Dmitriy Makarov, a Kyiv-born entrepreneur now based in London, has turned a career that began in esports marketing into a global agency working with household names such as BMW, Intel, NIVEA, and Domino’s. Today, his company employs more than 100 specialists and has overseen more than 500 digital campaigns with a total reach topping 2.6 billion people. His guiding principle, GMG – Grind. Mastery. Growth. – reflects the journey from self-taught marketer to founder of an international company.
From the beginning, Dmitriy Makarov resisted chasing what he calls “vanity metrics” and instead focused on strategies that last. “I do not believe in numbers for the sake of numbers; my focus is on effectiveness, engagement, and long-term strategy,” he says. That perspective has helped position his agency as a partner that values measurable outcomes over flashy but meaningless data points.
Using AI Without Losing the Human Voice
Artificial intelligence is at the center of the agency’s operations, but Dmitriy Makarov is clear that it must be used responsibly. “I am absolutely confident that artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that is already transforming marketing and will shape its future. But it is important to add: it is a tool, not magic. Its effectiveness directly depends on who uses it and how,” he explains.
To put this belief into practice, his team developed a platform that uses AI for influencer marketing. Machine learning algorithms allow the system to analyze audiences, craft tailored messages, and streamline communication with content creators. “What used to take days now takes minutes; and that is not just convenient, it is becoming the standard,” the entrepreneur says.
Still, he cautions against relying too heavily on automation. “You should not hand over your brand voice, tone of communication, or strategic decisions entirely to AI,” he says. “When it comes to empathy, brand values, ethical boundaries, or complex communication with real people, the decision should be made by a human.”
Campaigns That Balance Precision and Creativity
Dmitriy Makarov’s agency has run campaigns across platforms from TikTok and YouTube to full-scale search and PPC projects. The projects often combine influencer-driven videos with animations, interactive ads, and in-house production, giving the team control over both quality and message. He attributes much of the success to a deliberate effort to understand cultural nuances before entering new markets.
Behind the creative assets lies an intensive process of analysis and testing. Teams run competitor research, forecast ROI, and build segmented funnels to guide potential customers. They A/B test creative elements, fine-tune targeting in real time, and measure impact with detailed dashboards. For Makarov, this process is the embodiment of GMG: persistence, skill refinement, and scalable growth.
A Vision for the Future of Marketing
The agency’s client list is now quite impressive. The entrepreneur believes the success comes from keeping people at the center, even as technology evolves. “The worst thing you can do is blindly copy someone else’s templates from ChatGPT or automate processes without understanding them. AI is not a replacement for an expert, it is an amplifier,” he says. “That is why companies should invest not just in tools, but in people who know how to use them effectively.”
For Makarov, the future of marketing is not about chasing the latest digital trend but about building systems that are sustainable, adaptable, and rooted in human insight. His grind continues, his mastery evolves, and growth, he believes, will follow naturally.
