- An overview of the company / brand; Overview of Absolut Vodka: The product Absolut Vodka is a convenience product due to it being

relatively inexpensive and limited shopping effort (p211, Gardiner; Hair; Lamb; McDaniel; Summers. 2005) The product is positioned on its simplicity and purity; clean yet boasts a fruity aftertaste. The recipe was constructed over 30 years ago; with packaging inspired from 18th century medical flask found in an antique store in Stockholm. (2012; THE ABSOLUT COMPANY) Both the Packaging and branding is relatively minimalist and focuses on the product being transparent to resonate particular qualities such as purity throughout the product and the branding. (p 210, Gardiner; Hair; Lamb; McDaniel; Summers. 2005)

Due to its quality distillation and bold yet fruity character the product can be mixed with all generic mixers, and even some unconventional ones. Most importantly however with any quality spirit it should be able to be drunk on its own; this goes double for vodka spirits. Like all vodka cold is the most refreshing way to enjoy it; as it alters the convection currents within the fluid causing less evaporation and thus less ethanol to tamper with the aromas of the dried fruit sensation. Knowing this Absolut plugs its products highly often on ice; otherwise known as Absolut on Ice. ABSOLUT VODKA was first launched in New York in 1979. It soon became talk of the town, the US and eventually of the world. (2012; THE ABSOLUT COMPANY)

- Identification of the marketing strategy;

Its success partially derived from positioning as an upper class style beverage. This alone is not enough; thus through an affordable cost pricing strategy, it could be bought by lower and middle class as well as the upper class. There were other strategies that came to be following the success of Stolichnaya and Smirnoff in their permeating through the obscene liquor clutter that exists in both the American and International market since the 1960s. The most currently used is the bottle itself to include remnants of pop culture (this is then applied to IMC) in many forms of visual communication. However the marketing strategy I am examining is one of the most unconventional attempts at viral marketing in history. This cost almost nothing to make and is simply a comedic trio; Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim and Zack Galifianakis. They first approached according to funnyordie.com Zach Galifianakis and he requested the aid of his friends Tim & Eric. They were propositioned to make a comedic short that had no multi-faceted brief, merely a single requirement that the short mentioned the product. The result? A bizarre and hilarious viral video that's attracted nearly 2.5 million views over three years. The viral success of the first film inspired several more short films, all just as satirical as the first.

(2010 Mansueto Ventures LLC) - Competitive evaluation (e.g. activity, spends); 42 Below is a perfect example of what Absolut has made a mission to avoid in its communications; whilst Absolut may have commissioned a relatively absurd communication project it does not draw away from the product for humour so irrelevant to the product that their branding is more so dependent on turtles mating than the quality of the product or the benefits one can receive from its consumption. (BigBashMedia on Mar 22, 2011) Ciroc Vodka utilizes Celebrities and characteristics they wish the beverage to embody as the incentive to buy the product; but once again it employs a strategy that will not initiate a high level of entertainment such as the Absolut Viral Marketing campaign covered. This is due to copywriters not comedians producing a communication unrestricted. (DopeFreshHype on Jun 4, 2010)

Smirnoff relied on visual extravaganza for a sub-brand release; and although this might prolong attention long enough for the branding to be imprinted, much like Michael Bay a

director/producer in comparison to quality dialogue and solid human interactions with a inherent storyline such as the Absolut campaign or Quentin Tarantino there is a significant difference in their level of permanent and temporary positioning by the viewer of the communication. (WorldServiceMedia on Mar 12, 2009) - Competitive consumer benefits; The majority of consumer benefits from competitors are very similar to Absolut in that the inherent qualities are derived mostly from the quality of the vodka and its characteristics (such as clean smooth taste augmented into only the smoothest drink a particular type of vodka). Thus the generic benefits offered by competitors; are ideal so that there is significant contrast to highlight the Absolut campaign. 42 Below attempts humour over product factors in most of its communications however their attempts are still obviously advertisements and only come off as lazy in how they are trying to profit off you; in turn this can become a rather insulting method of communicating to your audience. (p121, Hooley; Piercy; Nicoulaud. 2008) - SWOT (situation) analysis; of people are inundated with daily messages. It is thus of interest to understand how attention to novel items propagates and eventually fades among large populationsmeasurements indicate that novelty within groups decays with a stretched-exponential law, suggesting the existence of a natural time scale over which attention fades. (B. A. Huberman; F. Wu 6/11/2007) Thus it is imperative to not communicate abstract matters foreign from core values to ensure a greater likelihood of retention. Celebrities can aid this problem by adding memorable faces to correlate aid in product & brand retention whilst aiding differentiation against the competitors. This is generally based on the selections of celebrities whose star image has appropriate ideologies; qualities and values. (p430, OShaughnessy; Stadler. 2008) Internally Absolut is a healthy company that knows its limitations and rooms for improvement. This is outlined by their almost costless yet breakthrough viral campaign that achieved enormous viewership unconditionally.

