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Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story
 
 
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Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Like so many other stories, the Absolut story begins in the fifteenth century..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Michel Roux, Arnie Arlow (more...)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
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  Hardcover, October 14, 1996 $37.80 $29.93 $3.01
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  Paperback, October 15, 1996 $23.07 $7.00 $0.47

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Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story + Absolut Sequel.: The Absolut Advertising Story Continues + Absolut: Biography of a Bottle
Price For All Three: $61.43

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  • This item: Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story by Richard W. Lewis

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  • Absolut: Biography of a Bottle by Carl Hamilton

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Is it possible to create a worthwhile book about the Absolut Vodka's advertising campaign? Absolutely. TBWA/Chiat Day executive Lewis tells the story of the ad campaign that increased the sale of Absolut Vodka by 14,900% over 15 years. For ad junkies who want all the details, Lewis includes almost 500 Absolut ads along with commentary on how each ad was created and chosen. For example, "Absolut Clarity," which has a magnifying glass over the words "Country of Sweden," was used to emphasize that unlike most imported vodkas Absolut was not made in Russia. This book will have the greatest appeal among those who appreciate the creativity behind the pieces such as "Absolut D.C.," featuring an Absolut bottle wrapped in red tape. A warning: Lewis notes, "Librarians have to guard their magazines from being de-Absoluted." If your library has this problem, buying a book with 500 ads might be a risk. Still, this is highly recommended for libraries with an interest in advertising and marketing.?Emily Engel Moore, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist

It's an Absolut-ly unabashed commercial salute to one brand of vodka that has almost single-handedly defined the shape of creative magazine advertising for many years. New York City adman Lewis not only recounts the beginnings of the campaign and the U.S. launch but also documents the story of the long-term business relationship between client and agency. This 15-year saga of bottle as hero shows, first, relatively conservative ads (Absolut joy, Absolut anticipation, Absolut generosity), then segues to the by-now-expected, break-through-the-clutter commercial: the 1987 musical "holiday song" chip, a plastic record, and a packet of flower seeds. Best are the captions and some of the behind-the-scenes footage and prose, such as the fact that wheat was used to attract pigeons to Piazza San Marco to form the shape of a bottle of--what else? Absolut Venice, of course. Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Journey Editions (October 15, 1996)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1885203292
  • ISBN-13: 978-1885203298
  • Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.9 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #295,902 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #27 in  Books > History > Europe > Sweden
    #55 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Design & Decorative Arts > Graphic Design > Commercial > Advertising

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More About the Author

Richard W. Lewis
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Like so many other stories, the Absolut story begins in the fifteenth century. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Michel Roux, Arnie Arlow, Dave Warren, Geoff Hayes, Bill Tragos, Grand Marnier, Mark Borow, Steve Feldman, United States, Absolut Kurant, Dick Costello, Andy Warhol, Martin Landey Arlow, Mickel Roux, Advertising Age, Claude Fromm, Page Murray, Vanity Fair, Walter Chin
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Absolut by Carl Hamilton
 

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Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story
86% buy the item featured on this page:
Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story 4.8 out of 5 stars (41)
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Absolut: Biography of a Bottle
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Absolut: Biography of a Bottle 4.1 out of 5 stars (15)
$15.56
Absolut Sequel.: The Absolut Advertising Story Continues
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Absolut Sequel.: The Absolut Advertising Story Continues 4.5 out of 5 stars (4)
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Customer Reviews

41 Reviews
5 star:
 (35)
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 (4)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (41 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!!, June 19, 2003
By "intentaccess" (Boca Raton, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
This is a wonderful, informative, and beautiful book.
This book is about the Absolut Vodka advertising campaign. How it began, and what it is about. There are many beautiful, and breath taking images which makes you see the entire light of the campaign which looks so simple from the outside. Now, you get the inside looks and it isn't simple at all but an amazing experience.
WOW!!
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Awful Absolut Advertising, November 13, 2000
Much as I hate to admit it, editors add more value than authors often appreciate. This book is a good example of missed potential for good editing.

The book contains almost 500 Absolut ads, and some of the rejects. What I did not realize until I looked at this book was how much bad Absolut advertising has appeared. Clearly, this volume would have been greatly improved by eliminating about 450 of the images in it. There is also a lot of text about how the ads are created, with a lot of pats on the back for the importers and agency involved. But there is relatively little about the creative process, and what works and what doesn't.

If you want to learn more interesting details about Absolut, I suggest that you acquire the newer book, Absolut, the History of the Bottle, instead.

Absolut advertising is all built around the formula of the word "Absolut" followed by some other word or words intending to say "Absolute X." While the lines are almost always good, the execution of how well the images fit with the text often leaves something or a lot to be desired. In other cases, the visuals are just plain ugly.

As the text suggests here, the idea was that "Absolut would be a product that could laugh at itself." That position is missed when the image is either almost irrelevant or unattractive. It just makes Absolut seem like it is a reflection of bad taste.

The mood for the ads was supposed to be light to " . . . add a dollop of humor so the 'We're the best' claim wouldn't be quite so boring or prententious." Well, you'll have to judge for yourself, but the ads seemed to have badly strayed from that standard.

Just so you won't think I dislike the campaign, here are my favorite ads in the book (I have eliminated "Absolut" from the titles to save space): Perfection, Joy, Peak, 19th, Harmony, L.A., Manhattan, Haring, and Appeal.

The other thought that bothered me was treating expensive vodka advertising as art. What's the social benefit here?

After you have finished considering the book, I suggest that you examine how you can add beauty to the world through your life and your work.

A votre sante!

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutley Fabulous!!!!, January 24, 1999
By A Customer
This is book is absolutley fabulous (no pun intended). I've been tearing these ads out of magazines for years now and have them all over my walls. Who knew so many others were doing the same? The book is filled with almost 500 of the ads explaining how most of them were shot or created. It is a definite must for Absolut fans!!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Absolut
I have always enjoyed the Absolut ads in the New Yorker magazine and was thrilled to find this book at Amazon. It's a great book with interesting and amazing pictures.
Published 8 months ago by Beverly C. Kirk

5.0 out of 5 stars Best coffee table book!
I love Absolut ad's and have always wanted to get one. They are expensive new , so I got an used copy from an amazon seller. Read more
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5.0 out of 5 stars As advertised - a great buy
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5.0 out of 5 stars absolut awsome book!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Absolut great book!
Wow! After reading this, I was raving to my friends about this creative book. I've never read anything like it! Richard W. Read more
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5.0 out of 5 stars strategy
Please let me know some case that absolut vodka used the advertise in Europea.And it success or not. Thanks a lot!!
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5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING
I never knew there were so many ads for Absolut. A GREAT gift for anyone who loves art, ads, or the history of Absolut. Read more
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There are Absolut ads in this book that you may never have seen before. This book is filled with the visually appealing ads from one of the greatest magazine ad campaigns in... Read more
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