No Head

by Phillip Collier

July 16, 2020

I was asked by artist John Alexander while designing a book for him coinciding with his 2011 Ogden Museum exhibit One World, Two Artists to create a print ad campaign for his Crystal Head Vodka company. Alexander and actor, Dan Akroyd, had conceived and founded the Crystal Head brand in 2007 wanting to put an additive-free vodka in the marketplace. John designed the distinctive glass skull bottle that contained the quadruple-distilled, and diamond crystal filtered vodka.

I contacted old friend and copywriter Carolyn Durkalski and photographer Michael Terranova to help on what I knew could be a spec pitch. Knowing John well and of Dan’s comedic style our team thought being a little off color would be fair game for one series of ads.

For the other series we would go head to head with one of their competitors, and mimic the very popular Absolut Vodka print campaign.

Using Carolyn’s headlines and copy and Mike’s photography of the crystal skull bottle and several cocktails we mocked up two campaigns. The layouts and creative were well received but as so many times in advertising pitches these ads never graced the pages of a magazine.