Their strength was faith in the masses to view a long video as oppose to a 30 second advertisement. They relied on entertainment rather than semiotics. My only editing note to Tim and Eric, after wed shot the first clip, Galifianakis said, was Lets make it impossible for someone to think that this is an actual ad. After we finished that first clip, the creative director of the ad campaign told me that it was his favorite thing hed done in 10 years. He really seemed to appreciate how far wed taken things. He paused a moment. I was pretty surprised by that, to tell you the truth. (Wray; May 28, 2009) Conceptually the greatest benefit of this communication; is that the advertisement does not actually get perceived as an advertisement. This Is due to its outlandishness. Thus the audience is exposed to an extended advertisement with the sense of watching a comedic piece and subsequently is exposed to branding willingly. The acceptance comes from the sense of its absence.

Their weaknesses are that Absolut waited too long to produce this resulting in a target market not being reached for quite some time that existed under their noses. This is arguably due to desire of holding current markets to ensure financial stability over unpredictable fluctuations. It seized an opportunity to utilize excellent underestimated comedians before their prime to do what they do best; independent alternative comedy that causes mass viewings due to unpredictability; absurdity and comedic genius. The threat in this communication attempt was minimal; if the trio produced a campaign that was not acceptable then Absolut would not air it. Much like the Superbowl fiasco for NBC which was easily contained showing actually that NBC had virtue based restraints from what it airs (even though these ethics may be profit maximization based).

- Consumer / target audience evaluation; The key evaluation received from inspecting previous campaigns in relation to this Communication is; that the target audiences of previous campaigns for Absolut are based on mostly a classy conception of the product as a cultural and social highlight. This campaign focuses on other important matters such as simply enjoying the company of friends as an ideal reality. This is a relatively untapped market for Absolut; an easier market to pitch to, as the SMP is based on contentment a simple need rather than a more fickle and complex want.

According to Maslows hierarchy of needs positioning is much more effectual on needs as oppose to desires; and a key purpose of marketing is to augment desires into needs. The most ideal communications however bypass this requirement by communicating a need that hasnt been positioned like it has in the original piece of communication. - target audience/s identification, profile; From the communication; a sense of humour is the only pre-requisite of the target audience; naturally alcohol advertising has a limiter of 18/21 (depending on legal restrictions this alters) as the minimum for immediate purchase. However due to the activity of the comedic trio within the communication it is clear that there is little to no age restriction in terms of older and less mobile people. In fact the first and second communications (part 1 and 2) highlight bodies that are not the socially most sought after to view in any way. The purpose of their outfits and wigs is to remove any classification of their actual identities that can be used to objectify themselves. Thus the target is not restricted by age; social preferences (gender; socio economics, appearance, etc.) but mainly just their sense of humour and need for companionship in a world that could be Absolut. Also Non-social/habitual drinkers & Alcoholics are not targeted in particular as the messages are directed towards people who drink in social environments. This downplays the necessity of warnings by making it obvious the target is capable of behaving well with alcohol. - Consumer purchase habits; The communications proposition that to not have Absolut on the premises (even on the individual) at all times could lead to conversation mistakes not being so easily redeemed with forgiveness catalysed by Absolut. Thus it is not targeted at customers who solely purchase small quantities when going on social encounters. It is specifically targeting people who appreciate the social lubricant quality of Alcohol enough to have it on hand in advance and enough of it to not only please themselves but their company. Thus the customer purchase habits are pinned down to purchasing prior to social engagements.

- Key consumer insights;

The need for companionship outweighs nearly all concerns. The high viewership of these viral marketing communications and the majority of those viewers providing positive feedback highlighted this insight. If Absolut can help the consumers remember and actively engage with friends in memorable activities that renew faith in companionship and dwindle notions of neurotic origin that force unnecessary individualism within society then naturally the consumers will engage with the product somewhat habitually. Thus the key determinant now is the quality of the Spirit to maintain its targets. Given Absolut is more sought after for taste than Smirnoff (straight) its key competitors are Russian Imports such as Stolichnaya & Russian Standard and of course European Imports from outside of Russia such as Finlandia. Its a simple message directed at simple consumer insights; Absolut is not only a drinkable spirit but an enjoyable one that eases social engagements.

- Single minded proposition; In an Absolut World Friends would get together more often. The tagline insinuates that there are obstructions from an ideal reality; where friends commit to spending time with each other over obligations that in comparison are known to not be as important. The SMP is pushing the notion that Absolut functions as an intermediary between the ideal world and the current world and allows the discerning of companionship to be sort after highly. Companionship leads to contentment and if Absolut can be positioned as the catalyst for this sensational experience then its positioning outside its traditional targets is actually more ideal than their previous targets. Thus a less restrictive target and a simpler & more rewarding proposition are highly sought after by Absolut. - Communication strategy; Absolut are prominent in utilizing the advertising factor of the promotional mix to achieve their overall marketing objectives via reaching their target market on a lower involvement level that depends more on sensory exposure than rational factors. This is due to two factor of the product; firstly the product is alcohol and thus is not meant to lower the quality of the customers life with surveys and direct marketing (wine is an exception to this rule based on social allowances). Secondly its a low investment good that is finite; thus it doesnt need to preach about costs, unlike high investment products & services (such as automobiles and legal aid).

