Absolut Haring launches into global travel retail via Uber partnership at London Heathrow
Absolut Haring launched 1 July in GTR with a bold ad campaign and signature cocktail, the Absolut Haring Fizz
Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail has launched the latest Absolut Artist-Edition, Absolut Haring, available in global travel retail and featuring limited edition posters via an Uber partnership at London Heathrow and at a pop-up vending machine activation at Gatwick Airport.
The Absolut Haring Artist-Edition hits global travel retail today, July 1, before landing in 40+ markets from October, including Germany, the UK, Mexico, Canada, Australia, China, Italy and Poland for a limited time only. To kick things off, a pop-up vending machine at Gatwick Airport will surprise travelers with exclusive Absolut Haring merch alongside bottle purchases. To accompany the launch, an eye-popping ad campaign featuring Haring’s iconic dancing figures as 3D billboards, will light up major transit hubs such as Sydney and Heathrow.
Absolut has teamed up with Uber at Heathrow for an ‘Add-to-Wallet’ digital campaign, giving travelers an exclusive gift voucher that can be used towards their bottle purchase when they arrive at the airport. The Artist-Edition will be available in 1L, 700mL, and 750mL sizes and there are two Absolut Haring Artist-Edition poster designs exclusively available in travel retail, redeemable via coupon.
An iconic Absolut Artist-Edition
Rooted in the shared belief that ‘art is for everybody’, the Absolut Haring Artist-Edition is a vibrant celebration of the iconic artist Keith Haring. Inspired by Haring’s mission to take art off the museum walls and into real life, this artist-edition bottle brings that same spirit to a new generation—championing creativity as a unifying force, just like Haring did on the gritty streets and pulsing subways of 1980s New York.
A bold and joyful ad campaign will hit 3D billboards at key airhubs such as London Heathrow, where Absolut has partnered with Uber for a pre-trip digital Add-to-Wallet promotion
This bottle reawakens Keith Haring’s original Absolut artwork from 1986, infusing it with fresh energy for a new era. It blends the unmistakable soul of Haring’s art—those bold lines, electric colors, and dancing figures that lit up everything from subway tunnels to gallery walls—with Absolut’s belief in creativity as a catalyst for positive change.
Nearly forty years ago, at the recommendation of his friend Andy Warhol, Keith Haring became the second artist to reimagine the Absolut bottle. He created four striking works, each placing the bottle’s silhouette center stage and the chosen Absolut Haring piece became a 1986 Absolut campaign classic. With Haring’s unmistakable red lines and a joyous crowd of dancing figures set against a bold yellow canvas, the artwork bursts with energy, brilliantly offset by the iconic blue of the Absolut logo.
To bring Haring’s spirit to the glass, Absolut has crafted the Absolut Haring Fizz, a signature cocktail that nods to the artist’s globe-trotting adventures across Asia and his deep love for New York. It’s a bold fusion of East-meets-West: crisp apple, zesty orange, toasted sesame, and a kick of ginger, all shaken into something vibrant and unexpected. The golden yellow hue mirrors the original artwork, with every sip poured from the pulse of the world.
“Absolut has always believed that art should be open, joyful, and for everyone,” said Deb Dasgupta, VP Global Marketing, Absolut Vodka. “Keith Haring’s work radiated that belief—full of energy, colour, and hope. With Absolut Haring, we’re inviting a new generation to celebrate that spirit. It’s a vibrant reminder that creativity can inspire, uplift, unite, and open minds.
Absolut Haring features in an eye-catching campaign designed to engage and surprise travelers
“This is a joyful moment for Global Travel Retail,” said Liya Zhang, VP Global Marketing at Pernod Ricard GTR. “Following the incredible reception of the Absolut Warhol limited-edition last year, we’re thrilled to now celebrate Keith Haring, a visionary whose work resonates deeply with today’s travelers. The energy and color of the bottle speaks to a new generation looking for creativity in every moment, and inspiration in every journey. As Haring said, art is for everybody.”
Digital traveler journey
The new artist-edition bottle demanded a digital campaign that included bespoke activations, helping to bring the collaboration to life in a way that engages and surprises travelers, Rae Gibson, PR GTR Brand Director Premium Spirits, told GTR Magazine.
“Travel retail is the perfect launchpad for Absolut Haring; it represents this unique blend of commercial impact and brand storytelling. Our ad campaign is bold and impactful, and the assets stay true to the vibrancy of Haring’s work – they’re full of joy and so playful.”
The campaign is on through July and August. “The focus is on engaging the traveler in a new way - the challenge is to make it unexpected and relevant,” said Gibson.
First to launch is the pop-up vending machine at London Gatwick, where travelers can redeem a voucher with purchase for a limited-edition Absolut Haring poster (only available via coupon).
“It’s going to be a full consumer journey. Pre-trip it’s the Uber ads with a focus on travelers on their way to Heathrow. Following on from last year’s Warhol campaign with a pop-up in Amsterdam, this year the key is engaging with the traveler a bit earlier,” explained Gibson.
“The thing we love about Uber is that people are captivated for a minimum of 30 minutes and they’re looking for something to do. So we are giving them some playful content and as part of that engagement, we serve an ad including an Add to Wallet coupon. This drives them to the store to make a purchase. It drives awareness of the product and also drives footfall with conversion,” added Gibson.
Absolut Haring launched on July 1 in global travel retail locations and will follow in 40+ domestic markets in October.
