ABSOLUT VODKA ROCK

The Digitalistas loves cocktails. So we were very happy, when we’ve got invited for an Absolut Vodka party last Thursday. All three of us plus some friends were present!

Absolut Vodka organized a very nice party somewhere in the middle of nowhere (Amsterdam-North, of all places…). It was a long trip to this party, we were very cold, we didn’t like the trip with the ferry and we gasped for a limosine. But when we arrived it was so much fun, because there was a cocktail bar where we could choose between three different cocktails, drink all night long. It was heaven for most of us. (PLEASE NOTE: For all readers under 16, don’t take us as an good example, because we’re all way above the legal drinking age)

The bottle
This year Absolut Vodka comes up with a limited edition bottle in honor of Rock ‘n Roll. And especially this year the vodka brand collaborated with Dutch rockband MeloManics. The packaging of this bottle is made of faux leather, decorated with studs. Last year there was the Masquerade bottle, the year before the Disco bottle and in 2006 there was the Bling Bling bottle. In that year they also collaborated with Lenny Kravitz for the Absolut Kravitz bottle.

While Digitalista K. and Digitalista M. filled themselves with vodka cocktails, Digitalista E. drank a simple Coco Cola. Just because she can’t handle alcohol that much, so it was a fun night with a fun ending (read: no hangover for this girl!). But the end of the evening wasnt that much fun at all. We missed the ferry and Digitalista E. got cranky while Digitalista K. and Digitalista M. were having the time of their lives (read: they were tipsy!). Note: please don’t try this at home…

The Digitalistas with muse E. and friends M. and M.

This is the first time the vodka brand collaborated with a Dutch band. So for all the rock chicks: try Absolut Rock!

N’ayant pas encore beaucoup de temps pour vous faire partager mon voyage, ce que j’ai pu voir et surtout découvrir, surtout vous parlez de la campagne Absolut Vodka Rock’N'Roll ou encore le programme social media d’Air Asia, mais également ses campagnes de media tactiques avec Visa… voici le visuel le plus kitsch que j’ai pu voir!

Aperçu dans les rues du quartier Indien de Singapour, cette publicité pour un Whisky est totalement kitsch.

Vive le Bollywood Style!

Débarrassez-vous de vos clichés : non, la vodka n’est pas nécessairement produite en Russie et en Pologne. La preuve ? La success story Grey Goose qui ouvre notre série sur les vodkas premium, que je vous propose désormais tous les lundis.

S’appuyant sur le prestige dont les produits français bénéficient aux Etats-Unis, Sydney Frank, américain d’origine, eût l’idée géniale de créer une vodka haut de gamme de fabrication française. Depuis 1997, cette eau de vie est distillée à Cognac, région historique des spiritueux, par H.Mounier, référence incontournable du secteur (Cognac Prince Hubert de Polignac). Bacardi rachète ensuite la marque Grey Goose à Sydney Franck en 2004, pour un montant que l’on murmure s’élever à 2 milliards de dollars…

Bien que Grey Goose se situe en troisième position en terme de vente, derrière Absolut Vodka et Smirnoff, elle n’en est pas moins le leader mondial des vodkas haut de gamme. Et en cinq ans, depuis 1999 date du lancement, la marque a multiplié son chiffre d’affaires par trois. Mais Bacardi a le culte du secret et difficile de trouver le montant exact.

Si nous nous penchons maintenant sur les caractéristiques du packaging, que nous révèle l’oie grise ?
La bouteille est une Ariane de chez Saverglass, revêtue d’un satinage partiel avec fenêtre représentant une oie. Puis 4 encres composent le décor des montagnes que l’on peut admirer au travers de la fenêtre laissée vierge de satinage. Mais au lieu d’être imprimé sur la face avant, le décor est en fait imprimé sur l’arrière ; challenge technique si besoin est de le préciser.

Un bandeau bleu, blanc, rouge indique très clairement la provenance du produit, accompagné de la mention « produced and distilled in France ». L’accent est mis sur le prestige français, comme le souhaitait Sydney Frank à l’origine.
Les montagnes évoquent la nature, l’air pur, le froid qui correspondent à l’imaginaire de la vodka qui se sert glacée.
Pourquoi l’oie alors ? Symbole du voyage, de la découverte, du retour, l’oie est également…symbole de gastronomie française et de prestige. La boucle est bouclée.

La bouteille est livrée dans un étui dont le décor de montagne est repris sur le bas.

