ABSOLUT(R) VODKA Teams With Live Earth Film Series to Help Solve the Climate Crisis ... One Cocktail, One Person at a Time

ABSOLUT(R) VODKA Teams With Live Earth Film Series to Help Solve the Climate Crisis ... One Cocktail, One Person at a Time

World's 'Coolest' Vodka Aligns with Eco-Charities; Multi-Year, Multi-Million Dollar Commitment

NEW YORK, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- ABSOLUT(R) VODKA and Live Earth are joining forces to leverage the power of film to engage audiences in an effort to solve the climate crisis. Marking the first-ever national sales and marketing platform in the spirit brand's history, the program, dubbed ABSOLUT Global Cooling(TM), encourages consumers to reduce the effects of global warming by offering simple steps they can implement in their daily lives. Borne from the brand's recently introduced "In an Absolut World" advertising campaign, this initiative calls attention to another of the proposed "absolutes" - the world would literally be a cooler place ... not warmer, due to global warming. The solutions-oriented partnership with Live Earth, which is built on the Live Earth Film Series (60 educational and compelling short films), builds on the long heritage of environmental responsibility by ABSOLUT and represents a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment to bring the program to life in multiple channels - from bars, nightclubs and retailers to film festivals and private events.

"ABSOLUT boldly embraces finding a solution to the climate crisis by inspiring consumers and the hospitality industry to move from thought to action," said Ian Crystal, Brand Director, ABSOLUT Vodka. "Through our partnership with the Live Earth Film Series and other compelling promotions, events and marketing components, we are afforded a unique opportunity to influence consumers to enjoy a social lifestyle while having a real impact on global warming."

As the official sponsor of the Live Earth Film Series, a collection of humorous, pithy and serious dialogues about the effects of global warming, ABSOLUT will release various films exclusively at more than 70 festivals around the country. Kicking off the year-long initiative, five notable films will be showcased at the ABSOLUT Live Earth Green Screen Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival from January 18 through January 24. Consumers unable to attend the festival can view the films online at www.liveearth.org/films.php.

"The global climate crisis is the most critical issue facing humanity. The goal of the Live Earth Film Series is to trigger a groundswell of people who will make solving the climate crisis a priority and promote meaningful changes in their lives," said Nina Guralnick, Live Earth president. "ABSOLUT Vodka's sponsorship of these films provides the ideal vehicle to bring a message of environmental responsibility to people and inspire them to change themselves and the world around them."

Every Sip Makes a Statement

ABSOLUT Global Cooling kicks off this month with 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 will 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.

ABSOLUT will donate $1 per registered code for a bottle or cocktail of ABSOLUT, ABSOLUT Citron or ABSOLUT Mandrin to the three environmental nonprofits, providing proof that indeed every sip counts. Cocktails at bars and nightclubs come with "Cooling Cards," where donations are activated instantly via text or online. At retail locations, "Cooling Code" stickers, found inside recipe cards, will when chilled reveal a code that is activated at www.absolut.com/GlobalCooling.

An ABSOLUT Approach to the Climate Crisis

ABSOLUT is the first company in the spirits industry to introduce carbon offsetting as part of its environmental work and, since 2004, has reduced its water consumption by more than 57 percent. In addition, every bottle of ABSOLUT Vodka is made of 100 percent concept cultivated wheat with a focus on minimizing water usage, maximizing waste recycling and using eco-friendly components and packaging materials. To continue the momentum, V&S Group, the parent company of ABSOLUT, is committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent per liter sold by 2010. As well, the company aims to achieve carbon dioxide neutrality by 2008 through planting trees in the rainforest to offset the V&S emissions contributed to the environment.

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 Diedre Ayers 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.

Press contacts:

Sarah Bessette Ehrin Cummings
The Absolut Spirits Company Live Earth
212.641.8653 310.550.3883
sarah.bessette@absolut.comecummings@controlroom.com

Diedre Ayers
Ketchum
646.935.4063
diedre.ayers@ketchum.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc. and Live Earth

CONTACT: Sarah Bessette of The Absolut Spirits Company, +1-212-641-8653,
or sarah.bessette@absolut.com, or Ehrin Cummings of Live Earth,
+1-310-550-3883, or ecummings@controlroom.com, or Diedre Ayers of Ketchum,
+1-646-935-4063, or diedre.ayers@ketchum.com

Web site:

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

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