Absolut Vodka Taps Keith Haring Estate for 1980s-Inspired Throwback Release

(Photo: Absolut Vodka)

Absolut Vodka is reimagining the work of Keith Haring nearly 40 years after the iconic graffiti artist helped cement the brand as an international bestseller.

On Tuesday, the spirits stalwart unveiled Absolut Haring, the latest in a long-running line of releases turning the brand’s bottles into portable pieces of art. Anyone familiar with Haring’s work will immediately recognize his signature flourishes. A gaggle of etched cartoon figures, thick red lines that act as an implicit exclamation mark and a mustard-yellow background that resembles shades straight out of a spray can.

It’s a not-so-subtle homage to marketing history. In 1986, Haring became the second-ever artist to reimagine the Absolut Vodka silhouette (the first artist recruited for the task, Andy Warhol, personally recommended him for the job). Haring’s twist on the concept — of which the new limited-edition release is a direct recreation — has since become one of the most famous images in the brand’s backlog. Original prints regularly sell at auction in the ballpark of $3,500. Resellers on eBay have been known to push that figure as high as $5,000.

Thankfully, Absolut’s latest splash likely won’t cost quite an arm and a leg. The bottle is rolling out on July 1 via airport duty-free channels ahead of an international release slated for October. Though the brand hasn’t disclosed a price tag, previous artist-helmed releases have typically retailed for around $30 to $40. Once they hit the secondary market, however, prices have been known to surreptitiously acquire an extra zero.

“Absolut has always believed that art should be open, joyful, and for everyone,” Deb Dasgupta, VP of global marketing at Absolut Vodka, remarked in a news release. “Keith Haring’s work radiated that belief—full of energy, colour, and hope. With Absolut Haring, we’re inviting a new generation to celebrate that spirit. It’s a vibrant reminder that creativity can inspire, uplift, unite, and open minds.”

Since its inception in 1979, Absolut has built its identity around timely ad campaigns. The brand has even established a dedicated art collection celebrating collaborations of decades past, including pieces from the likes of Béatrice Cussol, David Shrigley, Frank Bowling and Bertil Vallien.

Recent years have taken a turn for the unabashedly Gen Z-inflected. Last July, Absolut teamed up with Heinz for a tomato vodka pasta sauce that took direction inspiration from model Gigi Hadid’s viral pasta alla vodka recipe. A month earlier, the brand processed 10,000 prompts for an AI-generated ad sweep designed to celebrate diverse cultures, body shapes and skin tones.