Instinct

What Instinct does

Instinct is a Moscow-based private creative agency founded in 2003 that provides advertising and creative communication services to clients in the Russian market. The firm positions itself as "a space for the realization of talents," framing creative output as an effective communication tool, and operates with a workforce of 101-250 employees from its headquarters in Moscow. Daniil Ostrovsky serves as Creative Director, providing artistic leadership. The company's public footprint is minimal — its website (instinct.ru) contains only a bilingual Russian/English tagline and a cookie consent notice, with no case studies, client logos, or service line descriptions visible.

The business model is that of a services-based creative agency, generating revenue through client engagements for advertising and creative communication work. No pricing model, customer segment detail, technology platform, or proprietary tooling is publicly disclosed. The agency appears to rely on human creative talent as its primary asset rather than on technology platforms, data assets, or AI-driven production. There is no public information on funding history, ownership structure beyond its private status, partnership network, geographic footprint beyond Moscow, or financial performance.

The thinness of public disclosure — both on the website and in the broader data set — significantly constrains external due diligence. The absence of named accounts, awards, product launches, leadership bios beyond a single creative director, or any financial signals suggests either a deliberately low-disclosure posture or limited investment in public-facing marketing. For an investment audience, this opacity represents a material risk: revenue quality, customer concentration, retention, and competitive positioning cannot be verified from public sources.

Name

Instinct

Website

https://instinct.ru

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Instinct is a Moscow-based creative agency founded in 2003 providing advertising services to clients, positioning itself as a talent space where creative output serves as an effective communication tool. Daniil Ostrovsky leads as Creative Director.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Boutique Agencies (MPAAAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Creative advertising services
• Advertising agency
• Creative communications
• Brand creative solutions
• Advertising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Moscow

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

Instinct is a creative agency and talent space that provides advertising services and creative communications solutions. The company positions itself as a space for the realization of creative talent, offering creative services as an effective communication tool for clients. Operating since 2003 from Moscow, the firm delivers creative advertising work to businesses seeking brand communication outcomes.

Product overview

Instinct is a creative agency and talent space focused on providing effective communication tools through creative services. The company positions itself as a space for the realization of talents, offering creative services as a communication tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Advertising Services

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Grape: Moscow-based creative and digital agency operating in the Russian market with a similar boutique-to-mid scale. Directly comparable as a homegrown Russian creative shop competing for the same brand clients and creative talent pool.
• Red Keds: Independent Russian creative agency headquartered in Moscow with a portfolio spanning branding, campaigns, and digital. Comparable to Instinct in market, scale band, and integrated creative-services offering.
• Smart Orange: Moscow-based creative and branding agency serving Russian and CIS clients. Comparable as a domestic boutique creative shop operating in the same customer and budget pool as Instinct.
• Depot: Russian branding and creative agency with a strong identity-design practice. Comparable to Instinct in geography, scale, and creative-services positioning within the Russian market.
• Great (group of companies): Large Russian creative holding offering advertising, branding, and digital services. Comparable as a domestic peer competing for the same brand clients, though typically larger in scale than Instinct.
• Possible Group: Moscow-headquartered creative and production agency. Comparable to Instinct in geography, creative-services model, and target brand-client segment.

Broad incumbents

• Wieden+Kennedy: Globally renowned independent creative agency known for brand-led campaigns. Comparable to Instinct at the level of creative-led positioning and boutique-style operation, but operates at vastly greater global scale.
• Mother: Independent creative agency network with offices across multiple markets. Comparable as a creative-boutique archetype whose model Instinct's 'talent space' positioning emulates, but with global reach Instinct lacks.
• Anomaly: Independent creative agency with a reputation for unconventional, talent-attracting brand work. Comparable to Instinct in creative-boutique DNA and 'space for talent' narrative, but globally scaled.
• BBDO Russia (historical): Former Russian arm of the global BBDO network that has wound down or restructured post-2022. Comparable to Instinct as a Moscow-based creative/advertising services provider serving similar brand clients, though network-affiliated rather than independent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instinct

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Instinct