Absolut Vodka

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Absolut Vodka
TypeVodka
ManufacturerThe Absolut Company (Pernod Ricard)
OriginÅhus, Sweden
Introduced1879
Alcohol by volume40%
Proof (US)80–100
Websitewww.absolut.com

Absolut Vodka is a Swedish brand of premium vodka, and is a part of the French group Pernod Ricard. Absolut is one of the largest brands of spirits in the world (after Smirnoff and Bacardi) and is sold in 126 countries.

As of 2018, Absolut sells over 100 million litres (26,000,000 US gal) of vodka annually.[1] The vodka is made from winter wheat and is produced only in the locality of Åhus.[2]

History

The Absolut Company plant in Åhus, Sweden

Absolut was established in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith, then under the name of Absolut Rent Brännvin ("Absolute Pure Vodka"). Smith had challenged the city of Stockholm's liquor marketing monopoly with his vodka. Absolut was sold outside the city border at a lower price than the monopoly's product. Smith offered free boat rides to the distillery, and was highly successful in selling vodka.[3]

In 1979, The company began exporting to the U.S. under the name Absolut and became successful, and in the 1980s began exporting globally.[3]

In 1981, Absolut became one of the first brands to advertise in LGBTQ spaces, including LGBTQ-orientated magazines such as the The Advocate.[4]

In 2008, Pernod Ricard bought Absolut for €5.63 billion in 2008 (equivalent to €7.59 billion in 2023) from the Swedish State.

Absolut began experimenting with a recyclable paper-bottle for their vodka in 2023.[5] The paper bottle is only sold in the UK, in the city of Manchester.[6]

Name

Absolut Vodka was originally named Absolut Rent Brännvin ("Absolute Pure Vodka") when founded by L.O. Smith, and remained that way until 1979, when Absolut intended to globally export their beverage. It was originally intended for the exported vodka to be named "Absolute Pure Vodka", a direct translation of the Swedish name, however due to the fact Absolute was a common adjective in English, it could not be registered as a legal trademark in the United States. As a result, the original Swedish word for "Absolute" was chosen, and Absolut Vodka was selected as the final name.[3]

Branding and Bottle

The original Absolut Vodka bottle, before its re-design in 2021.

The Absolut bottle is an iconic part of the branding of Absolut. It was designed after an old pharmaceutical bottle found in an antique shop. The bottle shape was first designed in 1978, launched in 1979, and originally consisted of generic black serif text, and did not include a medallion of the founder, L.O. Smith. The current branding with the medallion was not introduced until 1980.[7] The portrait on the bottle has been manufactured in multiple different kinds of materials since its creation.[8]

Flavours have different designs, such as a different logo colour and a coloured backdrop to reflect the respective flavour, for example a plain white logo and bright yellow backdrop for Absolut Citron, or a green logo and a red backdrop for Absolut Watermelon.

The regular flavourless vodka is also occasionally painted with rainbow colours as apart of the brands long-standing support of the LGBTQ community.[9] The artwork is also commonly changed for limited-edition runs, for example the Absolut Haring design, a tribute to Keith Haring.[10]

The bottle received a design change in 2021, which removed the paragraph on the front of the bottle, the "Country of Sweden" text between the logo. The change didn't update the shape of the bottle. The following year, in 2022, Absolut also redesigned the packaging of their flavour ranges.[11][12]

Flavours

Original Absolut "Red Label" vodka.

Absolut Vodka is produced in a majority of flavours. Absolut also produces a stronger variant of their vodka, known as "Absolut 100", which is 40% ABV (100 proof). Until 2007, this variant was unofficially known as Absolut Red Label, as it had a distinctive red logo rather than the regular blue logo.[13] Flavours can also sometimes have a slightly decreased alcohol content, such as 38% or 35% ABV.

