Absolut
Vodka was launched in NYC in 1979 and became a huge part of the American culture
- embracing artists like Andy Warhol
along the way.
Their
iconic print campaign was actually outsourced to the media it ran in. When companies came to discuss how many pages
their magazine should receive in the coming year they arrived with creative
ideas in hand. As a result the campaign
remained fresh and interesting for years.
I even
remember a cousin telling me that at his university it was cool to collect the
ads and display them on your dorm room walls.
Can you imagine that? A
pre-Internet viral campaign!
Sales
surged from 10,000 cases in 1980 to nearly 5 million by 2000. (Gianatasio,
2015)
But
nothing lasts forever and somewhere along the way Absolut lost their cool. So, I was fascinated to read that they are
now actively trying to retrieve it.
They have
chosen to begin by reintroducing themselves to NYC with a neighborhood tailored
Out-of-Home campaign, meant to speak to New Yorkers. This billboard near the High Line certainly succeeds.
Billboards
have also gone up in Hell's Kitchen, the Lower East Side, Chelsea and Midtown
East. Additional campaign elements will
roll out later this year. (Monllos, 2017)
So
what do you think? Is the timing right
for a come back? Why or why not? Is NYC the right place to do it? What generation are they trying to
reach? How does their approach
demonstrate that? Do you think they will
be able to connect emotionally with their target? How? Can
they become cool again?
Gianatasio,
D. (2015, September 28) How Blending Art and Commerce Drove Absolut Vodka's Legendary
Campaigns. adweek.com. Retrieved November
15, 2017, from
Monllos,
K. (2017, November 13) Absolut
Reintroduces Itself to New Yorkers With Out-of-Home Work Tailored to the
Neighborhood. adweek.com. Retrieved
November 15, 2017, from
