1. Media Objective
According to the Never Not Creative survey (2024 Mentally-Healthy industry survey), 70% of creative industry professionals experienced burnout in the last 12 months. Anxiety levels are rising, with 38% of respondents having a diagnosed mental health condition. On average, employees worked 9.5 days while being physically or mentally unhealthy—this is an increase from 5 days in 2022.A separate study within the design community revealed an even more alarming picture: 78% of specialists experience burnout (48% sometimes, 17% often, 13% almost always), and 60% live in a state of elevated stress. This means that 4 out of 5 creators are experiencing burnout—a topic that is critically needed.Meanwhile, most media content is either about «successful success» or general psychology—there is very little focused content specifically on career burnout within the creative sector.
Media for professionals in creative industries (design, marketing, SMM, content, advertising, video production, journalism) that helps build a sustainable career without burnout—through practical tools, honest analysis, and community support. Goal — to reduce the level of burnout in creative industries. This is achieved through content that helps recognize burnout in its early stages, establish boundaries, and find one’s own work pace—without sacrificing ambition.
«Creativity is a profession, not a feat. We prove that it is possible to grow and earn a living without burning out.»
2. Future Media Themes
Target AudienceCreative industry professionals: design, marketing, SMM, content, video production, advertising, journalismNiche TopicA career without burnout: how to grow in the creative field without depleting your energyKey Subtopics:• How to ask for a raise or fee review in the creative industry.
• How to set boundaries with clients and managers.
• Burnout: stages, prevention, and recovery.
• Pivoting within the creative field (designer to art director, copywriter to creative director).
• Freelance vs. employed: what to choose and how to avoid burnout in both scenarios.
• Building a personal brand without burning out: how to manage social media without losing your mind.
• Creative crises and the constant need for inspiration—how to live with it.
3. Competitors and Their Analysis
Competitor Research Methodology1. Keyword Search.
We used Wordstat to collect semantic data: «designer burnout, ” „career in creative industries, ” „freelancer burnout, ” and „creative block.“ We then searched these queries across Yandex, Google, Telegram, VK, and YouTube.2. Finding Communities via Targethunter.
We uploaded keywords to see which communities our target audience belonged to. We found overlaps with communities focused on design, marketing, and careers, identifying adjacent communities where burnout was being discussed.3. Analyzing Identified Accounts with LiveDune.
We added competitors to the dashboard and compared them across 50+ metrics with a retrospective spanning up to five years. LiveDune provides all available statistics, even for external Telegram channels, including top posts, subscriber trends, and activity anomalies.4. Searching for Ad Creatives.
We checked the TikTok Creative Center, Google Ads Transparency Center, Telegram Ad Platform, Targethunter/Adspoler, Pinterest Ads Manager, and keys.so (paid).
Competition Criteria:1. Platforms. Where they publish: Telegram, YouTube, podcast platforms, VK
2. Content Adaptation. Do they duplicate or adapt content for the platform
3. Visual Style: Photos, videos, motion graphics, unified or disparate style
4. Tone of Voice: Expert / conversational / ironic / supportive
5. What the audience likes: Top posts based on engagement
6. Tools: Stories, Reels, saved posts, polls, live streams
7. Advertising Creatives: What they use in paid promotion
Direct Competitors:1. «PULTOVAYA» Podcast (Ilya Litvinov)
• Platforms: Apple Podcasts, podcast platforms, Telegram, VK.
• Format: An authorial podcast discussing burnout, self-devaluation, relationships with management and clients, and the psychology of creativity in video production.
• Visuals: Minimalist, no photos, emphasizing text and sound.
• Tone of voice: Honest, conversational, with professional humor («Dedicated to everyone who is completely worn out»).
• Audience: Video production professionals and individuals in related creative fields.2. «Osechka» Podcast (Maria Naryshkina)
• Platforms: Podcast platforms, the host’s Telegram channel.
• Format: A podcast focused on a healthy approach to work. Each episode is an honest conversation with guests from the hiring and freelance worlds about resisting burnout and finding work-life balance.
• Visuals: Warm tones, photos of guests, atmospheric covers.
• Tone of voice: Supportive, reflective, and female-centric.
• Audience: Women in creative and office-based professions.3. «ZARABOTALIS» Podcast (Anna Polikarpova and Valeria Berezina)
• Platforms: Podcast platforms, YouTube, Telegram.
• Format: A project about work and career. It includes a podcast, a career support community, and career consulting.
• Visuals: Clean, professional, with an emphasis on text and graphics.
• Tone of voice: Expert, motivational, providing practical tools.
• Audience: Professionals considering career changes.
Takeaways and InsightsWhat we can adapt:
• The «candid conversation with an expert» format
• The synergy of «podcast + community + consultations»
• A female perspective and interview format
• Content adaptation: podcast $\rightarrow$ YouTube $\rightarrow$ Telegram $\rightarrow$ short videos.What to avoid:
• Duplicating content without adaptation.
• Topics that are too broad («about everything»).
• Toxic productivity culture («work 24/7»).Our Advantage:• Narrow focus: creativity + burnout. Few direct competitors share this specific focus.
• Community: we can build a space for support, not just broadcast.
• Practicality: providing tools, templates, and case studies—instead of abstract advice.
4. Distribution Channel
Main Channel: Telegram Channel.
• Daily posts: practice, case studies, insights.
• Polls, comments, community chat.