Flavours[14]
Name Flavour Introduced Discontinued
Peppar Roasted jalapeños, green tomato and dried herbs 1986 No
Citron Lemon 1988 No
Kurant Blackcurrant 1992 No
Mandrin 1999 No
Vanilla Vanilla with notes of toffee, caramel and bourbon[15] 2003 No
Raspberri Raspberry 2004 No
Peach[a] 2005 No
Ruby Red Grapefruit 2006 Yes
Pears 2007 No
Berri Açai Acai, blueberry and pomegranate 2010 No
Wild Tea Black tea and elderflower 2010 Yes
Mango Mango 2010 No
Apple[b] Red apple and ginger 2011 No
Gräpe[c] White grape, dragon fruit and papaya 2011 Yes
Cherrys[d] Cherry and sweet plum 2012 No
Hibiskus Hibiscus and pomegranate 2012 Yes
Cilantro Cilantro and lime 2013 Yes
Passionfruit 2013[16] No
Lime 2016 No
Extrakt Spices 2017 No
Grapefruit 2018 No
Watermelon 2021 No
Smoky Piña Smoky pineapple and chilli 2022 No
Sensations Tropical fruit 2023 No
Wild Berri Berries 2023[17] No
Hunni Honey 2024 No
Nordic Spice Cardamomo and ginger 2024 No
Orange Peel Aged orange peel and coffee 2024 No
Tabasco Chilli pepper 2026[18] No

Advertising

In the early 1980s in New York, Absolut Vodka was popular among the creative community. Absolut's first advertising campaign was created by TBWA for the brand's U.S. Importer, Carillon Importers, Ltd.

The brand has a long-running advertising campaign created by TBWA.[19][20] The first of these ads, typical of the rest, was introduced in 1981 and featured a picture of the bottle with a halo over the cap above the slogan "Absolut Perfection".[19]

The first advertising campaign ran for more than 25 years from its launch in 1980. The campaign has encompassed many different kinds of ads, such as art, fashion, cities, spectaculars, Hollywood, etc. Their advertising has won hundreds of awards, including charter membership in the American Marketing Association's Marketing Hall of Fame. Absolut was inducted into the Hall in 1992 along with just two other brands: Coca-Cola and Nike.[21] In the same year, Freedom Rings were featured in the first gay-specific Absolut Vodka ad, entitled Absolut Spada.[22]

In 1983, Carillon's president and CEO Michel Roux approached the artist Andy Warhol, whom he paid $65,000 to create an advertisement for Absolut as part of the brand's iconic Absolut Art Initiative.[23][24] In the 1990s, Absolut Vodka began granting the Artist of the Year title to select visual artists, a distinction that came with a guaranteed global advertising placement.[25][26][27] These campaigns blurred the boundaries between marketing and contemporary art, making the title a coveted marker of prestige in the creative world. By partnering with high-profile names like David LaChapelle, Robert Rauschenberg, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Absolut spotlighted both the brand and the featured artists on an international stage, solidifying the brand's connection to the world of modern art.[28] Over the years, Carillon commissioned the work of well-known painters, graphic designers, fashion designers, as well as many up-and-coming artists.[24] During the 2017 Corporate Art Awards Ceremony hosted by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace,[29] Absolut received by pptArt a special award "for their long-running collaboration with 550 artists on 850 projects to shape their corporate image and brand".[30] The talents included such names as Damien Hirst, Rosemarie Trockel, Helmut Newton, Javier Mariscal, Maurizio Cattelan, Louise Bourgeois, Alain Despert, Ron English, Giancarlo Impiglia, and many, many more.

In 1996 Richard Lewis the Chiat/Day executive who ran the Absolut art campaign for the advertising firm published "Absolut Book: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story" (Journey Editions).[31]

In 2005, Absolut invited American singer Lenny Kravitz to participate in its promotional campaign. The song "Breathe" was recorded and released.[32][33] The song was remixed many times by various DJs.[34][35]

In 2007, Absolut introduced its new global campaign, "In An Absolut World",[36][37] created by TBWA/Chiat/Day.

