ABSOLUT^® LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION ANDY WARHOL BOTTLE

In 1986, Andy Warhol became the first in a long line of celebrated artists to collaborate with Absolut, when he created an original piece inspired by his adoration of the brand’s iconic bottle. This fall, Absolut brings Warhol’s creative vision into the 21^st century, by transforming his artwork into a three-dimensional bottle, allowing anyone to “Make the Holidays Pop” with their very own Warhol.

“We are incredibly excited to launch this unique bottle, the design of which exemplifies our iconic partnership with the legendary Andy Warhol,” says Joao Rozario, Vice President, Vodkas, Pernod Ricard. “We hope party-goers everywhere will view it as the quintessential ‘plus one’ that will make their holiday parties pop this season.”

Since 1986, the Swedish vodka brand has collaborated with thousands of cutting-edge artists, including Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Louise Bourgeois, Annie Liebovitz – and more recently, Jay-Z , Spike Jonze, Swedish House Mafia and Lady Gaga. The Warhol Limited Edition bottle design is black with blue, pink and yellow details – replicating Andy Warhol’s original Absolut Warhol painting. The limited edition features approximately four million bottles, which will be distributed worldwide beginning October 2014.

“The Foundation is delighted to celebrate the launch of the Andy Warhol Edition and proud to announce that a portion of the proceeds will contribute generously to The Foundation’s endowment from which it has distributed nearly $250M in grants supporting contemporary visual arts,” said Michael Hermann of The Andy Warhol Foundation. “While Warhol’s profound influence is uncontained we applaud Absolut for bottling his creativity.”

To support the launch of the Warhol Limited Edition bottle of Absolut Original, Absolut is launching two transformative consumer-facing initiatives: the Warhol Spirit by Absolut experience and the Andy Warhol Art Exchange by Absolut.

The Warhol Spirit by Absolut Experience

In celebration of the new Andy Warhol Edition, Absolut will collaborate with Andy Warhol once again by reaching out to his spirit for a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience in New York City. During the experience, acclaimed DJ A-Trak, light artist Schnellebuntibilder and experimental EVP artist Leif Elggren, will work together to transform sound waves originating from Warhol’s spirit into a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience. Using the sound waves as the main input, the three artists will create a live-collaboration where Schnellebuntibilder’s interactive light installation will react to A-Trak’s music, which mixes in Andy Warhol’s words picked up by Leif Elggren’s EVP machine. Through this truly unique experience, Absolut seeks to inspire audiences to realize that anything is possible through creativity.

To allow audiences anywhere in the world to experience the connection with Warhol, an interactive site will live-stream what sounds are picked up from the EVP before, during, and after the event.

The experience is part of the Nights by Absolut program, which brings the brand’s Transform Today campaign to life through a series of transformative artistic experiences. By reimagining what is possible in nightlife through these experiences, Absolut hopes to inspire audience to raise the bar for what to expect from a night out, and empower them to transform their own nights.

See how the artists prepare for the performance, follow it live or watch it after by visiting absolut.com/warholspirit.

Andy Warhol Art Exchange by Absolut

Beginning Oct. 1, Absolut will invite people from around the world to unleash their own creative spirit by entering The Andy Warhol Art Exchange by Absolut – the world’s largest online art exchange. Users can participate by submitting or creating a piece of digital art and, in return, will receive one from another user from somewhere in the world. What’s more, a select number of participants will find themselves trading art works with notable artists such as Ryder Ripps. One lucky person will even end up with a photo of the Absolut bottle taken by Andy Warhol himself.

At absolut.com/artexchange, Absolut provides fun and easy-to-use generative art tools, enabling anyone to be an artist. The site will also accept most image files and formats, including uploads via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. These tools reiterate Absolut’s manifesto that creative transformation is within reach for everyone.

The Andy Warhol Art Exchange by Absolut runs from October to December, with exchanges happening at the end of each month. Participants above legal drinking age, from anywhere in the world, are welcome to enter.

For information on the limited edition Absolut Warhol bottle, please visit absolut.com/andywarhol.

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

ABSOLUT^® VODKA. PRODUCT OF SWEDEN. 40% ALC./VOL. DISTILLED FROM GRAIN. © 2014 IMPORTED BY ABSOLUT SPIRITS CO., NEW YORK, NY.

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About Pernod Ricard USA^®
Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA, which employs a workforce of nearly 19,000 people worldwide and is listed on the NYSE Euronext exchange (Ticker: RI).

The company’s leading spirits and wines include such prestigious brands as Absolut^® Vodka, Chivas Regal^® Scotch Whisky, The Glenlivet^® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Jameson^® Irish Whiskey, Malibu^®, Kahlúa^® Liqueur, Beefeater^® Gin, Plymouth^™ Gin, Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin^®, Martell^® Cognac, Hiram Walker^® Liqueurs, Pernod^®, Ricard^® and Avión^™ Tequila; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek^®, Kenwood^® Vineyards and Brancott Estate^®; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier-Jouët^® Champagne, G.H. Mumm^™ Champagne and Mumm Napa^® sparkling wines.

Pernod Ricard USA is based in New York, New York, and has roughly 850 employees across the country. Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active campaign to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.acceptresponsibility.org.

About The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
As the preeminent American artist of the 20th Century, Andy Warhol challenged the world to see art differently. Since its founding in 1987 in accordance with Andy Warhol’s will, The Andy Warhol Foundation has established itself as among the leading funders of contemporary art in the United States having distributed nearly $250,000,000 in grants supporting the creation, presentation and documentation of contemporary visual arts, particularly work that is experimental, under-recognized or challenging in nature. The foundation’s ongoing efforts to protect and enhance its founder’s creative legacy ensure that Warhol’s inventive, open-minded spirit will have a profound impact on the visual arts for generations to come. Proceeds the foundation receives from licensing projects such as this contribute to the Foundation’s endowment from which it distributes grants. For more information please visit www.warholfoundation.org.

CONTACT:

Lauren Nodzak
212-372-5345
[email protected]

Gillian Kushner
212-445-8417
[email protected]