Campaign Imminent: Pernod Ricard taps Absolut creative AOR after other agency shifts (Score 87)

Ogilvy is on an Absolut roll - shortly after winning the creative remits for other sibling brands, Ogilvy has been awarded the same for Pernod Ricard (PR)'s Absolut Vodka. The agency will now spearhead the brand's global strategic and creative duties, focusing on establishing Absolut as a market leader. This review conclusion replaces the vodka brand's four-year relationship with incumbent BBH.

So far this year, iSpot reports Absolut has spent approximately $296.7k on national TV commercials; it had not spent anything on this channel by this point last year. The brand has already spent half of the approximately $592.9k it spent in all of 2020, on this channel in 2020, up more than 12x from the approximately $40.1k it spent in 2019. Absolut's 2021 commercials have targeted female millennials watching programs such as The 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Chrisley Knows Best, Las Vegas and The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

According to Pathmatics, the brand has allocated roughly $298.5k toward digital ads in 2021, around double the roughly $173.7k it spent within the same 2020 timeframe. Absolut's estimated full-year spend of 2020 dropped slightly (7%) to $1.4m from that of $1.5m in 2019. It has earned ~36.2m digital impressions YTD via desktop video (37%), Instagram (30%), Facebook (22%), Twitter (10%) and desktop display (1%) ads. 98% of this year's desktop video ads have been YouTube videos.

Additionally, Magellan reveals Absolut has aired four podcast ads within the past 12 months.

Absolut's increased TV spend, along with its commercial targeting, show it's still targeting millennial women. Judging by its YOY increase in digital spend and reliance on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter advertising, though, it's also targeting Gen-Z. I've also noticed Absolut ads on Hulu. Per Kantar, the brand additionally invests in OOH, print and local broadcast. It holds planning conversations in Q1 and buying conversations in Q4.

Agency & martech readers - This AOR shift could easily lead to others; get in touch soon to see what other work is available. PR has a hybrid in-house media buying model, which includes a recently established media AOR relationship with Wavemaker NY. In the past Absolut has worked with 360i NY on media, digital and social. 

View our recent update on parent company PR, which includes spend and agency relationship information for other brands, here.