• Saved collections: templates, checklists.Why Telegram:
1. The audience congregates there. Designers, marketers, copywriters, art directors, freelancers—the creative audience in the Russian Federation and CIS resides primarily on Telegram. It is a professional environment.2. The format matches the subject matter. The focus is on reflection, analysis, practice, and support. Telegram’s text-based format is perfectly suited for this. Posts, polls, discussions, and chat—it’s all integrated.3. The community builds organically. Comments, reactions, polls, and chat—everything is built-in. You are creating not just a channel, but a support ecosystem.4. Low barrier to entry. No specialized equipment, editing, or lighting is required. You can launch within a week.5. Easy to scale. Once the audience grows, Telegram will become the core hub: from there, you can direct traffic to a podcast or a larger community platform.
Secondary Channel: Audio Podcast.
• Format: Interviews with experts + solo deep dives.
• Frequency: Bi-weekly, 30–45 minutes.
• Platforms: Apple Podcasts, Yandex Music, VK Podcasts.
• Role: Depth, trust, and reaching a new audience.Supplementary channels (to be launched later):
• VK — Duplication of key posts and announcements.
• Zen — Long-form articles for SEO and monetization.
• YouTube — Video versions of the podcast.
5. Target Audience
Our Target Audience—is creative industry professionals aged 20–40, working as employees, freelancers, or in a hybrid capacity. This includes designers, marketers, SMM specialists, copywriters, content creators, video producers, art directors, journalists, and advertisers. Geographically, they are located in major cities across Russia and the CIS (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk), as well as Russian-speaking professionals who work remotely.
Key Characteristic: these are individuals whose work demands continuous creative output, emotional investment, and subjective evaluation of results. Because of this, they are particularly susceptible to burnout—and simultaneously often lack the vocabulary and tools to discuss it without shame.
1. «Junior Getting Started» (B2C)
Persona: Anya, 23, a junior designer at an agency in Moscow.
Situation: She has been working for one year, taking on every task offered, afraid to say no, and is feeling the first signs of burnout. Nearly half of designers feel irritability and chronic fatigue.
Need: To understand how to set boundaries and grow without overworking.
What the media provides: Scripts for conversations with managers, planning checklists, and stories from other junior designers.
Jobs To Be Done (JTBD): «When I’m afraid to refuse a manager and end up taking on everything, I want to learn how to say 'no' in a sustainable way so I don’t burn out in my first year.»
2. «Mid-Career Crisis» (b2c)Persona: Dmitriy, 29, a middle marketer at a product company in Saint Petersburg.
Situation: He has hit a ceiling and is considering changing companies or pivoting to a different industry. The lack of career growth is cited as a stressor by 10,8% of creative professionals.
Need: To understand the right direction to move and how to transition without losing income.
What the media provides: Transition stories, checklists for changing career paths, and market analysis.Jobs to Be Done (JTBD): «When I feel stuck, I want to understand what growth options are available so that I don’t burn out in my current role.»
3. «The Burned-Out Leader» (B2C)Persona: Maria, 34, Art Director at an agency in Yekaterinburg.
Situation: She manages a team of six but feels exhaustion and a loss of purpose. Women in design and marketing experience burnout more frequently than men due to increased emotional investment and a double workload.
Need: To restore her energy and find a work-life balance.
What the media offers: Recovery practices, discussions on «how to lead without burning out, ” and community support.JTBD: „When I grow tired of managing my team and being creative, I want to find a way to replenish my energy so I can continue leading without hating my job.“
4. «Freelancer» (b2c)Persona: Igor, 27 years old, freelance illustrator, working remotely from Kazan.
Situation: He is self-employed but unsure how to plan his career and income. 35% of managers, 32% of marketers, and 24% of designers who freelance experience chronic stress, and nearly 40% of freelancers report burnout.
Need: Structure, planning, and income growth without burnout.
What the media provides: Planning tools, freelancer case studies, and client management templates.JTBD: «When I lack external structure and boundaries, I want to establish a planning system so I can grow my income without burning out from overwork.»
5. (b2b): HR Directors and Creative Team LeadsPersona: Elena, 38, HR Director at a creative agency (50+ employees), Moscow.
Situation: High staff turnover, employee burnout, and declining quality of work. According to a Streamtime study, 70% of creative professionals experienced burnout in the last 12 months, and 38% have a diagnosed mental health condition. Companies recognize the link between team health and profitability: the average rating of this connection is 8.51 out of 10.
Need: Tools for burnout prevention, reducing turnover, and improving work quality.
What the media offers: Expert content for HR, burnout prevention workshops, leadership checklists, and consultation services.JTBD: «When my team burns out and people leave, I want to implement a prevention system to retain talent and maintain work quality.»
6. Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
UVP 1: «Creativity is a profession, not a heroic act.»
We do not romanticize burnout. We provide a system that allows you to grow and earn without becoming burnt out. Our competitors often lean toward either «successful success» or general psychology—we connect career progression with sustainable resources.UVP 2: «Real case studies instead of abstract advice.»
Every piece of content presents a concrete scenario: a person, a problem, a solution, and a result. No «10 tips”—only actionable strategies you can use today.UVP 3: „A supportive community.“
Subscribers don’t just read—they exchange experiences, find support, and collaboratively dissect their own challenges. This is a space where you can honestly admit, „I’m burned out, ” and receive help, not judgment. Additionally, we offer a separate B2B track for agencies and companies looking to prevent employee burnout.