2010 sees Absolut again sponsor Dublin’s Gay Theatre Festival in the first half of May.
The backing comes with naming rights: when the sponsorship of the six year old event began last year, the event’s title switched from the International Gay Theatre Festival to the Absolut Gay Theatre Festival. Nevertheless, it remains a distinctly international event and the only one of its kind in the world.
The event’s objective is to develop and support all forms of gay theatre by promoting, commissioning and showcasing new writing on gay themes. Work will include scripts by gay authors, plays with gay, masculine, feminist and gender identity themes.
Absolut is a brand well known for backing original creativity and supporting young, innovative talent from around the world. It also has a strong international heritage of investing in gay platforms and events.
Indeed, Absolut produced a campaign back in 1981 supporting and targeting the gay community. It has frequently advertised in the gay press and in 2008 produced limited edition rainbow-striped bottle in 2008 designed by rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker.
The brand’s backing is reported to be worth €150,000 and the brand will feature on all supporting marketing material and festival-related collateral. This will include radio ads, local print work, a set of cheeky billboards erected around the city, prominent flags on Dublin’s iconic quays and bin ads in Dublin airport. The vodka brand also spearheads the online promotions and the festivals website.
The title sponsorship deal began in 2009 and followed on from lower level support at the festival from Absolut in 2007 and 2008 – including 2008’s specially created ‘Absolut drama queen cocktail’.
And it will further underpin the festival by providing free accommodation to all international artists, as well as technical and marketing support.
‘Absolut was one of the first mainstream brands to support the gay community and have been doing so all around the world since 1981’ sais Brendan Buckley of Pernod-Ricard’s Irish Distiller division, the distributors of Absolut in Ireland. ‘When Absolut first decided to support the rights of the individual some 30 years ago, it was considered bold. Today the brand can look back on those days and that decision with pride. For us, our sponsorship of the Absolut Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is a natural way to continue to inspire people to challenge convention and to see the world in a better, more inclusive light.’
Comment:
This expanded sponsorship further reinforces the brand’s wider position of supporting art and creativity for its own sake and continues its commitment to the gay community in particular.
Its decision to not just provide sponsorship funding, but to get more deeply involved in the event with technical support and by providing accommodation for artists and performers shows a genuine commitment in the festival and in the cause.
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