Research on Absolut Vodka for TBWA NYC

1. ABSOLUT VODKA
The
University
of
Texas
at
Aus3n
Department
of
Adver3sing
Graduate
Program

2. PRIMARY RESEARCH
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
Interviews
and
surveys

3. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
We also asked more specific questions about what they do when hanging out at home or going out to bars. And those answers were
somewhat varied as well from playing video games to art galleries to music festivals. Overall everyone emphasized that the point
was to socialize with their friends, not to meet new people or get wasted. One person gave us an answer that pretty much summed
it up: "The most important thing is that you share a quality time with people who mean something to you. It can be doing pretty much
whatever."

4. “The
most
important
thing
is
that
you
share
quality
3me
with
people
who
mean
something
to
you.
It
can
be
doing
preCy
much
whatever.”
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H

5. CHANGE IN DRINKING PREFERENCES:
HOME VS. OUT
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
Most people drink beer and wine at home. Liquor was definitely more prevalent when out. Habits varied as far as how much they
drank when out. Many people said they drank more at home because they didnʼt have to worry about driving home or werenʼt as
worried about maintaining composure. Other said they drank more heavily out though because they were usually out with friends
and “celebrating” the end of the work week or a birthday.

6. “I
preCy
much
always
go
for
the
drink
I’ve
never
tried
before.”
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
Brand
preference:
While
many
people
indicated
they
generally
stayed
away
from
certain
types
of
liquors.
No
one
really
had
a
brand
preference
or
indicated
that
they
definitely
would
not
try
something.
Everyone
expressed
an
openness
to
having
new
experiences
and
trying
new
things.
Bartender
sugges3on
and
word-­‐of-­‐mouth
were
the
main
ways
people
found
out
about
new
brands
and
liquors.
When
asked
about
vodka,
overall
the
general
response
was
no
brand
preference,
it’s
all
preCy
much
the
same,
flavorless.
But
when
asked
specifically
about
Absolut
most
people
didn’t
react
nega3vely
(aside
from
remembering
some
under-­‐age
drinking
nights).
They
felt
that
Absolut
is
standard
vodka
with
a
good
flavor
that
isn’t
too
expensive.
One
interviewee,
Mark,
equated
it
as
the
Jack
Daniels
of
vodka.

7. INSPIRATION FOR:
• Music:
77%
through
friends,
54%
through
social
media
• Fashion:
Evenly
split
between
blogs,
magazines
and
friends.
• Film/TV:
Most
people
cited
friend
recommenda3on,
followed
by
professional
websites
or
blogs
and
adver3sing
on
TV.
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
People
were
allowed
to
select
mul3ple
choices.
Some
also
wrote-­‐in
or
men3oned
in
our
personal
interviews:
Etsy,
Pinterest,
and
Spo3fy,
Pandora.

8. Searchin’ for a heart of gold
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
While
people’s
role
models
ranged
from
Jesus
to
Mom
to
Audrey
Hepburn,
and
both
Bill
Gates
and
Steve
Jobs.
I
felt
that
a
few
stood
out
as
representa3ve
of
the
overall
sen3ment.
One
of
the
interviewees
response
was
Neil
Young-­‐
ci3ng
that
“he
never
stopped
discovering
himself
and
changing
his
music,
he
maintained
privacy
and
ar3s3c
freedom
despite
success
and
altering
the
landscape
of
music.”
Another
said
"Common people who are able to manage busy careers and family." In other words, the unsung hero. (Searchin for a heart of gold is one of Neil
Young’s more popular songs and i thought the term heart of gold represented what people were looking for in a role-model too)

9. IDEAL PROFESSION OR NOT?
50/50
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
Thoughts about jobs, profession: The
target
has
been
evenly
split
between
being
in
their
ideal
profession
and
not.
The
top
job
aCributes
that
are
important
are
poten3al
for
advancement,
crea3ve
freedom,
and
challenging.
When
asked
to
rate
Friends,
Family,
Work
and
Personal
Hobbies
on
their
importance.
Family
and
friends
came
before
work.

