Absolut Rainbow is the latest of Absolut Vodka’s bottles to push the boundaries of creativity, and is also the winner of Best Bottle in Glass at the World Beverage Innovation Awards.

As 2017 is the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, the Absolut Rainbow bottle has been designed to represent Gilbert Baker’s iconic pride flag and includes the quote ‘Taking pride in diversity’ on the back.

From the beginnings of the brand in the clubs of New York, Absolut and the LGBTQ community have had a strong relationship and Absolut has championed the community for many years with several limited-edition bottles.

The pride flag is depicted in brush strokes, intended to convey a ‘hand-made’ look, in-keeping with the brand’s artistic heritage and tapping into the wider trend for craft spirits. Ardagh Group achieved the design using 100% organic colours.

The brief was to create a flag that feels as if it’s been newly painted onto the bottle. During the design phase, Ardagh collaborated with agencies Pond Design and Destrito, and experimented with numerous techniques and tools such as brushes, rollers and spray cans. The results show visible, hand-made ‘imperfections’ that signal action, immediacy and involvement.

The vivid colours contrast with the white logo and transparent glass, making the Rainbow bottle a bold, creative and eye-catching feature on the spirits shelf.

Fredrik Kallqvist, Product Development Manager at Ardagh Group, Limmared in Sweden, said: “The positioning and colour of the logo and the ‘Taking pride in diversity’ quote were chosen to create optimum stand-out in relation to the flag’s colours. The colours were applied in two separate passages to allow the colours to flow, making the design look totally seamless.”

​Pic: Mads Elming, Ardagh Group's Sales and Marketing Director - Nordic, receives the World Beverage Innovation Award for Absolut Rainbow.