In an ABSOLUT World, Good Things Happen When the Lights Go Out

In an ABSOLUT World, Good Things Happen When the Lights Go Out

ABSOLUT(R) Turns Off the Lights in Vegas, as World's Most Iconic Vodka Kicks Off Series of 'Lights Out' Parties Across the Country in Celebration of ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM)

NEW YORK, June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Sin City is about to go dark. In another bold move from the world's most iconic vodka, ABSOLUT(R) is encouraging consumers and bar/nightclub owners to save energy through a series of "Lights Out" parties, kicking off in Las Vegas this weekend in celebration of its ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM) campaign. Borne from the brand's "In An ABSOLUT World" advertising campaign, ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM) encourages consumers to reduce the effects of global warming by offering simple steps they can implement in their daily lives.

Lights Out Las Vegas

On June 21, the eve of summer solstice, ABSOLUT Vodka and Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino will turn off the lights at approximately 9:30 pm for 60 seconds during the Outernational Music Festival featuring Gnarls Barkley, Thievery Corporation and special guest Bebel Gilberto. Thievery Corporation will enact the first "Lights Out" moment on stage, as both towers and all marquees at Mandalay Bay, including all concert lights, shut down for one minute. Kicking off a series of "Lights Out" bar promotions across the country, Lights Out Las Vegas is a symbolic gesture to call attention to the vision that "In An ABSOLUT World" -- if every consumer committed to turning off their lights, the effects of global warming could be reduced and the planet would literally be a cooler place.

"There is no better place than Las Vegas to see what could happen when the lights go out, and the Outernational Music Festival is the perfect forum for this symbolic gesture as we bring together two great musical acts, one of the biggest and best properties in Sin City and thousands of the coolest partygoers on the planet," said Ian Crystal, Brand Director, ABSOLUT Spirits Company, Inc. "With many 'Lights Out' events to follow, ABSOLUT Vodka is taking the lead in the spirits industry to communicate environmental responsibility to consumers, which will hopefully inspire them to make simple changes in their daily lives."

To help Las Vegas cool down, ABSOLUT is hosting a series of eco-friendly activities over the weekend:

-- ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM) -branded Prius hybrid cars will offer safe, eco-friendly and complimentary rides to Mandalay Bay guests on June 21 following the concert.

-- "Make a Statement" photo stations will be set up at the concert for guests to pledge their commitment to the environment and get a Global Cooling photo to commemorate this special night in Las Vegas.

-- Live Earth, a partner in the Global Cooling initiative, will screen a series of short films during the concert's music breaks.

Lights Out On-Premise Promotions

Following Lights Out Las Vegas, ABSOLUT will continue its series of "Lights Out" parties in bars and nightclubs across the country from July through September. At these events, ABSOLUT will invite consumers to take an active role in their commitment to the environment by seeing first hand how alternative sources of energy can turn the lights out on global warming.

By visiting the Global Cooling stations during the bar promotions, consumers can compete to produce energy through human-powered generators and bicycles. At the end of the evening, ABSOLUT will turn the lights off at each participating venue for five minutes, which will reveal to bar patrons if they have generated enough "heat" to keep the party going. If enough energy is created, a six-foot replica of an ABSOLUT bottle will be fully lit -- demonstrating their "cool" contribution to the lights out initiative.

Every Sip Makes a Statement

Part of the ABSOLUT Global Cooling campaign is the year-long "Every Sip Makes a Statement" promotion. The program encourages consumers at all touch points to get involved in Global Cooling by registering their ABSOLUT bottle or cocktail codes at www.absolut.com/GlobalCooling, where they have the opportunity to activate their eco-donation to one of three eco-charity partners. The charities selected were based on their creative solutions to making the Earth a "cooler place" and include the Environmental Media Association*, The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation(TM)* and The Ocean Foundation(TM)*. Throughout 2008, ABSOLUT will donate up to $500,000 to support these Global Cooling initiatives.

An ABSOLUT Approach to the Climate Crisis

ABSOLUT Vodka is the first company in the spirits industry to introduce carbon offsetting as part of its environmental work, and since 2003, has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent (per liter vodka). Today, ABSOLUT has one of the world's most energy efficient distilleries, decreasing its use of energy by 30 percent through a very high level of energy recovery and reducing its use of fossil fuel.

