Absolut is a brand of winter wheat vodka produced in Southern Sweden. After Bacardi and Smirnoff, it is the 3rd largest brand of alcoholic spirits in the world. Known for its distinctive bottle shape, Absolut Vodka’s fame is due to it’s long-running and outlandish campaigns.
The problem:
Absolute Vodka was globally introduced in 1979 and although has become a huge international brand being sold in 126 countries, it is young and historically “doesn’t speak”.
How they overcame their problem:
To celebrate and publicise the launch of the new Limited Edition Absolut Unique collection in Argentina in 2013, the company organised a very exclusive party. Only two entrance tickets were available to the general public. However, to win these tickets the general public had to convince a fake doorman, Sven, to give them access. The catch was that the only way to get in contact with Sven was via WhatsApp.
The result:
The result was phenomenal; 600 users contacted Sven with over 1000 unique images, videos, audio messages, and indecent proposals over 3 days of uninterrupted chat. It was clear that this marketing campaign effectively engaged with the Argentinian community, and spread awareness whilst establishing a strong, humanised and authentic brand.
Why it worked:
With around 350 million users indicating they are substituting their Facebook time with other easily accessible messaging applications like WhatsApp, it’s no surprise as to why Absolut Vodka created such a buzz. The alcohol brand was able to reach a huge audience at only the expense of one phone sim card. Absolut also cleverly created a desirable incentive, tickets to an exclusive party, the perfect motivation for Absolut’s target market in which anyone could get involved.
Watch the campaign here.
This WhatsApp success story stemmed from a clever, millennial, and appealing campaign. If you would like to learn how to create an effective campaign for your business, contact Social Media College today!
