ABSOLUT BOOK.: THE ABSOLUT VODKA ADVERTISING STORY

Richard Lewis entered advertising in 1978 and is still looking for the exit. Since 1987 he has been in charge of the Absolut Vodka advertising account at TBWA Chiat/Day, overseeing the brand’s never-changing/always-changing campaign.

TBWA recommended using the American experience as a recipe for Europe. For advertising, that meant running the early Absolut product ads for a couple of years to establish awareness of the brand and its values. Only after consumers became acquainted with the real Absolut bottle would we take it away.

Meanwhile, back in Europe, Absolut was basically just getting started; outside of Sweden, the brand’s sales were tiny, though select.

We commissioned Donna Karan to design a pair of Absolut gloves under her DKNY label for New York magazine. These “one-size-fits-practically-everyone” gloves were produced in four color combinations, one for each of the Absolut flavors: red (Peppar), yellow (Citron), purple (Kurant), and blue (original).

Although we often like to pigeonhole people, crediting them with but one gift or skill, many artists break that mold by displaying multiple talents. One example is the writer Kurt Vonnegut.

One of the better-known artists commissioned by Absolut in recent years, George Rodrigue of New Orleans is closely identified with his trademark blue dog, Tif, who appears in all his works.

He reminds him that while he doesn’t drink alcohol, he sometimes uses Absolut as a perfume.

He was the gatekeeper, creating a fertile environment where good work could grow into great work, where writers and art directors could be egged on to improve their ideas. This is exactly what a creative director is supposed to do.

The long list of ninety-four agencies was now trimmed down to a very manageable shortlist of six.

Bartenders declared that because of its clear bottle, Absolut would disappear on the back bar, as consumers would not see it but see through it.