Absolut Vodka
Background
Absolut Vodka has successfully cemented itself as part of popular culture in Canada with a dedicated fan base. Every year during the winter holidays, Absolut issued a special edition of their iconic bottle. Fans kept an eye out for the limited run, with the bottles generating a following amongst dedicated collectors. Traditionally Absolut promoted this special product heavily in store, using in-store displays and point-of-sale, as well as through digital and out-of-home.
The 2020 holiday season however put a chill on that. Pandemic-inspired safety measures meant liquor stores were open, but to create space for physical distancing, they weren’t allowing in-store displays. Absolut still needed to reach its customers and drive sales of their special edition bottle.
Solution
Taking advantage of the fact that people were spending more time at home during the holiday season of 2020, Absolut turned to mail to reach their core target audience: urban millennials. Research had proved that they responded well to mail if it was relevant to them.
Absolut identified neighbourhoods with a high percentage of young, downtown professionals. To drive awareness of this limited-edition bottle, they mailed a high-quality, vibrant mailing that included three perforated gift tags to elevate the gifting proposition. To further whet the recipient’s appetites the mailing included vodka recipes for inspiration. Finally a QR code drove them to a store nearby that was stocking the bottle. Social, digital and out-of-home amplified the mailing and increased its impact.
Results
The impactful mailing was an ‘Absolut’ success. The brand saw was a 70% increase in sales of the limited-edition bottle compared to 2019, when the campaign didn’t include mail.
Source: Canada Post
