September 25, 2003 11 July 2003 Absolut Out - Absolut Gay marketing campaign

Absolut has introduced an elaborate advertising and promotional campaign aimed at gay and lesbian consumers. Labeled Absolut Out, the release of the ads coincides with the many June pride events in major cities with large gay populations. The yearlong campaign will feature local and national elements that include an oversize three-dimensional billboard traveling around the country; magazine, postcard, and Internet advertising; and sponsorship of fund-raisers for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group.

The Absolut Out campaign plays on closeted sexuality with images of nine closets, each shaped like the Absolut bottle, on the mobile Absolut Out billboard. When the billboard arrives in a given city, the closet doors are closed. About 10 days later, the doors are simultaneously flung open to reveal the clothing, shoes, accessories, and tchotchkes emblematic of nine archetypes of gay men and lesbians, including the punk rocker, the activist, the preppie, the athlete, the dog-show aficionado, the bodybuilder, and, with a double-wide closet, the drag queen. Absolut "wanted to have some fun" with the types of people shown on the billboard "and not make it PC but broad and a little cheeky," said Patrick O’Neill, group creative director at TBWA\Chiat\Day, the ad agency that came up with the campaign.

The ABSOLUT OUT billboard, developed by TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York, will reside in San Francisco’’s legendary Castro District for three months beginning in June in celebration of Gay Pride. ABSOLUT OUT will complete its tour in New York City for three months in October to support HRC Foundation’’s "National Coming Out Project."

Right now you can visit absolutout.com website to see an auction of celebrity donated items, proceeds benefiting the Human Rights Campaign foundation. Source: Advocate.com