Absolut Hosts Artist Challenge for Chicago-themed Bottle Design

Absolut Vodka, a brand of Purchase, N.Y.-based Pernod Ricard USA, has teamed up with online design community Threadless, who will host a challenge encouraging participants to design Chicago-themed artwork for the next limited-edition bottle in the brand’s city-inspired series.

Building on the previous “city” editions -- New Orleans, Los Angeles, Boston, Brooklyn, San Francisco and Miami -- the next design will be the first one sourced from a community of artists in the brand’s storied history. In addition to their design being printed on the new bottle, the winning artist will also receive $10,000 and a trip to the Absolut Chicago launch party.

“Absolut has a long history of collaborations dating back to Andy Warhol and Herb Ritts, and this latest creative partnership invites the next generation of Absolut Vodka consumers to put their stamp on the brand by creating the design that will appear on the bottle,” said Maxime Kouchnir, VP, Vodkas at Pernod Ricard.

Artists 25 years of age and older can submit their designs on Threadless; public voting will be open through March. 7.  A jury of Threadless and Absolut executives will then select the winner from the panel of finalists and reveal the new design at the bottle launch in the fall.

“This partnership provides artists on Threadless with the opportunity to design on a brand new canvas, which is something we try to continually bring our community,” said Jake Nickell, Threadless’ chief community officer. "Also, since Threadless was founded and is still located here in Chicago, we feel a very strong connection and a lot of pride participating in this series."

Pernod Ricard USA is the largest subsidiary of Paris-based Pernod Ricard SA, which employs more than 18,000 people worldwide. The company’s spirits and wines include such brands as Absolut Vodka, Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Malibu, Kahlúa Liqueur, Jacob’s Creek and Brancott Estate, among others.