Sunday, November 29, 2009

BACARDI LIMITED AND MICHAEL SCHUMACHER RENEW SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AMBASSADOR PARTNERSHIP

Get Involved! Spread the message with the latest “Champions Drink Responsibly” video viral
Hamilton, Bermuda, November , 2009 – Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, and seven-time Formula OneTM world champion Michael Schumacher, today announced the renewal of their very successful partnership to promote the “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign internationally. Michael also will continue as the Bacardi Limited Global Social Responsibility Ambassador through to 2011, helping to spread the message ‘Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix.’ Bacardi Limited and Schumacher first teamed up in the area of social responsibility in 2008 and this award-winning campaign has grown and reached more than 80 million people around the world. 

“I’m delighted to be continuing my work with Bacardi Limited to help spread the message to the public that ‘Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix’ and letting them know about the responsible options of using public transportation, taking a taxi, designating a driver, or drinking non-alcoholic cocktails if they must drive. This is a cause I really believe in and I look forward to building on the success of the award-winning “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign. Promoting the message here in China at the Race of Champions is just one example of the campaign’s commitment to spreading these messages worldwide,” said Michael Schumacher.

The continuation of the partnership was announced today in Beijing, where Michael was attending the Race of Champions. Bacardi Limited is an Official Partner of the Race of Champions.

As part of the announcement, Bacardi Limited launched a new viral video starring Schumacher. The video was premiered during the Race of Champions and watched by more than 70,000 spectators in the Beijing Bird’s Nest Stadium. In the video, to illustrate the campaign message of ‘Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix,’ Schumacher drives world famous mixologist Salvatore Calabrese at full throttle around a racetrack while Salvatore is trying to mix a Duo Maestro cocktail with a very messy and unsuccessful result. Visit www.championsdrinkresponsibly.com or log on to the “Champions Drink Responsibly” channel on YouTube to see more.

“This is the latest in a series of entertaining campaign-related viral videos -- it was great fun to make and I hope it will further communicate the importance of not drinking and driving and the alternative choices available in an engaging, memorable and impactful way. I hope viewers will send this video to their family and friends and help us spread the message.” added Schumacher.

“It is fantastic that we will be continuing our partnership with Michael – he has been a truly committed Ambassador to our “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign. We have reached millions of people with our responsible drinking message and I hope people will continue to engage with the campaign and help spread the message with our new video viral,” said Séamus E. McBride, President and CEO of Bacardi Limited. “We rewarded 30 consumers from around the world in May with an amazing driving experience with Michael as their designated driver. It was a fantastic success in raising international awareness of the campaign and I look forward to rewarding more consumers in new ways next year.”

The “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign will be supported in many local markets globally where Bacardi is able to run relevant local initiatives targeted at consumers in impactful ways. Since the launch in April 2008 to worldwide attention, “Champions Drinks Responsibly” has been activated in more than 40 countries around the world and has engaged people in many different ways. In Latin America, the campaign spread the message through giveaways to consumers while they were enjoying a night out, as well as advertising at travels hubs. In Europe, the campaign promoted the message through consumer competitions, social media and giving away special campaign non-alcoholic cocktails at public events. In Asia, Champions Drink Responsibly worked with local sports stars to promote the message as well as offering a free taxi ordering service.

In his role as Bacardi Limited Social Responsibility Ambassador, Schumacher also appeared on hit BBC TV program “Top Gear” where he spoke about the campaign’s important message—touching more consumers, as the program is aired in more than 100 countries.

The success of “Champions Drinks Responsibly” was acknowledged with the campaign being awarded the best International Communication at the 2008 European Excellence Awards and recently the campaign was awarded the 2009 PRCA In-House CSR Award. The campaign is nominated for two further awards in 2009.

Details of next phase of the program will be announced in the coming months. 


Bacardi Limited has a pioneering heritage in promoting social responsibility messages with its first campaign taking place in Mexico in 1931. Since then, the Company has created some widely respected social responsibility initiatives in the 1970s with its two decade running, award-winning U.S. campaign "Bacardi mixes with everything, except driving" program and its successful "Driver's Corner" in Germany and Austria, as well as its "Whatever Your Reason" television campaign in the United States personalizing the responsibility message to touch adult consumers about the different reasons they have for drinking responsibly.


About Bacardi Limited


Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets a variety of internationally recognized spirits. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio consists of more than 200 brands and labels including: BACARDI® rum, the world's number-one selling rum and the world’s most awarded premium rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world-leader in super premium vodka; DEWAR'S® Scotch whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the top valued premium gin; CAZADORES® blue agave tequila, the top-selling premium tequila worldwide; MARTINI® vermouth, the world-leader in vermouth; and other leading brands. 

About Michael Schumacher


Michael Schumacher is the seven-time FIA Formula 1TM World Champion and considered according to the official Formula 1TM website, "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen". Schumacher decided to continue his association with Ferrari by becoming a consultant. Schumacher holds many records in Formula 1TM, including most drivers' championships, 91 race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. Schumacher is the first and only Formula 1TM driver to have an entire season of podium finishes (2002). In September 2007, Schumacher announced he would be the Bacardi Limited Social Responsibility Ambassador to communicate an international “drinking and driving don’t mix” social responsibility message.

About Bacardi Limited

Bacardi Limited is the largest privately held spirits company in the world and produces and markets a variety of internationally recognized spirits. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio consists of more than 200 brands and labels, including: BACARDI® rum, the world’s number-one selling premium rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world-leader in super-premium vodka; DEWAR’S® Scotch whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the top-valued premium gin in the world; CAZADORES® blue agave tequila, the top-selling premium tequila worldwide; MARTINI & ROSSI® vermouth, the world-leader in vermouth; and other leading brands. 

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