Absolut ad airs during the Grammy’s

Melissa SnellingSarah Lee

Sarah Smalley

From 1948-1996 no liquor ads were shown on any TV station or network

Liquor ads usually don’t air on network TV but focus on cable shows such as Bravo, Spike, TBS, FX, Comedy Central, E!, USA

NBC was the first broadcast station to air a liquor commercial in 2001◦ Smirnoff commercial during

Saturday Night Live◦ Ended because of the complaints

Absolut aired its first TV commercial in 2002◦ Spends 30-40% of ad budget on TV

commercials

Background

30 second TV commercial during the Grammy’s on CBS

Reached 31% of all TV households Music is a leading interest among 21-24 year

olds◦ Absolut’s main target market

Liquor usually doesn’t advertise on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX

First liquor commercial on a CBS owned TV station and first time one aired during the Grammy’s

Absolut Commercial

Absolut’s new campaign features the saying “In an Absolut World”

Sponsored Kanye West’s “glow in the dark tour” and featured him in some commercials

“Hugs”◦ Shows what the world would

be like if instead of currency we used acts of kindness

◦ Music by Louis Armstrong Continues to air on

broadcast and cable TV

In an Absolut World

70% adult viewership required & after 10pm TV is arguably the most powerful advertising

medium because so many young people can be reached through TV

Grammy’s featured artists aimed at a younger crowd◦ Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers◦ The ad ran after they had all already performed

Do you think it’s okay to air liquor commercials on TV?

Controversy

References Martini Groove. February 9, 2009. Absolut’s Grammy

Commercial.◦ http://martini-lounge.blogspot.com/2009/02/absoluts-grammy-commercial.html

Wine and Spirits Daily. February 9, 2009. Absolut Ad Airs During Grammy’s.◦ http://www.winespiritsdaily.com/2009/02/absolut-ad-airs-during-grammys.html

CNBC. February 9, 2009. Absolut Breakthrough: CBS Allows Spirits Ad During Grammy’s.◦ http://www.cnbc.com/id/29106962

The New York Times. February 9, 2009. More Liquor Ads Pour Onto Broadcast TV. ◦ http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/more-liquor-ads-pour-onto-

broadcast-tv/ YouTube. In an Absolute World Pillows.

◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSbb9U6GPXE YouTube. In An Absolut World By Kanye West.

◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoeU9z_t-8A YouTube. Absolut’s World Channel.

◦ http://www.youtube.com/user/ABSOLUTworld