10. THE QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
Not
surprisingly,
at
this
stage
in
their
life.
They’re
working
on
defining
themselves,
not
trying
to
be
like
other
people.
They’re
trying
to
balance
moving
up
in
their
profession
or
work
and
also
maintaining
close
rela3onships
with
friends
and
family.
Several
men3oned
they
were
considering
moving
closer
to
home.
They’re
dealing
with
these
different
direc3ons
their
life
could
be
going
in
and
considering
the
expecta3ons
they
have
for
themselves.
With
all
this
and
the
current
poli3cal
and
economic
climate,
they’re
stressed
and
confused.
Despite
all
the
worries
though,
everyone
expressed
op3mism
about
the
future
and
their
place
in
it.
They
know
it
will
all
be
okay
in
the
end.
I
guess
it’s
no
surprise
that
this
print
has
become
popular
again
in
recent
years.

11. SECONDARY RESEARCH
• More
educa3on=more
alcohol
consumed
– Source:
Gallup
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H

12. SECONDARY RESEARCH
• What
do
they
mainly
drink
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H

13. BRAND RESEARCH
ABSOLUT_RESEARC
H
words associated with the Abolut brand - gathered in our survey and interviews

14. TARGET AUDIENCE
• Stage
1:
Discovery
– Demographics:
Male
and
female,
ages
21-­‐25,
HHI
$30K
– Psychographics:
Desire
to
try
new
things,
flexible,
earning
independence,
instability
– VALS:
Emulators
– Maslow’s
Hierarchy:
Esteem
• Stage
2:
Perseverance
– Demographics:
Male
and
female,
ages
26-­‐29,
HHI
$45K
– Psychographics:
Beginning/refining
their
path,
striving
for
balance,
maintaining
responsibili3es
– VALS:
Emulators
ABSOLUT_AUDIENC
E
Discovery:
goals
without
a
plan
Perseverance:
Goals
and
a
plan
of
ac3on

15. SEGMENTATION
• Unreachable
Non-­‐User
• Stage
2:
Perseverance
• Drink
at
home:
New
Belgium
• Drink
at
bar:
Miller
Lite
• Hates
the
taste
of
vodka
Mark
|
Age:
29
Occupa3on:
Industrial
Engineer
Loca3on:
CharloCe,
NC
ABSOLUT_AUDIENC
E
Ac3vi3es
with
friends:
Tailgate,
watch
sports,
travel
Usually
drinks
out
Rarely
drinks
liquor
when
out
but
when
he
does:
Whiskey:
Jack
Daniels,
Tequila:
Patron
silver
These
people
have
either
had
a
bad
experience
with
vodka
or
just
don’t
like
it
These
people
are
usually
beer
drinkers
and
into
sports
It’s
valuable
to
know
about
this
audience
but
their
preferences
will
not
likely
by
able
to
be
changed

16. SEGMENTATION
• Reachable
Non-­‐User
• Stage
2:
Perseverance
• Beer/whiskey
drinker
– Hefeweizens-­‐light,
taste
– Bulleit-­‐strong
flavor,
enjoys
the
burn
• Desires
more
responsibility
in
his
David
|
Age:
28 career;
wants
to
be
an
expert
Occupa3on:
Geographic
Informa3on
Systems
Analyst • No
opinion
of
vodka
Loca3on:
Aus3n,
TX
ABSOLUT_AUDIENC
E
Rarely
drinks
at
home
but
when
he
does
he
drinks
wine
while
browsing
the
internet
or
watching
Nerlix
Happy
at
his
job,
likes
that
there’s
room
for
mobility
(a
chance
to
move
up)
Enjoys
hiking
and
the
outdoors
These
individuals
have
no
preference
or
liCle
exposure
to
vodka.
Perhaps
they
are
not
knowledgeable
about
it
or
have
only
tried
cheap
brands.
There
is
a
lot
of
room
to
grow.
And
since
they
tend
to
stays
with
a
habitual
drink,
gesng
them
to
drink
Absolut
would
be
valuable.

