Vodka Maker Worked With Chinese Artist Gao Yu And Photographer Chen Man On 2010 Campaign#
Absolut teamed up with Zeng Fanzhi late last year for a bottle design
China's thirst for wine and spirits has been a boon for major whisky, vodka and cognac producers, but with dozens (if not hundreds) of brands both large and small crowding into urban markets, differentiation has become of critical importance. For vodka maker Absolut, tapping China's creative community and younger drinkers has become a linchpin of its broader strategy throughout the country, one that the brand thinks can get more young Chinese turning to vodka. Absolut's strategy to fuse its name together with creativity in China has become more apparent over the last year as it teamed up with Chinese artists like Zeng Fanzhi (who created a special bottle limited to a run of 700) and the young artist Gao Yu, who created the China-only “72 Transformations” bottle last summer. Also last summer, Absolut commissioned photographer Chen Man for its subsequent "72 Transformations"-focused ad campaign.
As Absolut business director Richard Cotton told V Magazine earlier this year, the company is looking to occupy a niche it feels exists in China's creative world. As Cotton said, "As the purchasing power of the Chinese increases, more consumers are starting to pay attention to luxury goods and artwork...This presents Absolut with an opportunity to integrate more fashion and artistic elements into our products and marketing campaigns in China, much as we have in the European and US markets".
This May, Absolut's intention to incorporate more "artistic elements" into its marketing campaign resulted in the launch of its "Absolut Blank" exhibition, held at the city's Today Art Museum, which looked back at the collaboration between Chen Man and Gao Yu and Absolut, as well as other artist partnerships the brand has had over the years. Today, "Absolut Blank" launched at Shanghai's Longmen Art Projects, featuring works included in the Beijing exhibition as well as a few new pieces.
Running through the end of the month, centerpieces of the show include works by Chen Man and Gao Yu, as well as a new commissioned piece by Zeng Fanzhi.
Absolut Blank at Longmen Art Projects#
(July 14-30)
No. 515, Fu Xing Zhong Rd.
Lu Wan District
Shanghai 200025, PRC
Tel: +86 21 6472 2838
Map