HANGOUT-OF-HOME: Absolut Vodka & SPRITE help Londoners pull off the ultimate unplanned hangout

Creative activation from Absolut Vodka & SPRITE, the latest innovation from The Coca-Cola Company and Pernod Ricard, shows Londoners they don’t need reservations, invites, or wristbands to pull off the perfect hangout. They’ll just need a blanket.

No plan? No problem, as Absolut Vodka & SPRITE transformed billboards around Clapham Common, London, into giant 32-sheet picnic blankets people could pull off for the ultimate unplanned hangout, celebrating the launch of the new alcoholic ready-to-drink (ARTD) cocktail.

Highlighting that the pre-mixed cocktail is the perfectly planned mix for life’s greatest unplanned moments, the experiential activation gave Londoners a comfortable space to instigate a spontaneous hangout with friends, without the need for wristbands, dress code, or formal invitation. Just a blanket.

Leveraging a fun, interactive mechanic, HANGOUT-OF-HOME invited adult consumers to pull off the perfect unplanned hangout by literally pulling the giant picnic blankets off of the billboards and taking them to Clapham Common where they could enjoy their can of Absolut Vodka & SPRITE with friends.

The activity came as part of the new ‘Planned for the Unplanned’ creative platform, which targets a young adult audience* who feel pressure to plan every aspect of their lives and stay committed to those plans (73%)¹. Encouraging their audience to embrace the possibilities of ‘now’, the billboards demonstrated what can happen when you don’t book up your diary months in advance and leave room for life’s great unplanned possibilities.

Bringing together two iconic brands that have grown to have a global footprint, the new pre-mixed cocktail is made with the perfect mix of Absolut’s full-bodied, smooth character with SPRITE’s highly refreshing lemon and lime flavour.

Mariana Branco, ARTD Category Lead Europe at The Coca-Cola Company commented, “In a society anxious about living according to plan, Absolut Vodka & SPRITE is inviting people to enjoy the unplanned moments in life. We are excited to bring the ‘Planned for the Unplanned’ platform to our adult consumers in London with this unique, interactive activation, and hope our consumers around Europe feel inspired to leave room for the unknown and instigate their own spontaneous hangouts with friends throughout the summer and beyond.”

Debasree Dasgupta, VP Global Marketing, Absolut Vodka added, “We’re delighted to see the next iteration of the Absolut Vodka & SPRITE journey, with the launch of this campaign platform. Absolut Vodka has always been the key player for the perfect mix in any social occasion, so inviting consumers to try Absolute Vodka & Sprite while enjoying their spontaneous unplanned hangouts with friends couldn’t be truer to our brand.”

Following the HANGOUT-OF-HOME activation in London, the ’Planned for the Unplanned’ brand platform launches today in the UK, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands, supported by PR, social and shopper experience.

Absolut Vodka & SPRITE is now available nationwide in the UK. Cans include clear responsibility symbols stating that the drink is to be enjoyed only by consumers of legal drinking age. The global benchmark for alcohol beverage volume (ABV) is 5% but varies depending on the market. Absolut Vodka & SPRITE ready-to-drink adheres to the responsible marketing practices of Pernod Ricard and The Coca-Cola Company. Always drink responsibly.

HANGOUT-OF-HOME was created by WPP Open X, led by GREY and supported by BCW, GOAT and VML.

* Young adult consumers refer to 18+ consumers.