Le conditionnement est proposée en 37,5cl, 50cl, 1,75 litres, 4,5litres et 6 litres. La marque a également procédé à un élargissement de gamme avec une déclinaison de quatre saveurs : orange, vanille, citron et poire.

Grey Goose poursuit ainsi son ascension fulgurante grâce à un marketing agressif face à ses concurrents. Elle a d’ailleurs ouvert en 2005 un bar de glace et marche directement sur les plates-bandes de son plus célèbre concurrent, Absolut Vodka, du groupe Pernod Ricard.

Je vous invite également à découvrir le site de mon camarade Simon, Ivre de Pub, qui traite de la communication des marques d’alcool : http://comalcool.wordpress.com/

Et je ne vous le répéterai jamais assez : l’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.

A lundi prochain.

La bouteille Grey Goose

Now I know that most people love Halloween for the scary movies, trick-or-treating and/or excuse to dress like a skanky nurse wear a costume but one of the things that I love about Halloween are all the post-Halloween candy sales. HA! And for better or worse, you better believe, I stock up!

This year I was introduced to caramel candy corn and even though my waistline isn’t appreciating it, I am addicted. Damn you Erin! *shaking fists violently* Since I went a tad overboard with hoarding all the caramel candy corn I could find come November 1st, I decided to brainstorm ways to use it up.

And what better way than to add some booze!

PS- Only 9 more days until Cupcake Hero::November is due! What are you waiting for? Break out the Skippy and bake! Also thanks for all comments and emails regarding Cupcake Hero::October’s tie. You’ve all helped me come up with a solution that I hope will make all parties happy. Stay tuned.

Recipe adapted from Cupcakes by Martha Stewart and Yum Sugar

Makes about 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For chocolate cupcakes
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (I used E. Guittard unsweetened red dutch process cocoa)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water (I used 1/2 cup instead)

For candy corn vodka swiss meringue buttercream*
5 large egg whites
1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
2-3 tsp of candy corn vodka, to taste (see recipe below)

* SMBC recipe makes a good amount. You could probably 1/2 the recipe if you use it sparingly for each cupcake but I’m a frosting whore so I like having more vs less.

For candy corn infused vodka
1/3 cup candy corn
1 cup vodka (I used Absolut vodka)

INSTRUCTIONS

To make cupcakes—
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking power and salt. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract and water.

Fill cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full. Bake for about 17-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

To make candy corn vodka—
Combine candy corn and vodka in an airtight container for at least 3 hours, then strain. Discard any candy corn chunks.

To make buttercream—
Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

Transfer bowl to mixer stand fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don’t worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add candy corn vodka, and beat just until combined.

Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the low to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes.

To assemble cupcakes—
Using a Wilton 1M (or favorite star tip), pipe buttercream on each cupcake. Top with a caramel candy corn.

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A/A-
He’s not a fan of alcoholic laced desserts. Too many alcohol induced hangover memories from his wilder days. But he said even though he could taste the vodka in the buttercream, the caramel taste was a stronger complement that he actually enjoyed.

Wife rating: A/A+
If you like vodka, you’ll love caramel candy corn vodka. If you like frosting and booze (like me!), you’ll LOVE caramel candy corn vodka swiss meringue buttercream. Add in a Martha chocolate cupcake and it’s almost the perfect food. Amen.

Other rating: (will update later)

http://www.gringo.nu/v4/

Absolut Vodka hat seine Flasche mal wieder neu verpackt. Diesmal wurde es eine Rock Edition (klar, dass das Ding hier rein muss). Ausgestattet mit einem kompletten Lederüberzug und Nieten wird die Flasche zum ersten Vodka-Rock-Fetisch. Wunderschön ist sie zwar nicht wirklich… aber hey, das ist Rock!

Begleitend wurde eine kleine Dokumentation aus dem Boden gestampft. Unter dem Titel “In an absolute world, you are with the band” hat der Fotograf Danny Linch die Jungs von Wolfmother für ein paar Tage begleitet. Heraus kamen diverse Videos und erstklassige Fotos aus dem Alltag der australischen Rocker. By the way: Cosmic Egg ist seit zwei Wochen draußen und hat seitdem einen festen Platz in meiner aktuellen Playlist!

Die dazugehörige Webseite ist auf jeden Fall einen Besuch wert! Die Videos laufen allerdings nur mit einer guten Internetverbindung: www.absolut.com/rockedition

via Ads of the World

Check out Absolut Vodka’s Rock Edition footage at ABSOLUT Rock Edition. Presenting the Absolut Vodka Rock Edition, we’re being served some rather terrific footage of rock-and-roll photographer Danny Clinch and the rock band Wolfmother.

