For the first time in 42 years, Swedish vodka vendor Absolut has undergone a brand elevation, courtesy of design agency Brand Union Stockholm, with advisory from Destrito and glassworks partner Ardagh Group.
Brand Union hasn’t reinvented the wheel here, but they have made thoughtful tweaks to update Absolut’s already widely recognizable design to underscore the company’s proud provenance. With Åhus, Sweden as their hometown, the entire Absolut vodka manufacturing process occurs within a 75-mile radius, with each bottle produced from “one source. One community. One small village in the south of Sweden.”
The new classic. Keep an eye out and stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/1SNJ7qPg4d
— Absolut (@absolutvodka) September 7, 2021
As such, details like an illustration of Absolut’s original distillery get incorporated in the new iteration of the bottle, as well as a paper label printed with its address. Other details that harken to Absolut’s storied past include the name of their founder, Lars Olsson Smith, on the bottle’s medallion seal.
The shape of the bottle itself retains the allusion to 18th-century apothecary bottles, and “COUNTRY OF SWEDEN” has been embossed into the glass as a nod to the country’s vodka-steeped roots. The bottle’s script has also been modified for legibility, leading to a cleaner overall feel.
This brand refresh will first debut across the US in September, followed by an international rollout. Skål!
