Absolut presents #NextFrame, an international collaboration with campaign artist Rafael Grampá

On Friday, March 14^th, Absolut presented a private screening of ‘Dark Noir’, the first 3D animated film from the acclaimed Brazilian illustrator Rafael Grampá. The film is the product of #NextFrame, a collaborative project between the brand, the artist, and online users from around the world.

With the launch of Absolut’s new global campaign, ‘Transform Today’, the brand announced that it would develop unique collaborations with artists that ask them to open up their creative process as a way to inspire global audiences to explore their own creativity and participate in the creative process. #NextFrame is the first of these collaborations. 

Tapping into Absolut’s global network of almost five million Facebook fans, the brand invited online users to co-create Grampá’s latest story by submitting suggestions, as either text or drawings, at key points in the film’s script. Over the course of three weeks, Grampá reviewed thousands of submissions from over 20 countries. After making each selection, he then worked around the clock to incorporate the idea into his first 3D animated film – before reviewing the next user interaction. The resulting collaboration resulted in an exciting short film, co-created by Grampá and online users from around the world. 

According to Jonas Tåhlin, Absolut VP of Global Marketing “The #NextFrame project builds on Transform Today’s idea of ‘The future is not a given, it’s yours to create’ by offering an opportunity to those who were inspired by the campaign to actually co-create with one of the artists in it. But that was only half of the project, we also wanted to find a way for Grampá to push his own boundaries by transforming his illustrations into 3D animation.”

The artist, Rafael Grampá noted, “Absolut invited me to take part in the global campaign, and during our first conversation they already told me that they had the idea of doing collaborations with artists on special projects. This idea came to life through Next Frame, where I’m making the transition from cartoonist to director. A translation of my art from 2D to 3D. I already explore my style through image, sequence and space. Now I’m experiencing telling my stories with image, movement, time and sound.“

The film premiered during a private screening in Berlin at MADE, a creative space by Absolut, to an audience of international journalists from over twenty countries. The following night, there was a public screening with over 300 guests hosted by Grampá. Both nights, guests were able to choose from one of five cocktails created by Grampá, each inspired by the characters from the film.

Both ‘Dark Noir’ and the behind-the-scenes film of the #NextFrame project can now be viewed for free at Absolut.com/NextFrame, YouTube.com/Absolut, and Facebook.com/Absolut.

To view the films directly visit:

‘Dark Noir’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeyaB9Gm4iw

Making-of film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Bp-2To1uA

Notes to the editor:

·  To view Rafael Grampá’s story from the Transform Today campaign, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKI_iAh5f_A

·  Grampá has also collaborated on a limited edition bottle called Absolut Karnival

·  The film’s animations were created with London-based studio Red Knuckles, best known for animating the musical group Gorillaz.

·  Launched in September 2013, Transform Today has unified the Absolut brand through a common global campaign.

·  The Next Frame program complies with Pernod Ricard’s stringent advertising code, as well as with the Advertising and Marketing code of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

Credits:

Global Brand Director, Absolut: Mathias Westphal

Global Marketing Director – Creative, Absolut: Nodjame Fouad
Global Marketing Director, Absolut: Franz Drack

Lead Agency: Sid Lee, Amsterdam
Animation Production Partner: Red Knuckles

For further information, please contact:
Andrew Rozas, Global PR Manager
Absolut
andrew.rozas@pernod-ricard.com
+46 70 919 53 25