How two Russian daredevils became Kenya’s unlikely brand envoys

Wearing dark outfits and face masks, the couple unfurled a black banner bearing the line: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.”

Then, above one of the world’s tallest buildings, Mr Kuznetsov appeared to get down on one knee and propose, according to videos circulated on social media.

The pair eventually climbed back to the ground, where New York police arrested them. US media reported that the couple was slapped with felony burglary charges, reckless endangerment and an assortment of other offences that generally accompany unauthorised strolls across famous landmarks.

Ms Nikolau and Mr Kuznetsov are actually seasoned extreme climbers. They starred in the 2024 Netflix documentary ‘Skywalkers: A Love Story’, chronicling their habit of sneaking into skyscrapers, bridges and construction sites around the world.

But as everyone else globally followed the audacious stunt and its subsequent police case online, Kenyan marketers saw a blank advertising billboard.

There are many ways to know that a meme has reached peak Kenyan status. One is when a listed company embraces it without convening committees, lawyers and a brand consultant to determine whether humour aligns with its corporate values.

Another is when your neighbourhood pub, a travel agency, an events promoter and a flour mill all arrive at the same joke within 48 hours.

By Thursday, the Russian couple had begun disappearing from social media users’ timelines, replaced by an army of AI-generated doubles perched atop impossible towers, each holding banners that had absolutely nothing to do with world peace.

Safaricom fired one of the opening salvos with a banner asking, “Tupandishe Fuliza limit?” referencing its popular digital overdraft feature. The post has amassed thousands of responses and nearly a million views on X alone.

The floodgates opened; Jambojet and Kenya Airways joined in. Flour manufacturer Raha performed perhaps the most Kenyan adaptation of all, editing packets of maize and wheat flour onto the narrow ledge beneath the climbers.

Soon, the meme escaped corporate headquarters altogether. Neighbourhood pubs advertised themed nights, and event organisers announced ticket prices.

Somewhere along the way, the Russian couple quietly gave way to an AI-generated Maasai moran, balancing on a skyscraper antenna while holding banners to promote cheap holidays to Mombasa.

In the age of social media algorithms, marketing teams are moving quickly to jump on trends because, with just an AI prompt and a witty caption, companies can generate engagement numbers that traditional advertising budgets would struggle to buy.

Still, trend-jacking, as the habit is called in marketing parlance, has long divided industry professionals.

Some see it as lazy and unoriginal, while others see it as part of the social media game–jump in to get visibility when the trend is ongoing, since memes have the shelf life of ripe avocados.

Trend-jacking can also backfire when companies force content into a trend that doesn't align with their core values or voice, making them appear out-of-touch, cringey, and sparking ridicule online.

Ms Nikolau and Mr Kuznetsov's stunt has entered the lifecycle of a Kenyan internet meme: a real event occurs, AI recreates it in Nairobi, marketing departments personalise it, small businesses copy it, and screenshots compress it until the pixels surrender completely.

Before long, nobody remembers where it came from, only that it now, somehow, belongs to us.

[email protected]