Absolut Unveils ‘Transform Today’ Global Campaign

Absolut, a brand of Purchase, N.Y.-based Pernod Ricard USA, has unveiled a new brand campaign, designed to connect with the creative spirit and inspire artistic transformation around the world.

Under the new brand ethos, “Transform Today,” Absolut is collaborating with four cutting-edge artists in an effort to continue its long history of pushing the boundaries of contemporary culture and connect with the passions of a new generation. This is the first global campaign emerging from the company’s new relationship with creative agency Sid Lee.

“This is an exciting moment for Absolut. For 30 years—ever since our first art ad was created by Andy Warhol—globally renowned artists have made amazing works inspired by our iconic bottle,” said Jonas Tåhlin, VP global marketing at Absolut. “Now, we are transforming the way we collaborate with artists.”

Continuing the brand’s history of championing the cultural impact of contemporary art, Absolut sought out collaborators with daring spirits and a dedication to continuously transform the possibilities of personal expression:

• Woodkid -- A French multi-talent who constantly transforms from illustrator to designer to director to musician.
• Aaron Koblin -- An American digital media artist with one foot in art and one in technology, known for his transformative visualization of digital data.
• Yiqing Yin -- An emerging fashion designer from France who has already challenged and transformed the traditional world of haute couture.
• Rafael Grampá: -- A Brazilian graphic novel artist who transforms graphic design by looking at each page he creates as choreography, not just simple storytelling.

“Transform Today is a call to arms—a rallying cry for a generation of creativity to break free from the idea that anything is predetermined and to take control of their future,” continued Tåhlin. “The brand ethos manifests our belief that tomorrow is not a given, it’s for everyone to create.”

The new brand ethos was introduced in the U.S. during preview events titled “Open Canvas” in Brooklyn and San Francisco, empowering emerging artists and the public to transform the entire street into an extraordinary aesthetic experience.

Open Canvas was a demonstration of the transformation that audiences can expect from upcoming phases of the campaign. For the official global launch, the four creative collaborations will be introduced with a TV commercial, a series of print ads and an online campaign. A new absolut.com will host artist profiles with videos that introduce the creators, the ideas that inspire them and the goals of their work.

Beginning in November, collaborating artists will open up their creative processes for global audiences both online and at interactive events, with the goal of offering participants the opportunity to explore their own creative potential through a variety of media.

“Absolut has always tapped into the transformative power of art, but we’re looking for a way to do things differently and with higher ambitions,” added Tåhlin. “With Transform Today, we’ll take a more active part in stimulating transformation and pushing the cultural scene forward.”

In addition to 60- and 30-second spots, there are four back stories presenting the artists’ view on transformation. All videos are available at absolut.com or on the Absolut YouTube channel. Absolut will also host a challenge that asks fans to submit their own creative projects that best represent how they would “Transform Today.”

Pernod Ricard USA is the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA, which employs more than 18,000 people worldwide.