Absolut & Impero Bring a New Warhol-Inspired Experience to Schiphol Airport

Global vodka brand Absolut is bringing its latest work inspired by Andy Warhol to the retail space of the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam in a brand-new activation.

Made together with global creative agency Impero, the alcoholic beverage giant is introducing the limited-edition Absolut Warhol bottle to on-the-go travelers who take an interest in art and booze. 

Serving as a commemoration of Warhol's "Absolut Blue" painting, the bottle hopes to reaffirm Absolut's brand identity and dedication to creativity, having collaborated with the world-renowned artist in 1985. 

In the airport experience, visitors will get the chance to explore a decked-out Absolut booth with doorways shaped like their vodka bottles. These walls take the color of the famous painting, building recall to the collaborative work of Warhol and Absolut. 

At the center of the booth is a bespoke blue velvet chair where guests can unwind while watching Warhol-inspired visuals. 

To make things more exciting for art and vodka lovers, the brand will be giving away a free print of Warhol's artwork with every purchase of the exclusive bottle. 

Impero Business Director Alex Palmer shares the "simple and exciting" brief behind the campaign, which was to get the Absolut Warhol bottle "into as many hands as possible."

While the beauty of the bottle speaks for itself, Impero's brand marketing strategy for the campaign is one that can't be overlooked.

By targeting travelers and offering them an exclusive opportunity to be among the first in the world to obtain the bottle, Absolut reinforces its mission to champion creativity and art, all while pouring world-class vodka into everyone's glasses.

Where Alcohol Met Art

The Absolut Warhol bottle was designed in partnership with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. 

Unveiled to the public last July, the bottle was inspired by an Absolut painting made by Warhol that was lost and rediscovered in 2019. 

Michael Dayton Hermann, the foundation’s director of licensing, marketing, and sales, shares the idea behind the collaboration, saying the brand "celebrates Warhol’s enduring artistic legacy and cultural influence through his belief in the power of art to provoke thought and inspire change."

The 40-year-old piece is the second of two Warhol works commissioned by the vodka brand. The first, which boasted brightly colored letters placed against a black background, is often regarded as a design icon. 

Now available in Schiphol Airport, the latest efforts serve as the brand's first major global travel campaign since working with Impero for its below-the-line activations. 

Previously, Absolut and Sprite teamed up to excite Londoners with the “HANGOUT-OF-HOME” initiative, turning the brands' collaborative product posters into makeshift picnic blankets.

Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang