Absolut-ly Over
I didn’t know to feel when I read that Absolut is retiring it’s iconic ad campaign after 25 years of abundancy, especially as much of Absolut’s fame is directly tied to it. The campaign, featuring an object shaped like the distinctive Absolut bottle in the center and a title “ABSOLUT ____” at the bottom, started around 1980 and has had more than 1500 ads, making it the longest running ad campaign ever.
The Absolut Vodka bottle has become something of a modern icon, and the Absolut ads, having stretched the boundaries between advertising and art, have already been collector’s items for years. I’m sure their value as such will increase exponentially with the retirement of the campaign, making me wish that I buy/bought magazines.
Over the past 25 years, chosen artists, including sculptors like Arman, crystal glass designers like Bertil Vallien, fashion designers like David Cameron and John Galliano, were given complete creative freedom, the only stipulation being that the bottle must be visible in the work. The campaign has even made it to an 11 meter high ice-sculpture done in the Swiss Alps, and features works of every conceivable style from Dali-type surrealism to cowboy-kitsch.
Naturally, the campaign also has a golden star in the hall of fame of the advertising and design industries. Absolut is to date one of only three brands inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame, along with Coca-Cola and Nike. It is also the only product in history to have won both the most coveted prizes in the US advertising business – the Effie and the Kelly awards. On a scholastic level, complete design courses that dissect the campaign and nothing else are offered in several art schools. Even locally, I have seen the campaign make its appearance on slideshows and presentations a lot of times in my design classes at the UofJ.
Of course every campaign has to see an end, but 25-years is such a long run that I’m actually absolut sad to see it go.
Pheras Hilal
April 28, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
Yeah, I really love those ads, did you see the Absolut Beirut one? It was smack on many billboards there, pretty cool stuff:
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=1157
These are my personal favorites:
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=891
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=269
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=729
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=560
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=314
http://www.absolutads.com/gallery/reklama.php?id=362
What if you had to design an Absolut Amman ad? What would you suggest?
I think that using the Amphitheater, with the shadow of a person walking by, could be incorporated as the Absolut Bottle. Or perhaps a bottle dipped in Dead Sea mud, or a floating Absolut bottle in Dead Sea water. Or maybe the Siq in Petra in the shape of the bottle.
nadim
April 29, 2007 @ 7:08 am
Quite an interesting write up,you did on the retirement of the iconic ad campaign that lasted 25 years prior the abundance, well put by you ” as much of Absolut’s fame is directly tied to your good home work on the ageing campaign that kept the product Absolut young ,and went on as a companion of other stand alone icons ,The Absolut Vodka bottle has become something of a modern icon like a human icons except humans aged while Absolut vividly kept matching modern times .Not as a connoisseur of Absolut taste ,more over of following something artistic as you very well described ,thanks to you your write up made acknowledge something precious simply by looking at the art work ,and now i am starting to miss it ,What else do you have up your sleeve ,for us your appreciative readers ??? By the way would you give up design and take up print media ,just a thought .Cheeers
Isam
April 29, 2007 @ 8:42 am
is this campaign really famous ?? cuz really i care abt the ad industry but never seen them before …
thanks for the info …
Hamzeh
April 29, 2007 @ 10:19 am
Absolut ma matat…. Absolut 3ayesheh fee 2looobna
:s
why are you intrested so much of the bottle??? my only concern is what inside the bottle!! is it ganna change or something… cuz that will really break my heart :s
i always loved their ads and posters…
Jasim
April 29, 2007 @ 11:31 am
It’s a shame to see such a creative campaign is coming to an end really. Absolute with no doubt about it is one giant in this field. I really like their creativity..
Moey
April 30, 2007 @ 1:09 am
I have the book its amazing.
حنا الماشي
April 30, 2007 @ 1:34 am
أعوذ بالله! ألا تعرفين يا أختي ما اللذي يضعونه في مثل هذه الزجاجات؟ إنها خمرة الفوتكا فإتقى الله يا أختي وتجنبي عذاب القبر
Isam
April 30, 2007 @ 8:56 am
7anna el mashi LOOOOOOOOL …
7anna el mashi ha3 ha3 haaaaaaaaaaa3 u made my day :)
i really cant stop laughing loooooool …
Omar
May 10, 2007 @ 4:21 am
إنها خمرة الفوتكا !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hahaha