BACARDI® Rums Unveils the 'BACARDI® Together Index' Study on the Joy of Getting Together

CORAL GABLES, Fla., Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- As the holiday season approaches, BACARDI®, the best-selling premium rum and the most-awarded rum in the world, today unveils a pioneering research study called the BACARDI Together Index.  

The BACARDI Together Index uses an unprecedented 146 questions from a national survey of 5,000 American adults, aged 21 to 80+ years, to understand and summarize the dimensions of social connectedness. The large sample and volume of questions allows for a comprehensive evaluation of social connections in a way never before done. 

BACARDI, throughout its history, has held a long-standing belief that the importance of spending time with friends and family is the key to our overall feelings of happiness and well-being. This index is a grand summation of the effort by BACARDI to get people thinking about how they prioritize their time and how social life affects general well-being.

Key findings of the BACARDI Together Index are as follows:

• "Social media togetherness" is not the same as "in-person togetherness." Social media togetherness is quicker and less emotionally meaningful amongst respondents.

• 64 percent of respondents believe being together with family and friends is important, more so than getting a raise (51 percent), having a career (47 percent), and having the best of everything (30 percent).

• "Being together" is closely associated with general well-being, as 84 percent of those with high togetherness also have high well-being. 

• The holiday season is the kind of occasion that is most likely to encourage people to get together. Significant events like birthdays, the 4th of July and Mother's/Father's Day are also big. All these occasions inspire the greatest level of connectedness to others, with at least 57 percent of people feeling highly connected during these times.

• At least 59 percent of respondents cite that togetherness has many benefits including: the fun times enjoyed together, being part of a friendship group, makes time more meaningful, and takes your mind off problems.

• The primary factors that prevent togetherness are: lack of money (58 percent), lack of friends (43 percent), geographic distance from friends and family (40 percent), and finding the time to be with others (50 percent).

• Across the country, and looking at the areas where people live within the regions, those who live in cities (47 percent) or just outside a city (44 percent) appear to have more physical and emotional togetherness versus those living in the suburbs (38 percent) or rural areas (31 percent).

VIRTUAL VS. FACE-TO-FACE TOGETHERNESS

BACARDI believes in the joy of face-to-face connections and that humans are meant to socialize and are actually enhanced as individuals when they feel 'together'. Social media allows humans to socialize, which in many cases has led to an increase in one-on-one time with others. While "social media togetherness" has proven to be a positive way to connect with other people, social media togetherness is quicker and less emotionally meaningful amongst respondents.

Ben Mezrich, author of The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal (recently adapted into major motion picture, 'The Social Network') said, "What I've learned from examining the lives of the founders of Facebook is that nothing replaces the human spark that generates human connections. In fact, it was that human spark that led to the birth of Facebook, and it is that spark that fuels the essence of true human connection. As the lives of Americans become busier and faster, sometimes it helps to just take a step back and analyze how truly connected we feel."

THE AMERICAN PURSUIT OF WELL-BEING AND HAPPINESS

The BACARDI Together Index delves into the specific importance of physical and emotional connections and compares the weight of those connections with the level assigned to other things in life. Perhaps not so surprisingly, the single most important issue to Americans is their well-being. Eighty-five percent of respondents say that being a sense of well-being is very important to them.  Beyond well-being, the survey shows that Americans place high value on being connected with others.  

The following were cited as important to the respondents:

• 77 percent: "being together with family"
• 77 percent of people who say they feel 'together' also say that they are very happy  
• 73 percent: "having close, meaningful relationships"
• 73 percent of those that are more socially engaged say they have very warm feelings toward almost everyone, while only 56 percent of less socially engaged people agree
• 70 percent: "family gathering together for special occasions"
• 68 percent: "staying in touch with others"  
• 62 percent say that having friends that are like family and being together with friends is important

CITY MOUSE VS. COUNTRY MOUSE

Across the country, and looking at the areas where people live within the regions, those who live in cities or just outside a city appear to have more physical and emotional togetherness.

• Almost half (47 percent) of those living in the city and 44 percent of those just outside a city score in the highest range of the BACARDI Together Index, compared to those living in the suburbs (37 percent) or rural areas (31 percent), deflating the notion of closed-door cities and friendly countrified areas. 
• In fact, the most surprising figure may be that the city that is the most 'together' is Los Angeles at 49 percent with NYC a close second at 47.8 percent, while other more 'friendly to visit' cities such as Chicago (41.7 percent), Minneapolis (36.8 percent), Boston (36.4 percent) and Denver (31.5 percent) say they are less together.  

