Background

In February 2022, Russia invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides, and instigated Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II.

In response, governments and international organisations imposed sanctions on Russian individuals and businesses. The measures were designed to weaken Russia's economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.


Pernod Ricard, a wine and spirit manufacturer that produces Absolut Vodka, announced on April 12 2023 that they will resume export of Absolut vodka to Russia; An active measure that effectively supports Russia’s war against Ukraine and counteracts international sanctions.


Cornucopias objective was to pressure Pernod Ricard to reverse their decision and send a message to other companies that supporting countries engaged in violent conflicts is not acceptable.

The climate surrounding the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 was characterized by tension, fear, and outrage. Media regulations and restrictions were implemented in Russia to control the narrative and limit access to information. Civil liberties issues were a concern as people were denied the right to free speech and protest. The conflict highlighted the fragility of peace and justice in the region, as well as the need for inclusivity and partnership to achieve lasting solutions. The economic impact was significant, with sanctions imposed on Russia affecting both its domestic and international markets. Against this backdrop, Pernod Ricard's decision to resume exports to Russia was seen as a betrayal of the international community's efforts to promote peace and justice. By pressuring Pernod Ricard to reverse their decision, we hoped to send a message that businesses have a responsibility to consider the social, cultural, and political context of their operations.

The creative idea

In 1980, the advertising agency TBWA made an ad for Absolut Vodka featuring a bottle of its product with a halo above it and the words "ABSOLUT PERFECTION" below. The ad was an instant hit, and spawned one of the most iconic ad campaigns of the '80s and ‘90s with more than 1500 of the ads, all including the Absolut bottle in a variety of creative displays.

Our creative idea was to use this concept and turn it against the company itself. The ABSOLUT BOYCOTT image was born.

The strategy

The campaign didn’t need any data gathering. Sweden is the home of Absolut Vodka and we predicted that the Swedish public would be passionate about protecting their country's reputation and standing up against Russian aggression. The target audience was therefore the Swedish public, including politicians, consumers, and businesses.


In order to quickly reach a wide audience our strategy was to harness our client Lars Wilderäng’s presence on Twitter, with 80,000 followers interested in the subject. As the image gained traction on social platforms we contacted news- and media outlets to further spread news of the initiative. This added further pressure on Pernod Ricard to reconsider its decision. The damage of the Absolut brand was being done at a high and loud speed, and eventually the stakes became too high for Pernod Ricard to not stop the export of Absolut Vodka to Russia.

The execution

The campaign consisted of a single image and was executed by three art directors who wanted to use Absolut's own ad concept to force them to stop export to Russia. The image was a take on the iconic Absolut ads from the 80’s and 90’s, depicting a picture of a smouldering bomb created in the shape of the Absolut bottle. The image was first shared by renowned writer and Ukraine war blogger Lars Wilderäng to his 80 000 followers on Twitter, and garnered +700.000 impressions in just a few days.

As the image gained traction, Swedish restaurants began taking Pernod Ricards product’s off their shelves.

The execution was simple, yet powerful. We used social media to amplify the message and mobilize consumers and restaurants, creating a groundswell of support that ultimately led to Pernod Ricard discontinuing Russian export of Absolut Vodka just six days after their announcement to resume it.

The results

The initiative had a significant impact on Pernod Ricard's decision to discontinue the Russian export of Absolut Vodka. CEO Stéphanie Durroux stated that the Swedish protests were instrumental for their decision.

The image went viral and social media flooded with re-shares of the image along with messages of disappointment as customers pledged boycott the iconic brand.


Prominent restaurant group Swedish Brasseries vowed to stop selling Pernod Ricard products and used our image to spread the message. More restaurants followed suit and took the products off their shelves. Within days the image had +700.000 impressions.

Six days after the decision, Pernod Ricard discontinued Russian exports of Absolut due to the widespread boycott. This initiative demonstrates the power of social media and consumers' ability to hold companies accountable for their actions.

Annual export of 3.000.000 litres of vodka to Russia was ceased.

$20.000.000 of Russian yearly tax revenue lost.

​Cultural context​

Sweden has a history of producing high-quality vodka, and Absolut Vodka is its most well-known export. Swedes are very proud this global brand of Swedish origin. Sweden is also a country with a long tradition of activism and social justice, and its citizens are often engaged in political and social issues. The decision by Pernod Ricard to resume the export of Absolut Vodka to Russia was seen by many as a betrayal of Sweden's values, particularly in light of Russia's ongoing military aggression and war crimes in Ukraine.