Every bottle of ABSOLUT VODKA is made of 100 percent concept cultivated wheat, which minimizes nitrogen leaching and reduces use of chemical pesticides. ABSOLUT strives to optimize its use of natural resources, and to choose eco-friendly alternatives as much as possible. As an example, the ABSOLUT bottle is made of 43 percent recycled glass. ABSOLUT is determined to continuously reduce packaging, increase the re-use of transport packaging and improve waste separation at source, and to find a market for waste products.

For more information on ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM), please visit www.absolut.com/GlobalCooling

About The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

An official partner of Live Earth, The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc., a subsidiary of V&S Group, produces and markets ABSOLUT(R) VODKA, Level (TM) Vodka, FRIS(R) Vodka, Plymouth(TM) Gin and Cruzan(R) Rum. The Absolut Spirits Company focuses on reducing the impact on climate change, sustainable agriculture and optimizing use of natural resources as mandated by V&S Group. To view details on the company's efforts to combat global warming, visit www.vsgroup.com and click on "Corporate Responsibility/Environment."

About Live Earth

Based in Los Angeles, Live Earth is an organization that seeks to leverage the power of music and integrated entertainment to combat climate change. On July 7, 2007, Live Earth held the largest global entertainment event in history, staging simultaneous concerts in New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg and Hamburg, as well as special broadcast events in Antarctica, Kyoto and Washington, DC. The day featured more than 150 musical acts -- a mix of legendary artists like The Police, Genesis, Bon Jovi and Madonna with the latest headliners like Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas and Jack Johnson. Through TV, radio and the Internet, the concert reached an estimated two billion people.

Live Earth's 24 hours of music across seven continents delivered a worldwide call to action and the solutions necessary to answer that call. With this maiden event, Live Earth has launched a multi-year campaign to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve the climate crisis. Live Earth is partnered with former Vice President and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore and his Alliance for Climate Protection. Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, CEO of Control Room, the company that produced the concerts globally. For more information, please visit www.LiveEarth.org

*Please contact Sarah Bessette or Zlata Faerman for more information about the ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM) charity partners and how the donations will be used. For more information on the eco-charities, please see Addendum A (attached).

                                 ADDENDUM A             BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON GLOBAL COOLING CHARITIES    The ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM) charities include:   

-- The Environmental Media Association - Linking the power of celebrity to environmental awareness, EMA believes that through television, film and music, the entertainment community can affect change in a positive way. To reduce the number of plastic bags discarded into the environment, ABSOLUT is partnering with EMA to create stylish, reusable tote bags and inspire the use of tote bags for all shopping. These limited bags, designed by celebrities, will be available free of charge nationwide beginning in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Austin and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.ema-online.org

-- The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation(TM) - The FTPF is dedicated to planting edible, fruitful trees and plants to benefit needy populations and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. In order to help directly offset carbon dioxide emissions, ABSOLUT is partnering with FTPF to plant fruit tree groves called "ABSOLUT Global Cooling Zones" in metropolitan areas with an emphasis towards those locations devastated by natural disasters. For more information, visit www.ftpf.org

-- The Ocean Foundation(TM) - The Ocean Foundation's mission is to support, strengthen and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world. Similar to planting trees on land, planting seagrass beds will help increase the rate at which near-shore coastal shelves sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Proceeds from ABSOLUT will go towards replanting coastal seagrass beds near Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami and Boston. For more information, visit www.oceanfdn.org

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: ABSOLUT Vodka

CONTACT: Sarah Bessette of The Absolut Spirits Company, +1-212-641-8653,
sarah.bessette@absolut.com, or Zlata Faerman of Ketchum, +1-646-935-4185,
zlata.faerman@ketchum.com, for ABSOLUT Vodka

Web site: http://www.absolut.com/GlobalCooling
http://www.vsgroup.com/
http://www.liveearth.org/
http://www.ema-online.org/
http://www.ftpf.org/
http://www.oceanfdn.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment