Absolut just unveiled its latest limited-edition bottle design based on Andy Warhol’s recovered “Absolut Warhol Blue” painting, which was commissioned by the popular vodka brand nearly 40 years ago.
The “Absolut Warhol” campaign, which is named after Warhol’s original painting of the brand’s bottle in 1985, is launched with a one-minute short film to reintroduce what was once thought of as a lost piece of art.
To bring the campaign to life, Absolut is working with The Andy Warhol Foundation, an organization that was established according to the legendary artist’s will, for the “advancement of the visual arts.”
“Our collaboration with Absolut Vodka celebrates Warhol’s enduring artistic legacy and cultural influence through his belief in the power of art to provoke thought and inspire change,” Michael Dayton Hermann, the foundation’s director of licensing, marketing, and sales, said in a press release.
With esteemed Mexican photographer and director Santiago Sierra Soler at the helm, the hero spot titled “From 1985 to Today, Born to Mix” boasts stunning visuals of a young Warhol lookalike painting, photographing models, partying, and walking the runway.
Set to the tune of a remixed “20th Century Boy” by T Rex, the short film captures Warhol and Absolut’s legacies as they transcend the past to modern times.
The global campaign includes 3D OOH billboards, promotional spaces, and store displays at high-traffic airports, London Heathrow, Dubai International, Sydney, and many more.
An Absolut Warhol pop-up store at Amsterdam Airport opened on Monday to mark the new bottle design’s official launch.
The limited-edition bottle will hit stores across 50 global markets starting September.
The Tale of a Lost Painting
The painting itself features the iconic Absolut bottle with its logo in shades of blue, with the text “Country of Sweden” in-between “Absolut” and “Vodka.”
The brand only received one original painting from Warhol with a color palette of black, blue, and salmon, which was the first time Absolut became involved in the world of art.
This led to the creation of “The Absolut Art Collection,” which has now accumulated over 850 artworks by more than 550 artists and has been donated to the Spiritmuseum in Stockholm.
Although it was believed that there were two commissioned artworks, the company lost sight of one until it surfaced at an auction in 2020.
To prove its authenticity, Absolut’s original contract with Warhol was unearthed, clearly showing that there were two paintings originally commissioned.
The rediscovered Absolut Warhol painting will become the centerpiece of a new exhibition titled “Andy Warhol, Money On The Wall” at the Spiritmuseum on October 17, curated by Dr. Blake Gopnik, an established art historian and Warhol biographer.
A Masterpiece Bottle Design
As part of the campaign, Absolut Vodka's global brand ambassador Rico created a video to show more about the process behind the new bottle design.
Absolut Global Marketing Manager Gavin Boland, who’s a bonafide Warhol fan (he even has a tattoo to prove it), is also at hand to shed light on some interesting details about the Absolut Warhol.
“We analyzed the painting and extracted the exact colors that Warhol used. We then basically took apart the painting and reimagined it into our bottle, ultimately making it the centerpiece of the bottle,” Boland explained.
Each layer of paint was done in a way that it was as if Warhol himself did the screen printing.
Rico traveled to Limmared, a town in Sweden where the original apothecary bottle that inspired Absolut was traditionally made. He showed the bottle-making and screen-printing processes at the manufacturing company Ardagh Group.
With handmade silkscreens and glass-based enamel paints, the bottle is carefully printed with Warhol’s artwork, even using the same chalk that the American artist used to outline the bottle in the original painting.
“With this ink, you’re able to overlap colors, which is something unique to Absolut that not many brands can do. So, we can deliver this very high level of detail,” Boland revealed.
Interested in bottle designs? Check out what we think has the best style and functionality here.
After Rico points out that the design on the bottle looked small, Julia Schilleras, process manager for new product development at Ardagh, explains that they’ve adapted the artwork in a way that when the vodka is put inside the bottle, “it will expand [like a magnifying glass].”
Absolut Warhol is a work of art in itself, with every minute detail being planned out, including the medallion's “brush-stroke feel” and Warhol’s signature on the bottle’s seal.
“You always want to push the boundaries and get our consumers excited but also show people that we are more than just the vodka. We’re Absolut Vodka,” Boland said.
“I want Absolut fans both young and old to be attracted to the product but also deliver a piece of art they can take home,” he concluded.
