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!
I just hope they will do a second volume when there are enough new ads to justify it.Page Flipping Fun This is one of those excellent books that you keep out on a table in your house and flip through everytime that you are near it. This book collects about 500 different advertisements that the Absolut Vodka company has used to promote their product in magazines. Most of the ads featured are very creative and all of them very well done. To top that of the book has inside information on the making and history of their advertising campaign. This really is an excellant book for the coffee table.
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