The whole thing is being presented on the website in a timeline following Danny Clinch and Wolfmother  while recording and performing in LA. Notice the Tags Search option which is also pretty neat.

Pretty awesome but then again so is Absolut Vodka ain’t it!?

L’ultima Special Edition di Absolut Vodka ha il sapore graffiante del rock per portare una nota di carattere nei party di fine anno.

Dopo i toni natalizi delle precedenti Special Edition, oro per Absolut Bling Bling (2006), argento per Absolut Disco (2007) e rosso sfavillante per Absolut Masquerade (2008), il Natale Absolut quest’anno rompe gli schemi con una carica di energia pura: Absolut Vodka rende omaggio all’età d’oro del rock, mostrando la sua anima più dark, con il lancio della nuova Absolut Rock Edition, un’idea regalo dalla forte personalità. Un packaging seducente e aggressivo che riveste la celebre bottigliadi morbida pelle nera, arricchita di borchie in perfetto stile heavyrock.

La press relase ci informa che sarà in vendita dalla prossima settimana nei migliori punti vendita ed in alcuni locali selezionati, e che il prezzo è comunicato solo su richiesta. Un po’ di mistero non guasta a rendere l’operazione ancora più esclusiva. Per saperne di più: www.absolut.it

Apart of a special promotion Absolut Vodka will be releasing limited quantities of this black leather studded bottle. Now Absolut is undoubtedly tasty, so now a little eye candy for your bottle collection isn’t bad. Peep more images after the jump.

ABSOLUT VODKA is proudly introducing In An ABSOLUT World, There Are No Labels, a bold and innovative project where the brand is challenging labels and prejudice about sexual identities. A manifestation of a world with no labels is a limited edition naked ABSOLUT bottle, with no label and no logo, launched globally in the fall of 2009. Part of the initiative is also a 24-page interview magazine, produced in collaboration with celebrated men’s magazine Fantastic Man.

”For the first time we dare to face the world completely naked. We launch a bottle with no label and no logo, to manifest the idea, that no matter what’s on the outside, it’s the inside that really matters. The bottle visually manifests our belief in diversity and our standpoint when it comes to sexual identities. Off course it is also a wonderful piece of delicate and minimalist design, a true collectors item” says Kristina Hagbard, Global PR Manager at The Absolut Company.

ABSOLUT was one of the first commercial brands to openly embrace the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community and its ads have appeared in gay media since 1981. With this initiative, ABSOLUT is again showing its support for the LGBT community.

“There are too many clichés associated with the LGBT community. LGBT people are often referred to as one homogenous group but when you think about it: does a 60-year old lesbian woman from South Korea necessarily have that much in common with a 20-year old gay man from Berlin, or a Brazilian transgender person of indeterminable age?” Kristina Hagbard continues. “By challenging labels and prejudice we want to explore problems around this subject, and at the same time promote a more diverse, vibrant and respectful world.

The limited edition bottle will be launched globally in September and October 2009. It is the original ABSOLUT bottle, designed by Swedish designers Gunnar Broman and Hans Brindfors in 1979, but without the ABSOLUT logo and label. A discrete and easily removed sticker with the campaign manifesto encourages consumers to discard their labels and to visit absolut.com/nolabel – a blog discussing labels and prejudice associated with the LGBT community. ABSOLUT is also introducing a No Label fan page on Facebook, together with a Facebook app, which users can activate to show their support of a world without prejudice.

In addition to the naked bottle, the blog and the app, this initiative also includes a creative collaboration with acclaimed men’s magazine Fantastic Man. Together ABSOLUT and Fantastic Man are producing a 24-page magazine featuring personal interviews around labels, misconceptions and prejudice. Featured in the magazine are singer Tanita Tikaram, rugby player Ben Cohen, fashion designers Kris Van Assche and Eudon Choi, restaurant and food creative David Waddington, performer/entertainer Jeanette, hair dresser Guido, DJ phenomenon/beauty editor Hanna Hanra and photography authority Julie Brown – all photographed by Alasdair McLellan and interviewed by Fantastic Man’s Gert Jonkers, Jina Khayyer and Charlie Porter. The magazine, designed by Jop van Bennekom, will come as a supplement with Fantastic Man No 10. It will also be distributed at selected bars, restaurants and stores around the world.

Bron

I think I aughtta start a how-to on this blog so I could give back my blog that spark, and get more traffic HUEHUHEUE. Okay, I learned this from my Large Format Photography class and im gonna share how to take cool professional looking booze shots like ME! ( nak jugak cakap ). Okay first of you need;

- 3 flash to work with two long softboxes ( one is actually enough )

- a bottle, duh.