In 2008, an advertisement placed in Mexican publications and on Mexican billboards featured a map of the U.S. and Mexico with the boundaries between the two as they were prior to the 1836 Texas Revolution and the Mexican–American War. Media outlets reported on some American consumers' reactions at the advert's perceived insensitivity to immigration issues.[38][39][40] Absolut responded that the adverts were purely whimsical, with no political or nationalist agenda, but its critics were adamant. Absolut later issued a public apology and withdrew the advert.[41]

In 2009, Absolut debuted a campaign with renowned fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth[42] and actresses Kate Beckinsale and Zooey Deschanel to celebrate different Absolut drinks. In the same year, the brand launched the Absolut Art Awards to commemorate 30 years of collaboration with the world of modern art.[43][44][45]

In 2010 Absolut collaborated with Spike Jonze to create a short film entitled I’m here.[46] The short film was screened at festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival.

In 2012, Absolut partnered with Swedish House Mafia to create an original track and music video to promote Absolut Greyhound cocktail. "Greyhound"–which is the title of the drink, the video, and the actual music track is a video created by TBWA\Chiat\Day, where three groups of racing enthusiasts converge on the Bonneville Salt Flats to watch robotic greyhounds speed across the plains, holding pink Absolut Greyhounds in their hands.[47][48]

In 2013, Absolut launched the Global 'Transform Today' Campaign by the creative agency, Sid Lee. The creative features four artists. Sid Lee recruited four international emerging artists to inspire younger generations. French artist, director and musician Woodkid, American digital media artist Aaron Koblin, fashion designer Yiqing Yin and Brazilian graphic novel artists Rafael Grampa is featured.[49][50][51]

Absolut launched the Absolut Creative Competition in 2018 which was an art competition.[52][53] The next year, in May 2019 the global winner was announced, who was selected by global juries such as Mickalene Thomas, Aaron Cezar and Bose Krishnamachari. Sarah Saroufim from Lebanon was declared the winner from 7,500 entrants with her design.

Controversies

After pausing its production in Russia due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Pernod Ricard resumed the export of Absolut Vodka in April 2023, leading to widespread criticism in Sweden. As a result, Pernod Ricard decided to once again stop its operations in Russia.[54]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Originally called Apeach until it was re-named in 2021.
  2. ↑ Originally released as Orient Apple.
  3. ↑ Originally released as Grapevine.
  4. ↑ Originally released as Cherrykran.

