How We Filmed the ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ Volcano Ad
To make the ad for ABSOLUT® TABASCO™, we traveled to a real volcanic formation in southern Iceland and spent hours watching how lava behaves.
We then built a model of the volcano; filmed lava being poured into it and shot the whole thing with 35mm lens.
Why cut corners when you can pour your own lava?
Giancarlo Martins is Creative Content Director at Absolut Vodka North America and led the project. We asked him how it all came together.
How the ABSOLUT® and TABASCO™ Collab Began
It all started with a phone call in November 2024. Giancarlo was doing some early Christmas shopping when a colleague rang to say the collab was officially on. He saw it straight away as “the perfect opportunity to create something unmissable.”
The team built the idea around one line, For Those Who Like It Hot, and set out to show Tabasco’s heat in a way that would stop people mid-scroll. In Giancarlo’s words: “And what better way to do that than to bring back the iconic ‘Absolut X’ ads.”
Why the ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ Ad Was Shot in Iceland
Flying to Iceland for one ad might sound like a lot. For Giancarlo, it came down to visually representing how the heat of ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ feels when you drink it:
“Heat and spice are emotional experiences, not rational ones. We needed visuals as visceral as the product itself. We wanted to use dramatic visuals to show what ‘hot’ means.”
That meant aiming for a specific crowd.
“Our goal was to appeal to bold flavor seekers and produce something distinctive. Some brands often focus solely on functional benefits that can fall flat, and we wanted to up the ante.”
Upping the ante, in this case, meant a plane ticket to Iceland.
“We filmed at a real volcanic formation in southern Iceland and built large-scale models to give the film a visceral, authentic feel.”
Inside the ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ Shoot in Iceland
Giancarlo walked us through what happened on location in Iceland:
“We didn’t want to cut corners, so we filmed real scenery. Several hours were spent watching how volcanoes and lava behave, studying the colors and the look of the surrounding rocks. Our props master had worked on Interstellar and other sci-fi films. Together with a visionary director, we didn’t want to simply put a perfectly shaped bottle in front of people.”
Here’s what they did instead: “We built a model replica of the volcanic formation; filmed lava being poured into it and composited the footage. Watching the silhouette of the bottle emerge from the volcanic landscape became that ‘aha’ moment we knew we wanted.”
Shooting the ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ Ad with 35mm Lens
The team shot the ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ ad with 35mm lens. Giancarlo explains why:
“They created some fantastic effects while filming with a 35mm analog lens, rather than the ease of digital, which gave the advert a raw, documentary style.”
Watch it again and look for the grain. That texture comes straight from the film.
Giancarlo’s Biggest Takeaway from ABSOLUT® TABASCO™
We ended by asking what he’d carry with him from the whole project:
“Timeless work comes from protecting the creative, trusting the process, and refusing to cut corners, even when it would be easier. It’s a reminder that bold ideas deserve bold execution. And when we commit to that, we don’t just launch products – we create culture.”
Where to Start with ABSOLUT® TABASCO™
Even Giancarlo was surprised by how versatile ABSOLUT® TABASCO™ turned out to be. It works with sweet and fruity flavors just as well as with savory classics like a Spicy Bloody Mary.
Get the recipes: 5 Cocktails to Make with ABSOLUT® TABASCO™