The initial launch of ABSOLUT CUT was limited to a select number of venues in Australia. The key goal of the launch strategy was to establish a core base of advocates and brand fans amongst urban influencers to create momentum before a broader launch in 2006.The objective of the promotion was to get people to try, and then buy ABSOLUT CUT. On top of that, the brand experience would build credibility for the product in the notoriously un-cool white premix sector, and drive both word of mouth and repeat purchase.

With ABSOLUT’s artistic heritage driving the launch we had to ensure that the ABSOLUT CUT bars were interesting, distinctive and unique enough to appeal to the discerning crowd we were targeting. We sourced disused, rundown but iconic venues in Sydney and Melbourne that had a place in the heart of the urban population but had long been abandoned.

Broken windows were repaired, syringes carefully disposed of, overflowing toilets fixed to transform the bars into a modern but edgy venue capable of housing bands, DJs and exhibiting art through projections, plasmas, old TVs and monitors.

A discreet campaign targeting only the most informed, drove 7,000 people to visit the ABSOLUT CUT Bars during their 24 nights of operation. During this period 12,000 free bottles of CUT were sampled and another 12,000 were sold over the bar. Even as the highest price item on the menu, ABSOLUT CUT outsold all other drinks every night.

The bar and supporting material drove traffic to the photographic project at www.absolutcut.com.au which received up to 1,800 hits a day.The campaign received significant internal recognition from both distributor Maxxium and parent company V&S as their global campaigns of the year.

Before CUT’s launch, there was no credible option for mature drinkers in the white spirit pre-mix category. The sector was plagued by images of young girls getting drunk as quickly as possible, and rejected by most other consumers.In order to succeed, CUT couldn’t act like other pre-mixes, the urban community would reject another standard white pre-mix launch. We couldn’t make CUT cool ourselves; we had to get cool people drinking it. Creating an edgy venue and showcasing cutting edge bands and DJs brought in the right crowd. Giving a free bottle to each of them got them drinking it.