appeared in the information space. We have already provided an official comment to Forbes, but not everyone may have seen it. So I want to state this clearly and openly here. Ukraine is a growth market within the group’s regional strategy. OMD in Ukraine is operating and will continue to operate. We demonstrate results and growth potential”, — says Oksana Belyaeva.
It is worth noting that in 2026 OMD Optimum Media Ukraine launched the annual OMD Awards UA ceremony — an award recognizing strong partnerships, strategic alliances, and long-term relationships that shape new trends and elevate the advertising and communications industry to a new level. The event partner was 1+1 media.
