20 Years of Bambuk: How the Studio Grew and Evolved Without Losing Its Identity

When Bambuk was just getting started, there were a few small design studios in Lviv. The market, as we understand it today, was just beginning to take shape, and with it, the culture of advertising and branding. Back then, no one imagined that Ukrainian design could make a name for itself on a national or global scale. Our eyes were fixed on Lviv design, which was right here and close at hand.

Bambuk was born out of an internal desire to create something that was at once beautiful, meaningful, creative, and full of character.

Our first clients were OKKO, Vash Dim, and Universal Investment Group. Back then, Bambuk was a handy, energetic find that eagerly took on anything interesting and back then, everything was interesting.

At first, these were mostly local and support-related project: postcards, ads, calendars, and campaigns. But over time, larger projects emerged: Fishka, Pulls 95, OKKO, “Nasha Ryaba,” and educational initiatives, including our involvement in creating the brand identity for the Lviv Business School (LvBS). We grew alongside the market and, to some extent, shaped it ourselves.

Driving to another city to an unfamiliar print shop at 6 a.m. in 20-degree frost in a Zhiguli driven by a taxi driver we’d randomly arranged to meet the night before for 200 UAH that was normal. Pure improvisation, and every result felt like a discovery. 

At some point, we wanted Ukrainian design to resonate across the entire country. And later—for it to go beyond its borders. In general, boundaries were always seen as a challenge. 

No such Pantone color? – We’ll mix our own. The houses on the postcard won’t stand up? – We’ll stretch some fabric elastic. Too expensive to cast in bronze? – We’ll use acrylic resin. Unacceptable halftone gaps on the packaging? — Send your technical specialist over here; we need to talk to him…

That’s how Bambuk transformed the world and constantly transformed itself. Not because “we had to scale up” or “we had to make money.” But because every new stage and challenge presented a new opportunity to influence culture, business, and people through creativity and innovative solutions. 

We found more and more meaning in our designs

It has always been important to us not just to “put together a pretty picture,” but to create things that matter.

At some point, you start to see symbols and signs more clearly – their meanings and the messages behind them. And you’re not so much surprised that on the company’s first day in the new office, a man suspiciously similar in size to Santa, literally flies through the ceiling, as you catch yourself thinking: what does this even mean?

When we worked on Ukrainian brands, we realized that we were able to uncover their true essence. When we created campaigns, we structured them to speak to something bigger than just the product. Throughout working with symbols, we sought to reveal their true power and deeper meaning.

We explained what a didukh is. Also encouraged people to cherish their heritage. We showed that Ukrainian culture can be modern, powerful, stylish, and profound.

Bambuk: From design to creating our own

Over time, Bambuk wanted to expand on our ideas and love for creativity and create our own products.

That’s how Taka Maka came to be a studio for Ukrainian board games, co-founded by us and Diz-Art. Back then, the market was flooded with adaptations of foreign games. We, however, wanted to see our own, authentic Ukrainian products.

Our team wanted children and adults to play Ukrainian games and see their own culture, characters, and meanings reflected in them. Taka Maka is currently preparing to release its new gems – some of which have been in the works for years – Ukrainian board games that will become a staple in every home.

Another of our creations is our souvenir line. 

In the past, Lviv souvenirs were mostly associated with something random and tacky. We wanted to change that. That’s how another line was born. We strove to make it beautiful, high-quality, and meaningful. And over time, these items began to be sold not only in Lviv but also in more than seven countries around the world. Handcrafted souvenirs made of vinyl and ceramics. Most of the ceramic magnets bought in Lviv are the work of artisans of Bambuk. And thousands of refrigerators now proudly display a ceramic magnet from Lviv, Chernivtsi, or Wrocław.

One of the most talked-about souvenir items was the “UPA Battle Maps,” which caused quite a stir back in 2010. It wasn’t just a souvenir or a deck of cards; it was a high-quality, meticulously crafted item: special paper, a graphite layer, original artwork, a dispersion varnish, and hand-drawn characters. In total, more than 5,000 decks featuring Stepan Bandera were sold during that time. 

This is very much a part of who we are, because even a small souvenir serves as a vehicle for culture.

We didn’t grow “the right way”, we grew honestly

Business books say that to build a strong company, you need to have a single, clear focus. For us, it was the exact opposite. We grew like a creative flower bed :)

Printing, branding, video, websites, games, merchandise, communications, and campaigns. We had our own screen-printing and offset printing facilities. Then we moved into digital, corporate websites, and video production. And now? Now it’s all come together into a single, cohesive ecosystem, spanning the timeline from the earliest versions of Photoshop to the integration of AI into our processes.

Having weathered the crises of 2008, 2014, 2020, 2022, and now, we can say with confidence that the greatest challenge has always been the need to constantly transform while remaining true to ourselves.

Over the past 20 years, Bambuk has seen many people, projects, and transformations come and go. But the most important thing we’ve managed to preserve is the feeling of a vibrant environment.

A place where you can create. Make mistakes. Explore. Grow.

We’ve been drenched by rain, burned firewood in the office, scoured France for equipment, designed our own management system, had an office in a Protestant church building, and helped a client go public. And it was wonderful.

For many people, Bambuk remained not just a studio, but a very warm and vibrant chapter of their lives. And for many, it continues – now in a more confident and cohesive form.

Today, Bambuk is more than just a studio

Bambuk has now evolved into something much more systematic. Today, we don’t just create visuals or campaigns; we help companies, ideas, and phenomena reveal their essence, unfold, and grow. Bambuk has gained the ability to see elements united into systems.

We have a robust infrastructure platform, experience across dozens of fields, and most importantly—an understanding of how to turn ideas into real products and functioning systems.

And even today, as the world changes at breakneck speed and AI opens up entirely new possibilities, one thing remains constant for us: technology is just a tool. 

People always create meaning.

A few fun facts about Bambuk:

1. The studio’s startup capital was 700 UAH, which went toward renovating a 12 m² office. Over time, it grew into a two-story office spanning 320 m².

2. The name “Bambuk” was born on a commuter train. Simply because it sounded emotionally cool.

3. One of the co-founders is Lesyk. Although his passport name is Oleksandr. And the other, Oles, is officially Oles according to his passport.

4. Bambuk’s creative director worked for 12 years at “Galnaftogaz,” where major campaigns for OKKO were created. (see below)

5. The box for the game “Nesmiyaka” by Taka Maka features smiling photos of the studio’s co-founders.

6. The studio had its own screen-printing and offset printing facility, with equipment sourced and imported from France.

7. In 2010, “UPA Cards” generated significant media buzz and became a cult product.

8. Bambuk helped a singer from Azerbaijan reach 5th place at Eurovision.

9. One of the studio’s unexpected niches is semiconductors. Bambuk knows about chips, electron microscopes, and magnetic levitation.

10. During the first year of full-scale war, the team created over 20 social media videos.

11. Bambuk has worked with over 700 companies and completed more than 5,000 projects.

12. The studio’s merchandise is sold in 7 countries around the world.

13. Among the studio’s awards is a gold ADC*UA award for illustrations for the Ricker Lyman project.

14. Bambuk created its first ad featuring the world’s strongest man.

15. And one of the studio’s project managers was a world MMA champion.

16. The oldest and youngest “Bambukers” have a 23-year age difference.

17. The studio’s website is currently undergoing its sixth redesign. And the studio is now in its sixth office. 

18. During this time, Bambuk has managed to chase a herd of deer in Volyn, film a bull for OKKO, taste dozens of types of bread, and constantly seek new ways to change the world around them.

19. And create, create, create!…