Absolut Vodka

Absolut Vodka

Type	Vodka
Manufacturer	V&S Group (Pernod Ricard)
Country of origin	Åhus, Sweden
Introduced	1879
Proof (US)	80 - 100
Related products	List of vodkas
Website	absolut.com

Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, in southern Sweden. Absolut is owned by French group Pernod Ricard; they bought Absolut for €5.63 billion in 2008 from the Swedish state. Absolut is the third largest brand of alcoholic spirits in the world after Bacardi and Smirnoff, and is sold in 126 countries.

History

The Absolut Company Factory in Åhus, Sweden

Absolut was established in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith and is produced in Åhus, Sweden.^[1] Smith challenged the city of Stockholm's liquor marketing monopoly with his vodka. It was sold at a lower price than the monopoly's product, just outside the city border. Smith even offered free boat rides to the distillery and "Rent Brännvin" made Smith a fortune.^[2]

Absolut Vodka bottles

In 1917, the alcohol industry in Sweden was monopolized by the Swedish government. Vodka was then sold nationwide under the name "Absolut Rent Brännvin". The name changed with intervals, Renat Brännvin or Absolut Rent Brännvin. In 1979, the old name Absolut was picked up when the upper-price range ABSOLUT VODKA was introduced. Renat is still a euphemism for spirits in Sweden, and the name of another vodka product by Vin & Sprit.^[2]

A bar in Worthing, Barbados in Absolut branding.

Absolut Vodka was introduced to the global market in 1979. Since its launch, Absolut has grown from 90,000 liters to 96.6 million liters in 2008. It has become the largest international spirit and is available in 126 countries. The vodka is made from winter wheat. Approximately 80,000 metric tons (2,900,000 bushels) of wheat are used annually to produce Absolut Vodka. Over one kilogram of grain is used in every one-liter bottle.^[2]

Advertising controversy

In 2007, Absolut began its "In An Absolut World" campaign in which the company posted various, often fanciful scenarios of what the target audience might think would constitute a perfect, or "Absolut", reality.

In 2008, an Absolut Vodka ad, placed in Mexican publications and on Mexican billboards, featured a map of the U.S. and Mexico with the boundaries between the two as they were prior to the 1836 Texas Revolution and the Mexican–American War. Media outlets reported on reaction amongst some American consumers at the ad's perceived insensitivity to immigration issues.^[3][4][5][6] Absolut responded that the ads were purely whimsical, with no political or nationalist agenda, but its critics were adamant. Absolut later issued a public apology and withdrew the ad.^[7]

References

1. "The story". absolutad.com.
2. "The story". Absolut. 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
3. "Mexico reconquers California? Absolut drinks to that!". latimes.com.
4. "Tuesday Map: Absolut Reconquista". Foreign Policy.
5. "ABSOLUT IDIOCY: RECONQUISTA VODKA". New York Post.
6. "La reconquista mexicana de Absolut". LA VANGUARDIA. 7 April 2008.
7. "A Vodka Tonic for Mexico's Loss?". TIME.com. 8 April 2008.

External links

• Official website