• by August 26, 2004

It was a raspberry beret in Prince's hit single. For Absolut, it's a raspberry soiree. Specifically-Raspberri unleashed-as the spirits brand delivers its latest flavor with an unusual online awareness campaign.

Not since the launch of Absolut Vanilia in 2003, has the Swedish spirits brand made such a splash. For Raspberri, Absolut handed two street artists-Kenji Hirata, and Maya Hayuk-a creative brief to develop ads for the new product. "Raspberri Unleashed," is the theme of the cable TV, print, outdoor, and online campaign. The campaign's online components were built and designed by Springtime, Stockholm, and Daddy, Gothenburg, Sweden; media buying is handled by Omnicom Group's OMD. A micro site offers a drinks search engine and shows Absolut's trademark martini with an olive. When a user scrolls over the martini glass, the fabled green olive turns into a pink raspberry.

The site offers users the ability to interact with Hirata and Hayuk's unique and colorful interpretations of "Raspberri Unleashed." However, beyond the artists' renderings and a comprehensive micro site, the most unusual aspect of Absolut Raspberri's online presence is that it gives users an opportunity to go behind the scenes to create their own interpretation of Raspberri.

To go behind the scenes, or behind the canvas, users scroll to the far left-hand corner of their computer screen to locate a trap door. Once the secret passage is located, users can go behind the Absolut.com curtain in real-time to create their own renderings of Absolut Raspberri. The backstage area allows users to adjust the lighting, choose spray paint colors, drag, rotate, highlight, and edit artwork. After creating their own Raspberri masterpiece, users can post signed artworks live on Absolut.com. In fact, Absolut posts a new piece of art every 10 seconds featuring users' initials and country of origin.

The Web site was built in Flash with a connection to databases and server-sided programming in Episerver, according to the Swedish agencies. When users go backstage, they can edit objects in the original art work by Hirata and Hayuk. Once they save their additions to the work, the data is sent to the database.

Absolut representatives were vague on exactly how users will know to look for the trap door on Absolut.com. However, members of Absolut Access, the brand's loyalty program, were apparently introduced to the online campaign for Raspberri two weeks ago and perhaps, began passing the word along about the secret door. Guerrilla marketing and public relations efforts also will orient Absolut aficionados.