The Easter Cake Battle on Social Media: Namelaka Faces Criticism, Milk Bar Turns Backlash into PR
13 April 13:32
The Easter holidays sparked a real boom in reviews of branded Easter cakes on social media, with the well-known Ukrainian pastry shops Namelaka and Milk Bar taking center stage in this year’s discussions . Users actively shared their impressions, compared the brands’ products, and debated which Easter cake was better and whether it was worth the price, reports
However, along with the wave of positive reviews, the brands also faced significant criticism. In particular, buyers of Namelaka Easter cakes noted the small size of the products, which, in their words, did not match the visually large and impressive packaging. The brand’s pistachio Easter cake was criticized because the filling, which was supposed to flow out impressively when cut, turned out to be dense in practice and more reminiscent of set cream or butter. Some users also expressed dissatisfaction with the brand’s pricing policy, noting that the smaller-sized Easter cakes cost more than products from some competitors.
Separately, there were complaints on social media about the shape of the products: according to buyers, the top of the cakes often fell off, and the product itself literally crumbled when sliced. Despite this, a number of buyers rated the taste of Namelaka products positively, particularly noting the version with strawberry filling.
The most talked-about story surrounding the brand was a post on the social media platform Threads by a woman whohad traveled all the way from Odesa specificallyfor a Namelaka pistachio Easter cake but was left disappointed with her purchase. The post quickly went viral, garnering hundreds of comments and shares, a significant portion of which were critical. At the same time, the brand itself has not yet publicly responded to the situation.
Against this backdrop, Milk Bar demonstrated a completely different approach to handling feedback. The brand not only monitored bloggers’ reviews but also creatively responded even to mildly critical comments.
For example, after blogger natalka_tsar joked that she expected to see a real “fountain” of filling, the Milk Bar team sent her a large Easter cake with an actual chocolate fountain inside.
Another blogger, who noted that the product didn’t give her a “wow” effect, received a new large Easter cake from the brand, decorated with edible “precious stones.”
Both gifts were accompanied by personalized letters in which the brand team humorously addressed the bloggers’ comments and assured them that all requests had been “taken into account.” This approach quickly received a positive response from the audience: in the comments, users praised the brand for its self-deprecating humor, customer-centricity, and unconventional communication.
Thus, this year’s Easter “battle” of paskas turned into not only a competition of flavors but also a prime example of how brands manage their reputation in the age of social media. While the wave of criticism posed a reputational challenge for Namelaka, Milk Bar sought to turn it into an opportunity to strengthen its emotional connection with the audience and gain additional consumer loyalty.
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And while the Easter hype is gradually dying down, social media is already predicting the next culinary battle of the season—the battle among brands for the title of the best and most creative ice cream, as the warm season gradually arrives in Ukraine along with spring.
As reported by
