VkusVill: the communication theory

«VkusVill» is a grocery brand that positions itself as a «guide in the world of healthy and natural nutrition.» [11]

This is a neighborhood store where there is no Coca-Cola or chips, but there are farm products, gluten-free shelves, and eco-friendly goods. [11]

Analyzing a brand’s target audience is essential for understanding its communication strategies. VkusVill’s target audience can be divided into two core segments:

(1) Conscious parents (30–45 years old, 60% core): Family and children. They value safety and the right ingredients for children. They choose VkusVill because they believe that its products are healthy and will not harm their child.

(2) Millennial hedonists (25–35 years old, «VkusMill»): They are tired of cooking, seek emotional experiences and variety [6]. It is important for them to enjoy food without guilt. The motivation of this audience is to buy products that are tasty, fast, and involve no shame. [11]

Main social media: VKontakte (VK) — the most active in terms of feedback Telegram — where the main scandals currently take place Yandex.Zen — content marketing Instagram — blocked, but may be mentioned in older cases

PR & Website:

Website: vkusvill.ru (blog named «Zhivoy» / «Alive») Press service: provides comments for RBK, Lenta, and other media

Owned channels: Mobile app — the strongest channel (bonuses and feedback system) Email newsletters

VkusVill adapts its PR strategies to fit different contexts. In daily communication, the brand follows the public Information model by sharing recipes and helpful content in its e-journal.

VkusVill demonstrates elements of two-way symmetrical communication when the stakes are low. For example, the brand collects reactions on a post asking who is willing to visit any gastro-event.

VkusVill also uses two-way asymmetrical strategies in critical situations. This model shows up when the brand deletes posts, apologizes, and creates a complete illusion of dialogue with users in the comment section.

This mismatch between acting friendly day-to-day and turning aggressive when a crisis hits. These inconsistencies lead to PR failures and ruin the brand’s credibility. To see this in action, the upcoming analysis applies Grunig & Hunt’s four models of public relations and Dialogic Theory to specific examples from VkusVill’s communication.

The first example demonstrates a dialogue for the sake of loyalty. According to Grunig & Hunt’s four models of public relations, this represents the two-way model. VkusVill responds to criticism but takes no action to solve the asymmetrical customer’s problem. The brand’s reply aims to reduce anger and maintain the relationship on its own terms.

In contrast, If VkusVill followed the symmetrical model, it would investigate the issue, implement solutions and report its progress. Through the lens of Dialogic Theory, this situation between brand and customer violates the principle of dialogic loop.

The second example reveals that the scandal did not come from the article but from VkusVill’s fear of conversation. In 2021 VkusVill published an advertisement titled «Recipes for Family Happiness» featuring a family of two LGBTQ women raising daughters together.

The public reaction was completely divided between support and criticism. Facing pressure from conservative critics and threats against the featured women, VkusVill ended up deleting the article. The brand apologized and called the article a «mistake», which pissed off the progressive audience [8].

From the perspective of Dialogic Theory, VkusVill failed multiple core principles. First of all, the brand chose deletion over dialogue, breaking the dialogic loop entirely.

Secondly, the principles of useful and transparent information were ignored. Brand values were contradictory and unclear. VkusVill refused to explain why the article was published in the first place, and why it was later removed.

Thirdly, according to the conservation of visitors, VkusVill definitely failed to keep followers on its own platforms.

Other cases include quality problems such as a wire found in a sandwich, plastic in cottage cheese, and worms in fish.The brand’s behavior clearly reflects the press agentry model, characterized by avoidance of responsibility. This is evident in claims like «We have metal detectors; this is an isolated case» [9] or «The law does not prohibit selling infected fish.» [10] VkusVill often hides behind pseudo-excuses and offers minor compensations.

This example also shows a two-way asymmetrical model, as seen in the promise «Technologists will take it under control, we will refund your money with bonus points.» [10] The brand did not focus on mutual understanding or corrective action. Its goal was to close the complaint with minimal effort, serving its own interests rather than the customer’s needs.

Moreover, customers of VkusVill face a problem regarding the usefulness of information. The brand does not provide a clear explanation of the incident and steps taken to prevent future mistakes.

Finally, the conservation of visitors principle is ruined by statements like «The law does not prohibit selling infected fish. [10]» As a result, the brand usually loses credibility and pushes loyal customers away.

The next example demonstrates a direct confrontation with independent media instead of just regular customers. VkusVill sent legal demands to media channels (Telegram) to remove critical posts. VkusVill threatened lawsuits against channels that spread news about the food poisonings. [7]

According to Grunig & Hunt’s four models, this action is a clear example of press agentry. Apparently Vkusvill chose to use power and threats against critics rather than engaging in dialogue.

