Brooklyn is all about the stoop. It’s the very epicenter of culture, creativity, conversation and camaraderie. This is where it all starts.
Absolut Brooklyn, launched in 2010, was made to pay tribute to what this vibrant, diverse and cosmopolitan borough of New York City is today. Or as spoken word artist Lemon Andersenput it; “Absolut Brooklyn, the greatest country in the world”
Designed in collaboration with famed filmmaker and actor Spike Lee, the bottle is a colorful depiction of the very stoop where he grew up. The mirror printed design on the back of the bottle, when seen through the clear, red apple and ginger flavored Absolut Vodka, creates a visual depth of the roots of Brooklyn; The Stoops of Brooklyn. Other subtle nods include Brooklyn nicknames on the steps of the stoop and a line from a love letter to Brooklyn written by Lemon Andersen.
As an homage to their mutual origin, Spike Lee directed a film featuring wordsmith Lemon Andersen in the streets of Brooklyn, declaring his respect, love and admiration for the borough that shaped their unique creative expression as artists of two different kinds.
This campaign inspired us so much that even the Lars Olsson Smith seal, never before altered on the iconic ABSOLUT bottle had a makeover, wearing a baseball cap and glasses evocative of Spike Lee.
Aside from all the marketing, we had the honor of collaborating with the amazing organizationHabitat for Humanityand Habitat-NYC, dedicated to transforming lives and the city by building quality, affordable homes for families in need. Apart from the $50,000 donation of the sales profit, a partnership between Spike Lee,visual strategist Fuse Greenand artist-owned Brooklyn retailerBrooklyn Industrieswas made to create a limited-edition t-shirt that celebrates Brooklyn Stoop Life, where a percentage of sales was donated to Habitat-NYC.
This was definitely an Absolut win-win – a philanthropic cocktail with the perfect Brooklyn mixology!
