Absolut Book

The Absolut Vodka advertising campaign has been running nonstop for fifteen years, which, in advertising, is practically forever. Industry insiders hail it as one of the most successful campaigns in the history of advertising, and the star of the ads is always the beautiful, artful, chameleon-like bottle from Sweden. The Absolut ads are celebrated as much for their ingenuity as their longevity. They are full of wit, artistry, and imagination as they deftly communicate the brand's values, often containing little challenges to the reader to interpret just what's happening inside the ad. In this book, Richard Lewis of TBWA Chiat/Day, Absolut's advertising agency from the beginning, shares an intriguing, behind-the-scenes account of the birth and growth of this heralded campaign, its personalities and creators, and the paths they've taken to keep it perpetually fresh. Yet, it's a campaign built on more than marketing magic: Absolut Vodka is a superb product with a humble background. Produced in the tiny, picturesque town of Ahus, Sweden, Absolut came to America a complete unknown. In the early efforts to establish the brand's identity, the creators realized the now-famous two-word headlines would showcase the "absolute" quality of the brand, but Absolut would also be unpretentious, and not take itself - or the world - too seriously. Now, many years, and hundreds of awards later, the image of the Absolut bottle is embedded in our collective consciousness.