Absolut Vodka appointed BBH London as its lead global creative agency last October, following a review. Sid Lee had formerly handled the account for some four years.
This week, BBH London launched a “Create a better tomorrow, tonight” global campaign for the brand with the spot “Equal Love.”
Directed by Somesuch’s Aoife McArdle, “Equal Love” opens in a bar as a couple exchange a passionate kiss. An onlooker approaches from nearby and soon the kiss is passed on from one person to the next, spanning a diverse array of ages, races and genders, all set to The Crystals‘ 1962 hit, “There’s No Other (Like My Baby).”
The online spot concludes with the line “In support of equal love since 1879,” celebrating the brand’s history of progressive values, followed by the new tagline. “Equal Love” launches a global campaign which aims to underscore the brand’s identity.
“We wanted to bring to life one of our core values and beliefs, which is that everyone should be free to love who they choose,” Absolut global communications director Gaia Gilardini told Campaign. “It uses a kiss as a metaphor for this expression of acceptance. But it’s a broader idea of acceptance – it’s not just tied to sexuality. Freedom to love who you choose goes further than just sexual preference.”
The spot also coincides with the Pride in London celebrations which run from June 24 through July 9. As part of the effort, Absolut is also an OOH installation on an escalator which is on the route of this Saturday’s London Pride parade.
Absolut isn’t the only vodka brand launching an effort around Pride in Lonon. Rival Smirnoff is actually a sponsor and also launched a series of “Love Wins” bottles back in May.
“Having more brands joining this conversation is definitely good, because it allows people to discuss this topic,” Gilardini told Campaign, adding, “Through our marketing campaigns, we’ve always supported diversity – the right for people to express their true selves. We’ve done this through the artistic collaborations we’ve done.”
Absolut’s track record seems to lend support to the statement. As Campaign notes, the brand began running ads in U.S. gay publications The Advocate and After Dark in 1981, just two years after expanding globally, at a time when most brands avoided such media completely.
The brand plans to reveal the next initiatives in the campaign in the coming weeks and will partner with U.K. LGBT+ charity organization Stonewall later this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act 1967.