SMIRNOFF | MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE | 1993
Another World, Seen Through a Bottle / SMIRNOFF "MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE"
In 1993, a Smirnoff bottle bent the world out of shape. Look through it, and piano keys turn into penguins, an old man turns into a walrus, a brooch turns into something else entirely. Surreal, witty, and a little unsettling all at once. This "through the bottle" idea became one of the defining images of Smirnoff in the 90s.
The problem
In the early 90s in the UK, Smirnoff's 80s ads by Young & Rubicam, full of sexual innuendo, had been banned by the authorities, and the brand was searching for a new direction.
The insight
The idea was to express vodka's "clear" and "pure" qualities through a visual trick. Look at the world through the bottle, and you see something different — and that distortion itself becomes Smirnoff's personality. A paradox at the heart of the idea.
The idea
A waiter on a cruise ship walks along carrying a tray with a bottle of Smirnoff on it. The camera keeps filming the surroundings through the bottle. Seen through the glass, everyday objects keep transforming into something else — a simple, powerful visual. Directed by Tarsem Singh.
What happened
The campaign launched in 1993, with more than 40 variations produced, three out of four of which ran around the world. It won GOLD.
Afterthought
This ad is over thirty years old, but it hasn't aged a bit. If anything, it makes you think: don't we need ideas this simple and this strong right now? Just looking at the world through a bottle — and it leaves that much of an impression. This is advertising at its most basic, and at its best.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 1993
