Inside Absolut: VP of marketing Deb Dasgupta on Art, Warhol, and the Power of Collaboration

The iconic Swedish vodka brand Absolut has become a cultural icon through daring marketing and creative collaboration. At the heart of its identity is Absolut’s bottle: a minimalist design inspired by an 18th-century Swedish apothecary bottle that has become a timeless cultural symbol.

Its clean lines and lack of a traditional label shattered industry norms when it debuted in 1979, signalling a new era for branding—and transforming the bottle into a canvas for creative collaboration. Absolut’s bold campaigns disrupted the vodka industry and laid foundations for its deep connections to the worlds of art, fashion, design, and music.

One of the things that we’re also seeing today is so much collaboration fatigue. Therefore, if it was just art on a bottle, I think it would have just been that, versus celebrating the story, the legacy, and how the collaboration even started.

Deb Dasgupta

Guided by its Born to Mix philosophy—a celebration of cultural fluidity and collaboration—Absolut continues to push limits. Warhol‘s iconic 1985 campaign reimagined Absolut’s bottle as a work of art, sparking a legacy of groundbreaking partnerships that reshaped how brands engage with culture. From collaborations with Tom Ford, Versace, Stella McCartney, and Jean Paul Gaultier to today’s artistic campaigns, Absolut has become a symbol of contemporary cool, seamlessly blending art, fashion, and commerce.

This year, Absolut’s enduring connection to Warhol was revived when a long-lost Andy Warhol blue painting—one half of a striking diptych—resurfaced at a Swedish auction, reigniting fascination with Warhol’s legacy. The artwork, a counterpart to his black painting famously featured on a limited-edition Absolut vodka bottle in 2014, inspired Absolut Warhol: The Other Half, a bold global activation.

Launched in September 2024 at London’s Saatchi Gallery, the initiative provided a platform for five underrepresented UK artists—Kelly Anna, Ken Nwadiogbu, Jade Pearl, Alexa Sirbu, and Xu Yang—who showcased work inspired by Warhol’s blue painting. Similar activations are planned across India and China, further expanding Absolut’s legacy of creative partnerships.

In Sweden, the celebration took on a different form with an exhibition at the Spritmuseum titled Money on the Wall: Andy Warhol. Curated by renowned art critic Blake Gopnik, the show explores Warhol’s concept of “Business Art,” which he famously described as “the step that comes after art.” Together, these activations mark a spirited revival of Warhol’s partnership with Absolut and his visionary approach to art’s role in culture.

At the heart of Absolut’s success is its powerful storytelling with a daring vision, empowering the brand to unite perspectives through creative collaboration. Its iconic bottle remains a global symbol of culture and creativity, continually reimagined through visually bold and innovative campaigns, from surreal landscapes to pop art reinterpretations.

We sat down with Deb Dasgupta, Absolut‘s Vice President of Global Marketing, to explore how the brand continues to evolve within an ever-shifting cultural landscape. With nearly 20 years of experience, Dasgupta brings her passion for storytelling and a firm belief in the power of collaboration to drive Absolut’s creative evolution.

A vocal advocate of the brand’s Born to Mix ethos, she champions cultural fluidity and celebrates the unification of diverse voices as the cornerstone of the brand’s vision for the future.

Hi Deb, thank you for speaking with us. We’d just like to start by asking you to introduce yourself.

Deb Dasgupta: I’m Deb, the Global VP of Marketing for Absolut. It’s been a pleasure hosting all of you in Absolut’s hometown, Stockholm.

Absolut Vodka has a longstanding relationship with the art world, particularly through its collaborations with artists like Andy Warhol. How do you see the intersection of art and branding evolving in today’s marketing landscape, especially as more brands lean into cultural partnerships?

Deb Dasgupta: Culture is such an important part of storytelling, and I believe culturally relevant brands resonate strongly with their audience. That’s why more and more brands are leaning into it. For us, the relationship started many years ago. The brand was built in culture, by culture, which is why Absolut has always remained iconic.

For us, it’s part of our DNA. Our brand sits at the intersection of culture, creativity, and connection, and that’s how we’ve built lasting relationships with our audience. I believe that will always remain true for Absolut. Visual art, music, passion, and entertainment have been pillars through which we’ve engaged and connected with our audience.

At Absolut, we have historically dabbled not only in art but have branched out into other areas because we never wanted to become too predictable. For example, we’ve had a series of fashion collaborations, then moved into art collaborations, and later explored music collaborations. This approach allowed us to consistently bring in a sense of freshness. Everything has its moment in culture, and the challenge lies in tapping into what’s hot while staying connected with the audience.