17. SEGMENTATION
• User
• Stage
1:
Discovery
• Diverse
drinker
• Drinks
red
wine
at
home
• Venues:
relaxed
bars
• Social
Mimi
|
Age:
25 • Stressed
about
future
Occupa3on:
Bartender
Loca3on:
Aus3n,
TX
• Priori3es:
improving
self
and
rela3onships
with
others
ABSOLUT_AUDIENC
E
Adventurous
drinker-­‐likes
to
try
many
different
things,
discovering
what
she
likes
Venues:
relaxed
places
where
she
can
hang
out
with
her
friends
Social:
she
loves
bartending
because
it
allows
her
to
socialize
and
meet
new
people
Future:
which
path
should
she
take?
She
has
goals,
but
doesn’t
yet
have
a
direc3on
to
move
in
order
to
achieve
them
Nega3ve
view
of
most
alcohol
ad
campaigns
“We
want
to
know
more
about
[liquor].
How
does
it
help
us
define
ourselves?
I’m
ooking
for
something
to
make
a
statement
about
myself
rather
to
transform
my
life.”

18. SEGMENTATION
• User
• Stage
2:
Perseverance
• Drinks:
Vodka
Tonic,
Moscow
Mule,
or
Beer
• Trying
to
find
balance
the
“figuring
it
all
out
phase”
Alyssa
|
Age:
25 • LiCle
free
3me
Occupa3on:
Interac3ve
Designer
Loca3on:
Aus3n,
TX • Ranking
of
quality:
Grey
Goose,
Titos,
Absolut
ABSOLUT_AUDIENC
E
Likes
vodka,
it’s
easy
to
drink
Drinks
Moscow
Mule-­‐vodka,
ginger,
beer,
and
lime
Has
very
liCle
free
3me-­‐
works
9-­‐7
and
works
out
at
the
gym
awer
Really
happy
in
her
career
but
trying
to
find
a
balance-­‐
representa3ve
of
people
who
have
worked
so
hard
on
their
career
but
are
beginning
to
think
of
personal
happiness
Key
target:
already
a
vodka
drinker
but
unaware
of
the
differences
or
similari3es
between
brands.
Thinks
Grey
Goose
is
top
-­‐
but
admits
it’s
probably
just
because
of
marke3ng.

19. PERSUADABLE TARGET
ABSOLUT
SHOULD
TARGET:
– Reachable
non-­‐user
– User
Stage
1
(Discovery)
– User
Stage
2
(Perseverance)
ABSOLUT_AUDIENC
E

20. POSITIONING STATEMENT
Absolut
is
a
flexible
brand
with
youthful
sophis3ca3on
among
all
vodka
for
alcohol
drinkers
between
the
ages
of
21
and
29
who
are
striving
to
define
their
new
life
stage
because
Absolut
fits
with
the
consumer’s
desire
to
discover
themselves,
as
well
as
the
brand,
when
entertaining
at
home
or
drinking
out.
ABSOLUT_POSITION

21. STRATEGY
“Choose
Your
Own
Adventure”
TENSION
• Life
goals
without
a
plan
of
ac3on
²
But
to
define
goals,
you
must
first
define
yourself
ACTIONS
FOR
ABSOLUT
(ways
to
help
define)
• Foster
Environments
for
Quality
Socializa3on
with
Peers
• Customize
Absolut
to
create
“Your
Drink”
ABSOLUT_STRATEG
Y
Choose
your
own
adventure
SeCle
in
on
what
you
like
and
what
you
don’t
like
Des3na3ons
without
direc3ons

22. KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Research
Findings
Life
Trust
in
Friends Liquor
Quality
Time
Socializing Flexible:
Open
to
new
Liquor,
Youthful
Independence
vs.
Adult
Drinks
&
Brands
Responsibili3es Expensive
Cocktails
at
Bars
Any
Day
can
be
a
Holiday
ABSOLUT_OPPORTUNIT
Y
Socializing,
price,
knowledge,
brand
truth:
what
if
and
why
not?
Questioning, standing at a crossroads, possibilities,
Throw the absolut party

23. OPPORTUNITIES
“THROW
THE
ABSOLUT
PARTY”
• Save
money
• Learn
to
bartend
• Spend
quality
social
3me
with
friends
• Be
a
proper
host
and
offer
mul3ple
drink
op3ons
with
Absolut
“THE
ABSOLUT
NETWORK”
• Break
up
an
otherwise
ordinary
work
week
• Connect
with
other
like-­‐minded
peers
• Determine
a
career
path
• Do
something
new
and
grown-­‐up
(“What
if?
Why
Not?”)
ABSOLUT_OPPORTUNIT
Y
Socializing,
price,
knowledge,
brand
truth:
what
if
and
why
not?
Questioning, standing at a crossroads, possibilities,
Throw the absolut party