How did Absolut come to choose such an alternative comedic team to promote a product? After all the majority of their works are highlighting the inferiority of capitalism; mainly within the fields of advertising. The logic behind utilizing the comedic niche of the group Zach and Tim & Eric is quite simple, they are masters at gaining internet buzz without a big budget or huge cameos. The key cost of selecting this group is not micromanaging their creative efforts, they operate independently and will not work for serious briefs and serious clients. The proof of this is outlined when they were propositioned by NBC to create a campaign for the 20112012 superbowl. The result was a waste of NBCs time meanwhile Tim and Eric gained significant media time instead of them as a result. (codic3s on Feb 3, 2012) Obviously a liquor company can take more leaps of faith and communicate a less family oriented message unlike a free to air channel. The strategy of Absolut was to position their Vodka in a way not yet attempted before by them. Rather than addressing itself as a highlight of the night and even an identity or as a culmination of pop culture factors; Absolut decided to communicate a less serious message communicating good times over social requirements. This is directly in line with the values of Zach; Tim & Eric as many of their works play down social etiquette to highlight enjoying life is more important. Unlike most alcohol companies; they chose rather than to downplay their messages to seem stupid for a generic laugh; the strategy implemented independently of Absolut by Tim and Eric is to downplay the product itself. [0:28] Weve got some Absolut and ice. What is this, ice? Um, Absolut on ice. By them repeating the product title as a joke related to someone not recognizing the product it not only allows repetition of the products title but does so whilst entertaining the audience humourously. A series of matters outlining the continual dissatisfaction of Zach Galifianakis character suggests hes still not happy, because he needs Absolut.

After wasting the product absurdly; defying logic and displaying irrational greed and unnecessary facial gestures they make social mistakes on a constant between each other and the products ingestion method (i.e.- to drink straight not to lap with your tongue and shake profusely)

- Budget (if possible); The costs of this were minimal. The trio performs viral communications on a constant to produce humour for the sake of joy not profit all the time. The costs were further reduced given that with viral marketing on YouTube.com and FunnyorDie.com it costs nothing to upload videos and have people watch them. - Campaign evaluation/results; The result? A bizarre and hilarious viral video that's attracted nearly 2.5 million views over three years. The viral success of the first film inspired several more short films, all just as satirical as the first. (2010 Mansueto Ventures LLC) For the first communication of 3; Funnyordie.com shows this was rated Immortal (held in highest regards); On YouTube the ratio of likes to dislikes currently is 23.2680653 (9982 divided by 429). The viewership on YouTube is currently 2,820,557. Cost evaluation is highly simplistic for this viral campaign; it does not follow generic billing models due to no online advertising space costs. The videos are uploaded free of charge to YouTube and funnyordie.com hence the costs are only the payment of the actors and the cost of the videos production. There is - Examples of executions; Zach Galifianakis added 7/3/2008 Zach Galifianakis 8/5/2008 Zach Galifianakis 15/7/2008 In conclusion; Absolut made a gamble and it paid off. They relied on minimal investment and sporadic based comedy to highlight the interactions they desire from a target market beyond their initial consumers.

Thus they now have two forms of branding for the same product; which are so distant from each other that they dont negatively impact each other. The significant viewership and positive rating on various social media cements this claim. Experts in Marketing and Advertising will agree that near free publicity with millions of positive viewings is far more viable than say 3 million dollars for 30 seconds of inferior branding to be aired during the American National Football Leagues Superbowl. Most importantly this form of communications doesnt preach brand promises; it merely states the obvious and entertains the viewer in doing so. This aligns positively with Maslows Hierarchy of needs and is not in conflict with the Virtue ethics of Aristotle. Thus it is actually an educational advertisement in some respects; showing the shortcomings of people and how forgiveness can nurture them into strengths (the end result is a little better than the beginning problem). The most important factor is that the communication strategy depended upon people whom enjoyed working together; these people got together more often as a result. The strategy regardless of the implementation could be used to promote the exact same branding. - Bibliography Journals - B. A. Huberman; F. Wu 6/11/2007 Novelty and collective attention PNAS Textbooks - M. Azzaro; D. Binder; R. Clawson; C. Lloyd; M. A. Shaver; O. Werder. (2008) Strategic Media Decisions 2nd Edition The Copy Workshop - M. Gardiner; J.F. Hair; C. W. Lamb; C. McDaniel; J. Summers. (2005) Essentials of Marketing 2nd Edition Thomson Learning Australia - G. Hooley; N. F. Piercy; B. Nicoulaud. (2008) Marketing strategy and competitive positioning 4th edition Pearson Education Ltd. - M. OShaughnessy; J. Stadler. (2008) Media & Society Fourth Edition Oxford University Press Australia and New Zealand.

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- Smirnoff Guarana - Robert Morton WowTV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbGF9lneGbo WorldServiceMedia on Mar 12, 2009 date retrieved 25/03/2012