Absolut asks partygoers to think about when to call it a night
In 2024, Absolut Vodka launched a responsible drinking campaign to remind consumers of the pitfalls of having one too many alcoholic drinks on a night out.
Absolut Vodka has been encouraging people to call time on one more drink before their night gets out of hand with a responsible drinking campaign, Call it a Night. The campaign aims to counter incidents of ‘verbal aggression’ by setting a tone of safety, respect and personal accountability on nights out. By fostering a safe and positive social environment, Call it a Night highlights a drawback of drinking too much – throw-away comments and mindless statements that upset, offend and cut deep.
A pioneer in the premium vodka landscape, Absolut recognises its duty to nurture a culture of mindful drinking and encourage meaningful conversations around the pitfalls of overconsumption. It has also always believed in mixing people, ideas and drinks as a proponent for a world that is more open, free and fun – and promotes a safe, positive social environment with no discrimination. However, drinking too much alcohol can hinder people from mixing freely and safely – and may lead to people being verbally abused. Never one to shy away from controversial issues, Absolut has always recognised its duty as an industry leader to nurture a culture of responsible drinking and encourage meaningful conversations about the pitfalls of drinking too much alcohol.
It’s not necessarily about calling it a night and going home; it’s about knowing when to not have that extra drink.
“The best nights start and end with responsible drinking. We must all set a tone of safety, respect and personal accountability to make sure we don’t cross the line,” says Gaia Gilardini, Director, Brand Creative Director, The Absolut Group. “It’s not necessarily about calling it a night and going home; it’s about knowing when to not have that extra drink.”
Early creative for the campaign included the consequences of drinking too much. But after chatting to consumers during testing the campaign’s focus for its creative changed tack to what people can do while they are still in control. Absolut wanted to send a positive message and adopted a light-hearted poem-style approach that featured questions aiming to resonate with people on nights out. For example, instead of having that extra drink that could lead to unwitting offensive comments, the poem suggests people “pay the tab, call a cab, eat a kebab”. Gaia adds: “Another line in the poem that I think a lot of people will relate to was, ‘Before you drink more than you intend, whip up a text and press send, call it a night’. We wanted our message to feel like a friend talking to you, rather than a brand talking at you.”
The one-month digital campaign, which launched in late June 2024, included a two-week ‘out of home’ activation at London’s Clapham Underground station, central to a popular nightlife hub. This latest iteration of Absolut’s commitment to creating safe and respected social environments builds on the brand’s purpose-driven ethos and values for responsible drinking that it has championed for years through campaigns such as #VoteResponsibly, #SexResponsibly, and #MixResponsibly. The campaign is also a nod to Pernod Ricard’s Drink More Water campaign, a responsibility initiative whose main purpose is to reduce the consumption of alcohol among young people.
Nights out present the perfect opportunities to mix, and it is incumbent upon each of us to ensure these environments are safe and free from discrimination. Our ‘Call It A Night’ campaign not only reminds individuals to drink responsibly but that doing so and having fun are not mutually exclusive, encouraging them to be conscious of their actions and build safe environments where everyone feels comfortable and respected.
— Debasree Dasgupta
