Absolut Vodka Tackles ‘Inclusivity, Fluidity, and Diverse Representation’ With AI-Generated Marketing Campaign

(Photo: Absolut/Copy Lab)

Amid a sea of startlingly realistic AI-generated images, Absolut Vodka is taking a stab at fostering a more inclusive landscape. The results are certainly lifelike, if not terrifyingly so.

The spirits brand has partnered with Copy Lab — a self-described “AI creative collective” — to launch its new Absolut Intelligence campaign. Combatting the premise that AI models replicate and exacerbate existing stereotypes, the team processed 10,000 prompts to create a catalog of portraits featuring diverse cultures, body shapes and skin tones.

The charged campaign made its debut in Copy Magazine, known as the first AI fashion magazine in the world. Those hoping to get an early peak can check out stock image site Unsplash, where the brand has uploaded 20 of the portraits for public use.

“Our brand ethos is rooted in the concept of mixing — mixing ideas, identities, people, perspectives, and drinks,” explained Debasree Dasgupta, global VP of marketing at Absolut. “Given this foundation, we feel a deep responsibility to confront bias in AI head-on. By challenging these biases, we aim to contribute to the creation of a more equitable and inclusive technology that positively impacts individuals and communities on a global scale.”

Browsing through the collection, you’ll get a sense of how far AI has progressed since its much-publicized debut with programs like ChatGPT and Midjourney. Long gone are the days of shoddily rendered hands and indecipherable perspectives; the images in Absolut Intelligence could easily be confused for the real thing save for the occasional blurry outline.

(Photo: Absolut/Cop Lab)

Absolut Vodka was an early adopter of the AI image trend, launching its “Mix Your Neighborhood” campaign across Canada in early 2023. Cities across the country were plastered with images of psychedelic AI-generated cocktails that paid homage to local districts; Toronto’s Ossington, for instance, was described as “1 part Kenetic, 1/2 part Fashionista, 2 parts Night Life and 1 part Mouthwatering.”

However, critics have argued that Absolut’s latest take on the concept might read counterintuitive. By using AI to generate thousands of “models” in a campaign oriented around representation, the brand has arguably removed the human element from a deeply human issue.

“Perhaps there’s an element of accepting the inevitable and trying to at least make it less bad, but the longest-running theme in Absolut’s branding has been an emphasis on the use of natural ingredients. Promoting artificially generated images feels totally alien to that even if it does aim to correct a problem with the technology,” Joe Foley wrote for Creative Bloq.

Absolut cites experts in the field who predict that 90% of Internet content could be AI-generated within the next few years. Alongside brands like Coca-Cola and Patron Tequila, the Swedish vodka firm is one of many companies to embrace the change with open arms.

Though its latest campaign is sure to stir up conversation, it’s the larger context within which those images exist that will provoke enduring debate.

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