- a blank piece of paper ( any color you want, I used a white blank paper )

- a mirror

Okay, the trick here is like usual non-transparent object you usually put the light on the subject but in this case the bottle is transparent its better to fill the light at the background instead so it gives the illusion that its being lit inside ( I hope I said that right ). Gahs, look at the picture if you wanna get what I mean:

yes, i face-palm’ed.

As you can see the setup here, the purpose of those two long softboxes is to give that highlight at each of sides of the bottle, you can experiment with this, place it anywhere facing the front to position it where-ever you want the highlights to be, heck! you can even change the color of those softboxes you-name-it red, blue, purple, yerple yadiyadiya ( thanks M for the tip! ) The paper, as you can see we’re just using a Mahjong paper we found inside the studio for it if you need a tip how to make the paper smoother in the end process, instead of doing a fast shutter lets say 1/200th of a second, slow it down to 3′ seconds exposure and jiggle it up and down so the ripples will be blurred out during exposure VIOLA smooth background! . The mirror, no brainer put it under the bottle. Okay, can you see a flash at the bottom at the picture? you can position it anywhere as long the light falls on that blank paper you-see, when that paper is lit, so does the bottle-see? I advise you to use a snoot or a honey-comb to narrow the beam of light so you’ll get that vignette effect. Owh! play around with your camera white-balance to get some cool colors! I used a colder temperature to get that blue’ish finish. Thats it! have fun experimenting yo!

Saw this amongst the slew of FB updates.
Too darn funny not to be shared.

So if you are one of those who has a tyranny MIL, this is as good a suggestion as it gets.

]]> http://fashiondeluxe.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/naked-absolut/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:06:23 +0000 fashiondeluxe http://fashiondeluxe.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/naked-absolut/

Quem me conhece sabe que eu adoro a Absolut, marca centenária de vodka e pioneira em fazer da embalagem de produto um diferencial. Com suas embalagens a Absolut criou uma identidade fortíssima no mercado, sempre trazendo propostas e conceitos interessantíssimos em cada frasco lançado. O último deles,acredito eu, é um dos mais ousados dentre as centenas de embalagens já feitas e olha que eu já vi muuuuuitas garrafas de Absolut.

Chamada Absolut NAKED (nu, em inglês) ela é despida de qualquer elemento gráfico, logo ou indício da marca para expressar a ideia de que “no matter what’s on the outside, it’s the inside that really matters”, ou seja, não importa o que está por fora, apenas o interior. Esse conceito todo é em prol do movimento GLBT, causa que a Absolut abraça desde 1981, sendo então uma das primeiras empresas a apoiar abertamente o movimento…mais uma vez pioneira!

Essa edição especial que vai ser lançada globalmente este mês vai junto com um documento- manifesto a favor do esclarecimento do movimento GLBT , o preconceito,entre outras questões. Também foi criado um blog chamado NO LABEL, uma página no Facebook e um aplicativo onde é possível apoiar a causa. 

ABSOLUT Vodka Goes Logoless for a New Campaign
ABSOLUT is going with the ever popular brandless branding for a new limited edition series of bottles. The Swedish vodka maker is going nearly labelless for new campaign against sexual prejudice. The bottles maintain their signature shape, with only a tiny removable sticker at the bottom to identifying alcohol content and volume.

I finally got round to checking out the online vodka store – Vodka Emporium.

Since my last ‘missed opportunity‘ a few weeks ago, a little voice had been nagging me to get this bottle.

So off I went to check out the site.

A £19.99 price tag stared right back at me. And it’s only for 700 ml. Sadly no comparison for the 1000 ml bottles I can get from the airport’s duty free shop – for under £14. No shipping charges for that too. Guess I’ll remain loyal to the airport duty free shops.  Sorry, Emporium dude.

Just out of curiosity, I moved on to the purchase page. Only to be stumped by this.

Where the heck is MALAYSIA?!

Even if the price was good and even if I wanted to get it, there never was an option for us to begin with.

All that excitement was for nothing. How … depressing.

Rubens LP è uno dei migliori.
Originale, con uno stile unico e con una pulitezza formale sublime. Personalmente mi fa impazzire.

Rubens LP è brasiliano. Ama le linee, i punti e le caramelle.
Nel 2006, all’età di 25, si è messo a fare l’illustratore freelance per piccole aziende come Microsoft, Nike, Absolut Vodka, Smart, Sony Ericsson, Coca-Cola, MTV, Motorola, Ride Snowboard.