That’s the beauty of the brand, and it’s exactly what we’ve embraced. I think the magic of Absolut lies in the fact that it has never chased cool — it has defined it. Because of that, it has always been a pioneer and continues to lead the way in many areas.

While other brands often focus on surface-level cultural collaborations — leading to what I’d describe as collaboration fatigue — you’ll typically see their efforts reduced to a design on a bottle. In contrast, we focus on telling a full, end-to-end story. We explore why a collaboration began, the reasoning behind it, and how it aligns with the values of both the brand and the collaborator. We go the extra mile, and that’s what sets us apart from other brands from a cultural perspective.

The rediscovery of Andy Warhol’s 1985 Absolut ‘blue’ painting is a significant moment for both the art world and the brand. What was your reaction when the painting was found, and how do you think this piece fits into Absolut’s broader artistic legacy?

Deb Dasgupta: In 1985, Andy Warhol created two pieces apart. The iconic black painting, with its vibrant colours, became a limited edition Absolut bottle in 2014. However, the other blue painting, apparently the companion piece, was lost. Now, there’s a bit of a mystery around it — whether it was sold or lost in the Warhol factory. Well, that remains a mystery, but what I can tell you for sure is that the painting reemerged very recently in a Swedish auction house, and upon investigation, we figured out that it was the original iconic Warhol Blue painting.

Rediscovering this painting presented us with the opportunity to bring it to life and remind a new generation of Absolut’s rich cultural heritage — a generation that hasn’t grown up with the brand, I think. This is why we collaborated with the Andy Warhol Foundation to bring this painting to life. The vision for us at Absolut was to bring this painting to life in the bottle. It has been an absolute labour of love.

Every piece has been meticulously detailed, with even the ink extracted directly from the painting. All the details and nuances have been carefully incorporated, staying true to the original artwork.

Whether it’s Andy’s portraits that evoke the spirit of his era, his signature, the vibrant brushstrokes, his interpretation of Aerosmith featured as the medallion, or the white chalk lines — every element has been faithfully recreated. I can tell you for certain, it has been an incredibly complex, multi-layered, screen-printed process. When you touch it, the bottle feels so tactile that it almost seems hand-painted. It’s truly every collector’s delight. This also ties back to how both Warhol and Absolut have democratized art, making it accessible to everyone. I believe this bottle will find its place as a treasured piece in many homes.

That’s the vision we had for this bottle. I hope you’ve had the chance to experience it — to see it, feel it, and truly connect with it.

Building on that, can you tell us about the acquisition of the blue painting? How did that work? Did you bid on it? Did you say, “Hey, that’s ours. Give it back?”

Deb Dasgupta: Well, any piece of Absolut art belongs to Absolut. Absolut was originally owned by the state, along with the brand, and they also own the museum, which is the Spritmuseum. So it belongs to the museum, and it went back to the museum. But, of course, the painting was taken out of the bidding process.

Warhol famously said, “Making money is art, and working is art, and good business is the best art.” How does this philosophy resonate with Absolut’s approach to branding, especially as you’ve positioned the brand as both a cultural icon and a commercial success?

Deb Dasgupta: That’s a very interesting question. I think a good story will always be a bestseller, right? That’s where our focus always is.

If you have a beautiful story and a powerful script, it will always find success, whether it’s a book, a film, or anything else. For us, we approach everything by asking: what’s the story? Is it a beautiful story? Is it relevant today? Will it move the consumers? And will it make them think about the brand immediately? That’s how we’ve always approached it, which is why, for us, it’s not, as I said, just about art on a bottle. It’s about a complete 360-degree story with a lot of experiences.

We’ve activated it in different ways, whether it’s in GTR, like you saw, through immersive 3D screens or stunning airport displays with interactive features where you can tear off a piece of art and take it for yourself. It’s also about the deeper connection — why it’s relevant. Look at how Warhol collaborated with artists like Basquiat and others at his factory.

If he were alive today, he’d probably be collaborating with the current generation. We realised this and thought: why don’t we bring that opportunity to today’s artists? Give them a chance to collaborate. That’s what we did. We’ve had collaborations in China and India. We even think that, given how ahead of his time Warhol was, if he were around today, he’d probably be exploring collaborations with AI as well.

And that’s what we’ve experimented with — creating a full 360-degree story with so many episodes and layers. It’s not just about one moment; there’s a constant drumbeat that keeps the momentum going. For us, a limited edition isn’t a one-off; it’s a 6-month story. It started in July with GTR, and from September onwards, it’s been in the market.

