Brands & Branding and Private Labels Case Study

Absolut Sequel? A Case Study on Absolut’s New Advertising Campaign in 2006 in the US

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Abstract:
Absolut Vodka is one of the best-selling imported vodkas in the U.S. In 2005, it was the third largest spirits brand in the world. Despite being one of the top brands, its market share fell, though the sales of imported vodkas in the US had risen. After Absolut vodka’s entry into the US in 1979, many vodka brands have been launched. Now, in 2006, the Absolut brand is starting to feel the pressure from competing brands such as Grey Goose, Smirnoff, Ketel One and Belvedere.

The parent company of Absolut, V&S Vin and Spirit, to regain its market share and to woo young drinkers, launched a massive advertising campaign in 2006. The print campaign for Abslout in 1980 had made the brand so successful, that the campaign was carried on for the next 25 years. After the first print ad, nearly 1500 print ads were released and the brand went on to become an icon. In 2006, the company for the first time decided to launch their ad campaign in the television. They also continued their association with music by commissioning celebrity musician, Lenny Kravitz to interpret the Absolut bottle. The result was a track known as ‘Absolut Kravitz’ which the listeners could download from the Absolut website. With this new campaign, will Absolut be able to woo the younger generation? Will it be able to stand out in the overcrowded market? Will this new campaign recreate the magic like the earlier campaign?

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To study the vodka market in the US
• To understand the emergence and growth of Absolut
• To understand the objective of its past ad campaign and the brand’s successful association with art, fashion and music
• To analyse whether Absolut can achieve the objectives it has set for itself with the new ad campaign.

Keywords : Absolut, Vodka, Distilled spirits, advertising, Sweden, Country of origin, smirnoff, Absolut perfecion, Ice hotel, fashion, Grey Goose, Brands & Branding Case Study, V&S, spirits brand, US spirits, Premium Vodka