February 14, 2005 14 February 2005 Absolut Unveils Major Expansion Campaign Throughout Mainland China
(PRNewswire) ABSOLUT announced today a major commitment to the Chinese market, seeking to expand upon its dominance as the premium vodka brand throughout Mainland China.
The campaign, known as ABSOLUT NEW YEAR, represents the first time ABSOLUT has created a Web site specifically for a non-English speaking audience, filled with a wealth of information created entirely in the local language. The site aims to educate and inform visitors about the brand’s heritage, and celebrate the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Rooster.
Although ABSOLUT is the leader in the Chinese premium vodka market, it remains unfamiliar to the vast majority of Chinese, who are used to local spirits and styles of drinking. The ABSOLUT NEW YEAR campaign will blaze a trail, addressing these consumers directly to forge a relationship and expand upon a growing market for cocktails and premium spirits. (click here for more information)”ABSOLUT is known and respected around the world for inspiring creativity, and this campaign aims to expand upon this heritage with an entirely new group of people.” said Michael Persson, Senior Director Marketing. “As with all campaigns, we undertake meticulous steps to ensure all efforts are relevant to the localized region, while staying true to the ABSOLUT brand.”
The launch of the campaign represents a significant achievement, completed in a short amount of time. In less than four months, ABSOLUT received all necessary approvals from the Chinese government and began work with numerous agencies in Mainland China to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture.
ABSOLUT is concentrating its efforts throughout Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong region, representing hundreds of millions of people in total. Although some of China’s more affluent consumers are familiar with ABSOLUT from traveling abroad or studying and observing international brands, the main aim of the ABSOLUT NEW YEAR campaign will be to educate the audience about the values and characteristics of the ABSOLUT brand, but in a familiar and localized way.
Managers not only had to overcome language barriers, but strike a fine balance between staying true to the ABSOLUT brand, while making the campaign informative, interactive and inviting to a large Chinese population.
“The Chinese New Year is a centuries-old tradition, symbolizing reflection, honor and respect, said Peter Wijk, Director Market Communications V&S Absolut Spirits. “It was imperative for ABSOLUT to observe these time-honored traditions, and pay homage to the significance of this annual celebration.”
