NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Football fans go
all out to support their team. And whether it's throwing an
elaborate tailgate or buying a round of drinks after a big win,
their generosity with fellow fans knows no bounds. "Hydrate
Generously," the newest platform from Crown Royal, harnesses fan
passion to elevate responsible game day consumption to new heights
by reinforcing the importance of always drinking in moderation and
hydrating between drinks. No excuses.
Whether at home or in-stadium, consuming alcohol can be a core
part of the overall fan experience, with more than 80 percent of
adult tailgaters saying they enjoy two or more alcoholic beverages
before heading into a game1. Consistent with its
long-standing commitment to responsibility, Crown Royal, one of
America's best-selling and most-loved whiskies, is using the
megaphone of America's #1 sport to put responsible drinking at the
center of the conversation.
Crown Royal debuted its "Hydrate Generously" campaign with a
nationally televised 30-second advertisement during the first game
of the season last night, with repeat airings scheduled throughout
the year. In a cinematic sports-doc style, the spot introduces the
Water B.O.Y.S. (Beverage Offsetters at Your Service), Crown Royal's
real-life squad of hydration specialists who tackle the important
job of reminding fans and spectators to moderate their game day
consumption and drink water between drinks – at the tailgate, in
the bar and in the stands.
"Pro football is America's favorite sport, the most-viewed
programming on TV and one of the top occasions for responsible
consumption of alcoholic beverages," said Sophie Kelly, Senior Vice President of North
American Whiskeys at Diageo. "With so many fans paying attention,
we saw an opportunity to do something that no brand has done before
and take our longstanding social responsibility commitment to the
masses, reminding fans to celebrate in moderation in a way that's
rooted in the energy, spirit and intensity of the game itself."
As a brand built on giving back to local communities with
everything it does, Crown Royal will further elevate "Hydrate
Generously" through a partnership with Waterboys.org, a charitable
organization within the Chris Long Foundation. To date, the
organization has funded 24 life-sustaining water wells for East
African communities. Crown Royal will help fund the organization's
25th and 26th wells by donating $45,000 to kick off the season, and by rallying
fans to help raise another $45,000 by
donating one dollar for every use of
#HydrateGenerously and for every bottle distributed by the Crown
Royal Water B.O.Y.S. throughout the season. This upholds the
brand's long-standing commitment to charitable initiatives, with
in-kind and monetary donations totaling more than $1 million since 2010.
"We are honored to partner with Crown Royal on the "Hydrate
Generously" campaign to bring clean water to communities in
desperate need," said Waterboys director, Nicole Woodie. "This partnership exemplifies the
uniting power of sports by drawing football fans together to get
two more Waterboys wells funded and impact the lives of over 10,000
people. We hope when fans drink responsibly they will also be
inspired to live generously by getting involved with the Waterboys'
mission."
The "Hydrate Generously" initiative stretches far beyond TV, as
squads of real-life Water B.O.Y.S. will be distributing water at
stadiums, tailgates, sports bars and in rideshare vehicles
throughout the season. In collaboration with several of the brand's
dozen-plus pro football team partners, they'll deliver thousands of
water bottles to fans along with a pep talk to enjoy the game
sensibly.
As an industry leader for decades, Crown Royal, and its parent
company Diageo, has pioneered a number of social responsibility
campaigns across professional sports leagues – including
basketball, motorsports, horseracing, football, hockey and rodeo –
that promote awareness and education about responsible drinking.
These programs include designated driver events and public service
announcements featuring star athletes, free taxi cab vouchers from
high-profile events and safe transportation through unique
ride-sharing programs.
Crown Royal believes the road to royalty is paved with integrity
and responsibility. The "Hydrate Generously" initiative is part of
Crown Royal's ongoing "Live Generously and Life Will Treat You
Royally" platform – which views a generous life as a life
well-lived and committed to inspiring generosity in all of its
forms. All activations and communications reinforce the message
that a magnanimous approach to life is ultimately the most
rewarding. The campaign and its elements were developed in
collaboration with Anomaly New York, Taylor Strategy, Vayner Media,
starpower, Carat and Wasserman.
Crown Royal appreciates that drinking is part of the enjoyment
and celebration of game day, but forcefully reminds people to
moderate their drinking and hydrate responsibly.
About Crown Royal
Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is the
number-one selling Canadian whisky brand in the world and has a
tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended
to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen
Elizabeth of Great Britain
in 1939, Crown Royal's smooth, elegant flavor and gift-worthy
presentation reflect its regal origins – it is considered the
epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information, visit
www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please
enjoy responsibly.
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage
alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including
Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit
and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas,
Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio,
Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and
the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more
than 180 countries around the world. For more information about
Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at
www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking
resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives and ways to
share best practice.
Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North
America: @Diageo_NA.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
About Waterboys
Waterboys began during a 2013
trip when Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Long was
struck by the beauty of Tanzania
and the vibrancy of its' people; he also witnessed great suffering
due to a lack of clean water. While in Tanzania, Long met Doug Pitt, Goodwill Ambassador for Tanzania, and John
Bongiorno, President of the non-profit WorldServe
International, and was further educated on the needs and available
solutions to the clean water crisis. Returning home, Long began to
envision a pathway to champion the need for clean water in
East Africa while engaging other
NFL players in the cause. In 2015, Long created the Waterboys
Initiative, selecting WorldServe International as its benefiting
charity. Waterboys will work with WorldServe International to build
wells to provide life-giving water and all that comes from it – the
opportunity for education, good health, and economic stability.
1 Erickson, D. J., Toomey, T. L., Lenk, K. M.,
Kilian, G. R. and Fabian, L. E. A. , "Can We Assess Blood Alcohol
Levels of Attendees Leaving Professional Sporting Events?"
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, vol. 35, no. 4,
2011, doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01386.
CONTACT: Caroline Boger,
704-644-6901
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SOURCE Crown Royal