ABSOLUT BOYCOTT.

The image that stopped export of Absolut Vodka to Russia.

Background:
Pernod Ricard, the world’s second largest wine and spirit manufacturer and the producer of Absolut Vodka, announced on April 12th 2023 that they will resume export of Absolut vodka to Russia; An active measure that effectively supports Russia’s war against Ukraine and counteracts international sanctions.

Cornucopia, the leading Swedish blog on the war in Ukraine, run by the renowned writer Lars Wilderäng, wanted to pressure Pernod Ricard to reverse their decision and send a message to other companies that supporting Russia’s war crimes is not acceptable.

Idea: 
In 1980, the advertising agency TBWA made an ad for Absolut Vodka featuring a bottle of its product with a halo above it and the words "ABSOLUT PERFECTION" below. The ad was an instant hit, and spawned one of the most iconic ad campaigns of the '80s and ‘90s with more than 1500 of the ads, all including the Absolut bottle in a variety of creative displays.

Our creative idea was to use this concept and turn it against the company itself. The ABSOLUT BOYCOTT image was born.

Execution:
In order to quickly reach a wide audience our strategy was to harness Lars Wilderäng’s presence on Twitter, with 80,000 followers interested in the subject. As the image gained traction on social platforms we contacted news- and media outlets to further spread news of the initiative. This added further pressure on Pernod Ricard to reconsider its decision.

“Three Swedish artists launched a viral campaign, depicting a picture of a smouldering bomb crater in the shape of the Absolut bottle.”
BBC News

Result:
Prominent restaurant group Swedish Brasseries vowed to stop selling Pernod Ricard products and used our image to spread the message. More restaurants followed suit, announced their boycott on social media with our image and took the products off their shelves. Within days the image had +700.000 impressions.

The damage of the Absolut brand was being done at a high and loud speed, and eventually the stakes became too high for Pernod Ricard to not stop the export of Absolut Vodka to Russia.

The Absolut Company CEO Stephanie Durroux stated:
"The reaction over the recent days is clearly reflective of the role Absolut plays for its extended community in Sweden. We acknowledge the significance of these long-standing and trusting relationships with our Swedish partners, consumers, and the Swedish society at large,"

– Annual export of 3.000.000 litres of vodka to Russia was ceased.

– $20.000.000 of Russian yearly tax revenue lost.

– A strong message sent to companies around the world that making business with Russia is not acceptable.

“The image went viral and helped drive a wave of antipathy toward the decision. In just a few days Pernod Ricard changed their minds. Amazing how this craftsmanship thing can work.”
Bob Hoffman

… and on May 12th 2023 Pernod Ricard announced they will stop export of all their brands to Russia (approx $300M yearly) and cease its operations in Russia. An Absolut Win!
https://www.pernod-ricard.com/en/media/pernod-ricard-cease-its-operations-russia

Links:
The Absolut Company statement from April 18th.
https://www.theabsolutcompany.com/absolut-ceases-exports-to-russia-effective-immediately/

BBC News article.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65315083

Resumé article.
https://tinyurl.com/3kn4ee5e

The Stable article.
https://tinyurl.com/2p8whuxh

Restaurant Sturehof annoncing its boycott of Pernod Ricard with our image.
https://twitter.com/jorrep/status/1647140466092064768

Writer and leading Ukraine war blogger Lars Wilderäng’s tweet with our image.
https://twitter.com/resettodefault/status/1646920532288233474

Awards:
Swedish Effies/100-wattaren, shortlist, Samhälle och Opinion

Chronology (in Swedish):
När nyheten spreds att Absolut Vodka skulle återuppta exporten till Ryssland kom det snabbt protester på sociala medier, från statsministern och oppositionen. Pernod Ricard, världens näst största spritproducent som äger Absolut var dock tysta och mediernas fokus riktades efter några dagar mot andra nyheter.

Vid det här laget hade vi retuscherat klart vår bild (som vi såg som en meme snarare än en kampanj). Det var fredag eftermiddag och vi tänkte att vi åtminstone kunde skicka bilden till en ”influencer” innan helgen.

30 min efter Lars Wilderäng, som driver Sveriges mest lästa blogg om kriget i Ukraina, fått bilden hade han delat den med sina 80.000 följare på X. Dagen efter retweetade en person i restaurangbranschen bilden och passade på att berätta att Svenska Brasseiers restauranger (Riche, Sturehof, Brillo, Gondolen) tagit ner alla Pernod Ricards flaskor från sina hyllor. Svenska Brasseriers pr-avdelning hade inte planerat att berätta om sin bojkott då de var fullt upptagna med att öppna en ny restaurang.

Tweeten fick dock uppemot 500.000 impressions på mindre än ett dygn, och Expressen fick upp ögonen gör bojkotten. De intervjuade Svenska Brasseriers vd som bekräftade bojkotten.

Nu tog internationella medier som BBC News och Le Monde upp nyheten att svenska restauranger bojkottade Absolut/Pernod. De nämnde vår bild i artiklarna. Och bilden och bojkotten spreds samtidigt till restauranger som Koka på västkusten.

Några dagar efter detta nyktrade Pernod Ricard till och meddelade att de pga protesterna stoppar exporten av Absolut till Ryssland. Och en vecka efter det stoppade de exporten av alla sina 200 varumärken till Ryssland.