References

  1. ↑ Hopkins, Amy (15 June 2018). "Vodka giants experience change of fortune". The Spirits Business. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  2. ↑ "One Source". absolut.com.
  3. 1 2 3 "The story". Absolutad.com. 17 April 1979. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Leading with Pride". Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Torres, Ida (15 June 2023). "Absolut Vodka goes green with a test-run for recyclable paper-based bottles - Yanko Design". www.yankodesign.com. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Introducing Absolut Vodka Paper Bottle". Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "The story of the Absolut bottle and brand". Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Absolut Vodka". www.firstversions.com. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Leading with Pride". Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Absolut Haring - 2025 Artist Edition Absolut Vodka Bottle". Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  11. ↑ Stein, Findlay (15 February 2022). "Absolut reveals 'biggest ever' design and flavour shake-up - Scottish Local Retailer". Scottish Local Retailer Magazine. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Absolut Vodka unveils it's biggest design update since 1979". The Absolut Company. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Absolut Red Label". Absolutpedia. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Standard & Flavours". Absolutpedia. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Absolut Vanilia – Vanilla-Flavored Vodka". Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Absolut Passionfruit: A Cultural Snapshot of Flavored Vodka in the Post-Craft Era". glassandnote.com. 22 July 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Absolut Launches Absolut Wild Berri In The Latest Chapter Of Its Flavor Offering". The Absolut Company. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Coming in Hot. Absolut® and Tabasco® Launch New Spicy Vodka". The Absolut Company. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  19. 1 2 Tungate, Mark (2007). Adland. Philadelphia: Kogan Page. pp. 133–134. ISBN 978-0-7494-4837-0.
  20. ↑ Absolut Legacy, book
  21. ↑ ’Absolut Book. The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story’ by Richard W. Lewis
  22. ↑ "Absolut Spada". GLAAD. 25 May 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  23. ↑ Lewis, Richard W. (1996). ABSOLUT BOOK. Boston: Journey Editions. p. 65. ISBN 1-885203-32-2.
  24. 1 2 Sandomir, Richard (10 May 2019). "Michel Roux, Whose Vodka Success Was Absolut, Is Dead at 78". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  25. ↑ "Absolut Ads". absolutad.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  26. ↑ "Press". Doug Auld. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  27. ↑ "Yrjö Edelmann Konstnär Läs Hela Historien". Galleri Hammar. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  28. ↑ Lewis, Richard W. (1996). Absolut Book: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story. Journey Editions. ISBN 978-1-885203-32-8.
  29. ↑ "Il Presidente Mattarella ha ricevuto i partecipanti al Convegno "Mecenati del XXI secolo"". 22 November 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  30. ↑ "Corporate Art Awards – Corporate winners". 22 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  31. ↑ "Absolut Book by Richard Lewis". www.absolutad.com.
  32. ↑ "Lenny Kravitz – Breathe – hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  33. ↑ "Kravitz scoop backs Absolut Vodka ads". Campaign. 24 January 2006. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  34. ↑ "Song of the Day: Lenny Kravitz "Breathe" (Eric Roberson Remix)". DJ D-Mac & Associates. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  35. ↑ "Lenny Kravitz, Absolut Launches Absolut Kravitz, Breathe, Video Stream". contactmusic.com. 18 January 2006. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  36. ↑ "Absolut : In An Absolut World". Ad Age. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  37. ↑ Lynch, Jason (27 April 2007). "'Absolut World' Debuts – Adweek". Adweek.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  38. ↑ "Mexico reconquers California? Absolut drinks to that!". Los Angeles Times. 3 April 2008. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  39. ↑ "Tuesday Map: Absolut Reconquista". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  40. ↑ "La reconquista mexicana de Absolut". La Vanguardia. 7 April 2008. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  41. ↑ Grillo, Ioan (8 April 2008). "A Vodka Tonic for Mexico's Loss?". Time. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  42. ↑ "Absolut Print Advert By TBWA: Bloody base". Ads of the World. 2 December 2009. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  43. ↑ "Absolut Art Awards | SVAmagazine". Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  44. ↑ "2017 Absolut Art Award". Absolut Vodka (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  45. ↑ Dazed (7 April 2022). "Tracing the artistic legacy of Absolut through 5 of its greatest collabs". Dazed. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  46. ↑ MacLeod, Duncan (24 January 2010). "Absolut I'm Here". The Inspiration Room. Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  47. ↑ "Absolut's Robo Greyhound-Driven Video Extravaganza". Fast Company. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  48. ↑ "Absolut Vodka/Swedish House Mafia – Greyhound | This is not Advertising". Thisisnotadvertising.wordpress.com. 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  49. ↑ "Absolut Launches Global 'Transform Today' Campaign 09/16/2013". Mediapost.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  50. ↑ "Absolut Transform Today — PEET". Pdoubleet.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  51. ↑ "From Warhol to Koblin & Woodkid: Sid Lee Taps Modern Day Artists for New Absolut Campaign". Ad Age. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  52. ↑ "Creative spirits: Meet the Absolut Creative Competition judges". 14 December 2018. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  53. ↑ "Absolut Vodka – Absolut Creative Competition Winner". Absolut.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  54. ↑ "Sweden: Absolut Vodka producer resumes exports to Russia". Telewizja Polska. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.

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