È recentemente venuto a Milano per partecipare al Crazy About Italian Shoes (ANCI Creative Award), un evento di beneficenza nel quale si chiedeva agli artisti selezionati di raccontare in un’opera il mito della calzatura italiana.
Quando ho saputo, troppo tardi, della sua presenza a Milano, mi sono letteralmente mangiato le mani!

Dopo il continua, alcune favolose opere.

Scarico immagine

Fai clic sullo sfondo per annullare

Singer Skin attended the Absolut Vodka press conference for the launch of the Absolut Rock Edition Bottle by Skin, in Milan Italy this afternoon (Oct 15th).

Absolut Vodka Rock Edition Bottle press conference / bottle “designed” by Skin? Ventures like this always seem a bit pointless.  

Anyway I loved Skin back in the Skunk Anansie days. I hear the band are now back together  and working on a new album. I look forward to hearing the new material.

L-R Marketing Manager Pernod Ricard Italia Antonio Duva

Photographs: WireImage

This week’s Media Bites takes a look at a recent Absolut Vodka ad. The spot is highly stylized, with beautiful scenery and various artists who craft words for the alcohol commercial. It is not until the very end of the commercial that we know what is being sold, but here the brand is primarily about what association viewers will have with the scenery and the music.

Yupz, yet another one.
Except that to me, this is the most ingenious of ‘em all.

Introducing…

An Absolut Anticipation.

Its tagline :

“In An Absolut World, There Are No Labels”

This is the latest form of marketing approach:
LGBT
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)

It’s all about challenging the concept of labels and prejudices.
Presenting itself in its most naked form, with an attitude to boot too!

Strange thing is, it was supposedly launched in late-May but I have yet to spot it in any of our Asian airports. My fav Absolut supplier (read:  Changi Airport) doesn’t even stock it yet. Hopefully, it’s not like one of those where they skip Asia.

*pray*

Yes, I am an absolut(e) sucker for special eds.

]]> http://vodkaemporium.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/absolut-no-label-the-latest-in-a-long-line-of-limited-edition-releases/ Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:32:29 +0000 emporiumdrinks http://vodkaemporium.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/absolut-no-label-the-latest-in-a-long-line-of-limited-edition-releases/

Absolut No Label is here at the Vodka Emporium!

This is one of there rarer limited editions as there has only been 500 cases produced of this bottle.

Absolut No Label Vodka is the company’s initiative “to challenge labels and prejudice to make the world more diverse, vibrant, and respectful.”

The Absolut No Label bottles are all numbered and as you can see in the picture have no label or logo. The only familiarity is the classic Absolut bottle design. The only feature on the bottle itself is a removable campaign sticker with the website address, this is so anyone can find a little more on the product or even give feedback.

The product will be available from the vodka emporium from October and you can place your order now.

Absolut No Label Vodka – PRE ORDER

Ends

Copyright Emporium Drinks Limited 2009

Joy Division/New Order song Ceremony in Absolut Vodka commercial. I was surpised to hear this song behind a liquor advertisement, but I think the commercial is interesting enough:

—–

I like the poem below because each person partaking is being healed and filled by the other person; yet, it is not about an imperfect woman who needs a man to be her savior, and it is not about a perfect man who is saving a woman. So many females in my life talk about confidence and independence, but they still want to be saved. They think it will solve everything. Does it?

Intercourse; Tom C. Hunley

As we made love, our scars met,
grazing long enough for mine to say
“He tries to hide me,”
and for yours to reply
“I know I embarrass her.”

“He never learned how to swim,” whispered my scar.
“She got picked last in gym class,
then cried into her pillow,” replied yours.

Just then, a huge wound opened in me.
You touched it. It closed.
I was filled, fully healed, and I knew
I would never be able not to love you.

Some lovely Emil Schildt

This poem makes me sad.

For My Lover, Returning to his wife
Anne Sexton

She has always been there, my darling.
She is, in fact, exquisite.
Fireworks in the dull middle of February
And as real as a cast iron pot

Let’s face it. I have been momentary.
A luxury. A bright red sloop in the harbor.
My hair rising like smoke from the car window.
Littleneck clams out of season.

She is more than that. She is your have to have,
Has grown you your practical, your tropical growth.
This in not an experiment. She is all harmony.
She sees to oars and oarlocks for the dinghy

I give you back your heart.
I give you permission –

She is so naked and singular.
She is the sum of yourself and your dream.
Climb her like a monument, step after step.
She is solid.

As for me, I am a watercolour.
I wash off.