Inside the artist’s studio: Absolut’s Keith Haring campaign

Few campaigns created as much buzz at Creative Moment as Absolut Haring Cross by Pangolin.

So, of course, we had to find out more from Olivia Rawal, mid-weight creative, at Pangolin, who led the creative work.

"Art is for everybody."

Keith Haring

Tom Hall (TH): What inspired the campaign?

Olivia Rawal (OR): The inspiration for this campaign came from Keith Haring’s mantra: “Art is for Everybody.” We wanted to go beyond repeating that idea and ask, if art is for everyone, what’s stopping it from being accessible? And how can we remove those barriers? Answering those questions became the foundation of our campaign.

TH: How did you get people to care?

OR: By bringing art into the flow of daily life, the activation paid tribute to Haring’s original canvas - the New York subway - while reimagining it in a distinctly London setting: the Underground. To make people truly notice, we knew we had to interrupt the familiar and stop commuters in their tracks (pun intended). Presenting two original Keith Haring works in one of London’s busiest stations underscored Absolut’s role in weaving art into culture, reminding people that inspiration shouldn’t be locked behind gallery doors; it should be accessible to all.

TH: And did it hit the right metrics?

OR: Absolutely. The activation, so far, has generated 75 pieces of press coverage with a global reach of 102M+, alongside 21 pieces of social coverage. The pop-up gallery drew nearly 900 visitors in just two days, 900 people who might otherwise never have encountered Haring’s work up close. Beyond the numbers, the campaign reignited Haring’s message nearly 40 years after he collaborated with Absolut, reinforcing that art and accessibility must go hand in hand, and sharing it with a new generation.

TH: What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?

OR: One of the biggest challenges was creating a campaign that felt authentic to both Absolut as a brand and Keith Haring as an artist, paying homage to his legacy at every stage, from pitch to execution. With multiple stakeholders involved, maintaining clear, consistent communication was critical. WhatsApp groups were extremely helpful!

TH: What’s the biggest lesson you took away from the campaign?

OR: If you believe in an idea, push for it. When we were launching the Absolut Haring Artist Edition bottle, many concepts were on the table, but this one stood out. It evolved through rounds of refinement, yet the core of the original idea remained intact and came to life exactly as intended. At Pangolin, we often talk about the power of a “memorably simple” idea. This one embodies that principle while staying true to the brand and true to what Haring believed in.