The Print Campaign: The Strength of Absolut’s Product Launch
Campaign of the week: The longest running print ad marketing campaign in history
When Absolut Vodka was first sold publicly, outside Sweden, in 1979, around 10,000 cases were shipped to the US. However, this past year Absolut shipped over 4.5 million cases, which is more than half of all imported liquor brands into the US.
Why did so many Americans, and others around the globe, switch to purchasing and enjoying Absolut Vodka rather than Smirnoff, or the countless other brands already on the market? There seem to be two key answers: first, the simplicity and beauty of the of the ads, and second, Andy Warhol’s interest in the bottle. When Warhol decided to paint a photo of Absolut and it became the popular “Absolut Warhol”, this really upgraded Absolut to the next level of brand recognition.
As we have discussed in class, what makes a brand popular can be very random or arbitrary. However, one clear factor that helps brands grow is celebrity recognition or endorsement. Through the late 1900’s, The Print Campaign continued to evolve, linking the bottle to airports, travel, and separate emotions.
Abosolut successfully used an advertising campaign, while releasing their bottle to the public, that has continued to work for over the last 30 years. While discussing Diffusions in class we discussed social media followings and how that can drive brand growth and acceptance. Moreover, influencers can help drive sales by encouraging people to follow in their footsteps. This is how Absolut started with less than 2.5% mkt share and now makes up more than half of American imported liquor.