Neworld, Great relationships build great brands

Absolut Vodka…please take a bow. For the design community, the brand has always lifted our spirits with the brand’s intrinsic link to creativity. But the brand has also a long and successful connection with great initiatives. With Pride just passed, you have to admire their original 2017 rainbow bottle which shows clear support of the LGBT community and shares in the celebration. This year we have seen many more brands fly the flag but Absolut is one of the few who really delivers on their message through their packaging and brand essence.

Another great initiative by Absolut worth mentioning especially on this particular date, the 4th of July, is their new summer campaign. It’s running in conjunction with the national NPO ‘Keep America Beautiful’ whose mission is to inspire and educate people across America and to take action to beautify their communities.

The bold limited edition Absolut America bottle sports confident red, white and blue stripes painted across the bottle. The thinking behind the campaign is to bring people together regardless of background, border or belief – intrinsic with American ideology today.

Brand Director of Absolut, Pernod Ricard USA has said ‘Absolut has always embraced the magic of mixing – from cocktails to cultures to communities’. The promotion suggests that Absolut will donate $1 to Keep America Beautiful for every photo shared showing how people party with purpose…. photos should include the bottle! Well, it’s the 4th of July, it’s meant to be a party!

Absolut’s global reach and credentials as a brand play an active part in promoting art and culture. It is one of the most famous vodkas in the world with a bottle that has become a true icon. Its shape is supposedly based on a traditional 19th-century pharmacy bottle found in Stockholm and has become a muse for so many great artists and designers.

The brand’s “why not?” attitude is built upon visionaries and shines through its bespoke advertising and collaborations. Absolut’s eccentric ad campaigns started with the iconic haloed “Absolut Perfection.” But it wasn’t until 1986 when pop artist Andy Warhol was commissioned for his “Absolut Warhol” ad that we started to see Absolut become a voice for the arts, our culture and communities. Between then and now, Absolut has done numerous collaborations, discovering new ways to tell stories through arts, music, design and people. It has architected its very own creative world – an “Absolut world”.  

More recently, Absolut partnered with seven artists in seven countries for #ANightForChange. Each artist created a mural with their vision of a better tomorrow in Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, The UK and The US. Working throughout the night, each artist showcased their own ideas for change and shone a light on their local communities in each country. With the support of Absolut, each artist will now lead workshops and activities in the community to give back, inspire and encourage people to come together and drive change through creative expression.

From packaging design to its brand collaborations, Absolut brings an off-kilter perspective to an industry that can be limited to a single aspect or approach. The brand as a whole has become bigger than the actual product, finding its spark in different creative areas. Its bravery always keeping us on our toes and excited to see what’s next.

MARIE MCGRATH, ACCOUNT MANAGER – BRAND & PACKAGING

Marie has many years’ design and consultancy experience to the team, gained from working alongside many of Ireland’s highly regarded brand heavyweights. She has extensive experience in branding, design and project management and injects a high level of creative and strategic thinking across all projects. Marie is constantly on the look out for new opportunities to enrich the brand experience and build your brand’s strength in the market. The primary communication conduit, she manages the entire process from concept to finishing, ensuring that the project delivers at every stage.