The question is, how do we keep consumers excited and engaged with this story over six months? That’s the lens through which we view partnerships, collaborations, and storytelling. And that’s what drives commercial success because, at its core, if the story is powerful and relatable, it will resonate.

As part of this partnership that we are doing with the Andy Warhol Foundation, there is a certain sponsorship that we pay towards them. That goes towards supporting young up-coming artists, underrepresented, underprivileged artists to shine a light on their art. And this is how we keep our commitment towards visual art and creativity.

How does Absolut use its collaborations, like the one with Andy Warhol, to connect with audiences and highlight the brand’s legacy in a contemporary and emotional context?

Deb Dasgupta: I think, for me and for the team, brands are beautiful stories that surround the context of emotions. It’s the power to storytell. It’s the power to tell what happened in the past in a form that is so contemporary and so timely.

I think that was the opportunity for us not to just present a bottle, and a beautiful one, but to talk about the story — about the collaboration, how it happened, where it started, you know, and what the values are. How two icons came together and not only created a piece of art but also really influenced and impacted culture in the 80s in New York. That was the story we wanted to tell, and we also wanted to remind the generation who has not grown up with Absolut of the rich legacy of the brand.

And like I said, I mean, Andy is relevant even today. He continues to be an inspiration for everybody in the individual art space. It was just a beautiful story, especially in a context where, you know, nostalgia has been such a big trend.

Absolut’s collaborations with artists like Warhol were groundbreaking in the 1980s, blending commercial advertising with high art. How do you continue to innovate within this space?

Deb Dasgupta: One of the things that we’re also seeing today is so much collaboration fatigue. Therefore, if it was just art on a bottle, I think it would have just been that, versus celebrating the story, the legacy, and how the collaboration even started.

Probably, it’s even more iconic because it was Andy Warhol who reached out to Absolut because he was so inspired by the bottle. That’s how the collaboration started, versus the other way around, where brands approach artists today. And like I said, I think that triggered what is possibly the biggest collaboration in brand-building history, involving over 550 artists. To name a few, it’s included Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Louise Bourgeois, and many more. So there have been so, so many, and I think Absolut has been one of the pioneers of that collaboration culture.

For us, it was not just about saying, “Let’s do it and put something on the bottle,” but rather celebrating it in a very modern and contemporary way that captures the sensibilities of the younger audience and makes them appreciate the past in a fashion that is edgy and contemporary.

In a time when consumers are increasingly interested in brand transparency and purpose, how does Absolut’s deep-rooted connection to the art world help the brand communicate its values? Do you feel that this heritage differentiates Absolut from other global brands in a meaningful way?

Deb Dasgupta: One hundred percent. I’ll give you one example, and I will then come back to Warhol. Absolut has always been – it has challenged conventions and pushed boundaries because it has always believed in something. It believed in championing inclusivity and diversity, which is why it went all the way.

As you would know, we’ve been one of the pioneers who have supported the community. We were the first ones to advertise in the gay magazine Advocate, even during tough times like the AIDS epidemic. We were the only one who supported, which is why we are one of the true allies to the community, and the community, therefore, kind of respects, honours, and shares that relationship with us. So I think there is that understanding that we do – with what we believe – and we genuinely do it and don’t do it because it’s fashionable. So that’s one.

The second is even for art, I mean, art has been so much part of the DNA of the brand. The bottle has always been this canvas for creativity and imagination through the last 45 years. And we’ve always celebrated that.

Our collaboration with the Warhol Foundation, as part of this sponsorship, is going towards supporting the underrepresented community. The collaboration that we are doing in markets as well to support artists, I mean whether it’s the Saatchi Gallery, where we actually showcased the work of five different artists, we are doing the same in China. We are doing it in different markets. We’ve done it in India and have local collaborations with artists as well.

So I think it’s so much part of the DNA that each of the communities individually really know what Absolut truly means. It’s not something that we’re doing because it’s on-trend or fashionable, which is why I’ll go back and say that Absolut never chased cool. It always defined cool. And I think that’s basically the mantra that we follow, which is, yeah, what is it, how are we going to change and move culture forward.

Money on the Wall: Andy Warhol Curated by Blake Gopnik opens on the 18th of October, 2024 until the 27th of April, 2025 at Spritmuseum, Stockholm

The Absolut x Warhol Limited Edition Blue Painting Bottle is available from Absolut. Visit the link below.

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