Independent licensing company Bulldog Licensing has been appointed to manage licensing and merchandising in the UK & Ireland and Benelux for The Absolut Company International, part of the spirits giant Pernod Ricard, on behalf of master global agent, Brand Central.
It will be developing a licensing programme for three of Pernod Ricard’s most famous spirit brands: Absolut Vodka, Malibu and Kahlúa.
The Absolut Company International, within Pernod Ricard, manages the strategic marketing of the premium spirits brands: Absolut Vodka, Malibu and Kahlúa.
Absolut Vodka is the world’s leading premium vodka¹ – a community-made spirit that embraces a ‘seed to bottle’ production philosophy. It is distilled in and around the small town of Åhus, southern Sweden, using two main natural ingredients – pure water from a local deep well and winter wheat from nearby farms – using a similar continuous distillation process introduced by its founder, L.O. Smith, in the 1870s. This philosophy and process ensure premium quality in every drop and underpin a long-standing commitment to sustainability.
While Sweden remains its home, Absolut Vodka is available in over 140 markets with more than 12 million 9-litre cases sold worldwide¹. Part of the Pernod Ricard Group since 2008, Absolut Vodka has inspired bartenders to create some of today's most popular cocktails, from the Cosmopolitan to the Vodka Martini. As a brand, it champions creativity to open minds and spark change. Its distinctive apothecary-shaped bottle serves as a canvas for creative expression and has been reimagined by renowned international artists and fashion designers. In recent years, Absolut Vodka has introduced ready-to-drink cocktails in collaboration with household names, offering consumers new ways to enjoy Absolut Vodka.
Malibu Original is the world’s leading rum-based coconut-flavoured spirit. It sells over 3.8 million 9-litre cases annually across 140 markets worldwide¹ and is a must-have in popular cocktails such as piña coladas and daiquiris. Founded in the late 1970s, Malibu has been part of the Pernod Ricard Group since 2005. The brand encourages people to have a summer mindset all year round – to clock off and do whatever tastes good whenever the moment feels right. This connection to sunshine has been strengthened in recent years, with a range of ready-to-drink cocktails, more than one million cases of which are sold each year. The coconuts that give Malibu its distinctive flavour come in part from local farming communities in the Philippines, where the brand supports farmers to improve sustainable farming practices.
Originating in Mexico in the 1930s, Kahlúa is one of the world’s leading coffee liqueurs¹. Inspired by the renowned Kahlúa Ladies, a women-only management team that began promoting the “original coffee liqueur” internationally in the 1960s, Kahlúa Original is made from 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans. These beans are sourced from plantations in Mexico’s Veracruz region, where it supports farmers in adopting sustainable farming practices through its Coffee for Good initiative. Kahlúa, which sells approximately 2 million 9-litre cases across 140 markets worldwide¹, inspired the creation of the iconic Espresso Martini and is ideal for popular cocktails such as the Mudslide and White Russian. It is a playful, bold and over-the-top spirits brand that aims to “stir up” the everyday. In recent years, Kahlúa has collaborated with well-known brands and pop stars to develop Kahlúa-inspired coffee liqueur innovations and create new experiences.
This strategy will be supported not just by reference to the unique and distinctive taste of each spirit but by distinctive design assets inspired by labels, logos, typefaces, bottle shapes and other associations, like sun, sea, style and sophistication, all closely linked with the three brands. These design assets, together with the brands’ instantly recognisable branding, will aid in the creation of high-impact products ranging from food and gifts to apparel and accessories.
Bulldog will be managing the campaign in the Benelux, the UK and Ireland, building on its strong reputation for skilful brand management across diverse properties, age groups and categories.
Bulldog MD Rob Corney says: “These are three brands where excellence in distilling and flavour goes hand in hand with style and look to make these among the most iconic spirits available. We are delighted to be working with The Absolut Company International and Brand Central to expand the reach of these market-leading properties into multiple categories where their strong levels of awareness and positive associations will be major assets to brand expansion.”
“Bulldog is the ideal first partner as we build a global network of top‑tier agencies. Their expertise, deep relationships with licensees and retailers, and passion for these brands will be invaluable to our global expansion,” says Ross Misher, CEO of Brand Central.
¹IWSR, 2025