In terms of Dialogic Theory, this behaviour violates core principles of online dialogue. The usefulness of information is ignored as VkusVill provides no factual proof. As one media channel noted: «The company does not refute the essence of the complaints… but only provides additional details, which may look like an attempt to blur the perception of the problem.» [7]

The dialogic loop is broken by legal threats and attempts to control the media. VkusVill’s target audience may lose trust because the conservation of visitors principle is undermined. As a result, such a reaction to the accusation may lead the majority of customers to look for alternative sources and support media channels.

(1) Implement public investigation reports. Instead of redirecting negative comments or posting pseudo-excuses, the brand should fix the issue and publish explanations with evidence. This approach matches Grunig & Hunt’s two-way symmetrical model and dialogic loop, usefulness of information principles from Dialogic Theory.

For example, VkusVill may release a post: «You found plastic in our cottage cheese. We discovered a packaging defect, recalled a batch and changed the supplier. Here is the new packaging.»

(2) Replace bonus with refunds. The transition from press agentry model to the two-way symmetrical model replaces one-way manipulation with genuine dialogue. Consequently, this recommendation shifts from forced loyalty to organizational accountability.

(3) Invite critics to dialogue. Stopping legal threats will restore trust and demonstrate transparency according to Dialogic Theory. Through the lens of Dialogic Theory, VkusVill should always explain what it stands for. Instead of deleting an article and erasing its own point of view, the brand might explain why its values have changed.

Promt 1: Create a photorealistic vertical image (1140×1600 px) for a university project about the VkusVill brand. A modern standalone VkusVill grocery store is positioned exactly in the center of the composition. The building occupies the lower third of the frame and serves as the main focal point. The facade is minimalist and contemporary, made of matte dark graphite panels with large floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Above the entrance is a large bright green sign reading «ВКУСВИЛЛ», with smaller white text underneath reading «магазин продуктов здорового питания». The store is located in a realistic modern urban district with contemporary residential buildings in the background. The surrounding architecture resembles a premium residential neighborhood in a modern Russian city. Background buildings are secondary in importance and do not distract from the store. The foreground features a wide clean pedestrian plaza and dark asphalt pavement with no road markings, no vehicles in the foreground, and no people. The composition is clean, symmetrical, and balanced. The sky should be highly realistic and occupy approximately 60% of the image. Natural blue gradient sky, realistic atmospheric perspective, soft sunlight, detailed volumetric clouds with varying density and scale, realistic cloud shadows, authentic weather conditions, professional architectural photography quality. The store is perfectly centered horizontally in the frame with strong visual symmetry. Leave generous negative space in the upper portion of the image for presentation text placement. Style: premium architectural photography, commercial real estate photography, not CGI, not illustration, not 3D render. Natural materials, realistic reflections, physically accurate lighting, warm interior lighting visible through the windows, ultra-high detail, realistic color grading, HDR photography.

Promt 2: Young mother with a baby shopping in a modern premium organic grocery store, baby sitting in a shopping cart, mother holding and examining a fresh purple cabbage wrapped in a transparent plastic bag. Long aisle filled with vibrant green vegetables, lettuce, herbs, cucumbers, radishes, peppers and fresh organic produce. Healthy lifestyle, conscious parenting, family values, trust in food quality, safe nutrition for children. Realistic supermarket environment, premium grocery retail, natural candid moment, authentic emotions, warm and caring atmosphere. Documentary commercial photography, eye-level shot, wide angle composition, shelves stretching into the distance, rich green color palette, detailed vegetables, realistic skin texture, natural poses. Professional advertising photography, shallow depth of field, soft supermarket lighting, cinematic color grading, ultra realistic, photorealistic, HDR, 8k, Nikon Z9, 35 mm lens, f/2.8, magazine quality, sharp focus, high detail, award-winning lifestyle photography, organic food store, wellness brand campaign. No text, no logos, no watermark, no illustration, no AI artifacts, no exaggerated poses.

Promt 3: Young millennial woman in a bright modern apartment kitchen, casually eating a healthy ready-made meal from a black food container while checking her smartphone. Curly hair, athletic lifestyle, relaxed and satisfied expression. Premium contemporary interior with white cabinets, marble kitchen island, stainless steel refrigerator and minimalist design. Concept of convenience, healthy lifestyle, work-life balance, food enjoyment without spending time cooking. Modern urban consumer, healthy ready-to-eat food, digital lifestyle, everyday comfort. Natural candid moment, authentic behavior, not looking at camera. Professional lifestyle photography, commercial advertising campaign, realistic person, soft daylight, clean bright color palette, shallow depth of field, ultra realistic skin texture, premium kitchen interior, high-end editorial photography, photorealistic, HDR, 8k, magazine quality, Nikon Z9, 50 mm lens, f/2.8. Millennial foodie, healthy convenience food, modern consumer behavior, enjoyment without guilt, ready meal culture, contemporary wellness lifestyle. No text, no logos, no watermark, no illustration, no AI artifacts, no exaggerated poses.