Absolut readies new brand campaign

Absolut is set to launch its biggest ever UK campaign to unveil the premium vodka’s overarching new brand “manifesto”.

The digital, cinema, broadcast and experiential activity aims to set out “who the brand is and what it stands for” and marks the first major local push for the vodka since Pernod Ricard bought the brand from Vin & Sprit last year.

Advertisements, created by TBWA, spell out the brand’s values: “doing things differently leads to something exceptional”.

For example, the word “differently” is woven in wheat and depicts the primary ingredient for the vodka, while “doing” is carved from a glacier to depict the purity of the water used in Absolut.

Mark Hamilton, head of marketing for vodkas at Pernod Ricard UK, says the campaign aims to spell out what the brand’s long-term strapline “In an Absolute world” means.

Pernod Ricard has launched two event-themed campaigns this year. “Protest” coincided with the G20 summit in London, while “Hugs” coincided with the Budget and intended to present a world where people “give kindness not cash”.

Rival Smirnoff recently launched a £15m global campaign moving away from the previous focus on purity of the brand in favour of a lifestyle positioning.