Perhaps those who live in cities or just outside cities are more together because of the activities they choose to engage in with others? Those in the city or just outside the city tend to spend more time engaged across a variety of activities:

Dr. Ken Dautrich, senior consultant to The Pert Group, Lead Researcher of the BACARDI Together Index, said, "We were surprised to find that people living in the suburbs are less connected than those in the city who lead very full lives amongst the hustle and bustle.  The fact that so many Americans who we typically associate as being more together actually aren't goes against the perceived norm.  In such changing times, people in the suburbs should get together for the sake of their happiness and well-being"

TOGETHER AT THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is one of two occasions during the year when Americans say they enjoy the bond of togetherness.  

• 77 percent are just as likely to get together for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa.
• 76 percent say that they are very likely to get together with others on Thanksgiving.  
• Not only are Americans most likely to share the bonds of togetherness on Thanksgiving Day, but the physical and emotional connectedness that they feel with others on Thanksgiving is also very high – 76 percent - higher than any of the other national holidays, Mother's/Father's day or simply hanging out with friends, except for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa which rates at 77 percent on the togetherness stakes.  

Toby Whitmoyer, Vice President, Brand Managing Director, BACARDI Rums said, "The BACARDI Together Index highlights that although we are connecting, those connections aren't as meaningful as they could be. Connecting through the likes of social media is quicker and less emotional so we are actually feeling less together. It seems clear that having that time to get together with friends that are important to us is not only satisfying, but also a way to feel happier.  We want to remind people that the holidays shouldn't be the only time of year that they get together with friends."

BACARDI hopes that as a result of the BACARDI Together Index, consumers will be reminded during the holidays of this feeling of happiness and continue to plan gatherings with friends and family beyond the festive season.  For more information, as well as simple entertaining tips and recipes to further your "Together" moments with friends and family, whether during the Holiday season, or beyond, please visit www.facebook.com/BACARDI.

The BACARDI Together Index

The BACARDI Together Index was conducted by The Pert Group, who interviewed a representative cross-section of 5,000 members of the American public between October 1, 2010 and October 18, 2010. Comprised of adult respondents 21 years of age and older throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the sample parallels key characteristics of the American population, including gender and race, as defined by the United States Census; the overall margin of error was plus or minus 2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.   Respondents were members of an internet panel, and those completing the survey received a point-based incentive for their participation. The survey was conducted online, with an average interview length of approximately 19 minutes.

About BACARDI Rums

In 1862, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, founder Don Facundo Bacardi Masso revolutionized the spirits industry when he created the world's first premium white rum – BACARDI. The unique taste of BACARDI Rum inspired cocktail pioneers to invent some of the world's most famous drinks including the BACARDI Mojito, the BACARDI Daiquiri, the BACARDI Cuba Libre, the BACARDI Pina Colada and the BACARDI Presidente.  BACARDI Rum has won more than 300 awards for quality and product profile.  Today, BACARDI Rum is made in Puerto Rico and Mexico where it is crafted to ensure the taste remains the same today as it did when it was first blended in 1862.

About BACARDI U.S.A., Inc.

BACARDI U.S.A., Inc. is the United States import and distribution arm of one of the world's leading spirits and wine producers. The company boasts a portfolio  of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits brands in the  United  States  including  BACARDI rum, the world's favorite and best-selling premium rum, as well as the world's most awarded rum; GREY GOOSE®  vodka,  the  world-leader in super-premium vodka; DEWAR'S® Blended 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 number-one premium tequila in the world; MARTINI®  vermouth,  the  world-leader  in  vermouth; and other leading and emerging brands. www.BacardiUSA.com

About The Pert Group

The Pert Group is a research-based consulting firm headquartered in Bloomfield, Conn., with offices in Kansas City, Mo., and Pittsburg, Penn.  Established in 1978, the company integrates financial, attitudinal and behavioral information to bring clarity to business, brand and marketing decision making. Providing comprehensive decision support in the areas of Innovation, Positioning and Performance, The Pert Group facilitates growth strategies and improves business outcomes for local, national and international clients. The Pert Group is a long-standing member of CASRO and ESOMAR.  For more information, visit www.thepertgroup.com

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©2010 BACARDI® AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF BACARDI® & COMPANY LIMITED. BACARDI® U.S.A., INC., CORAL GABLES, FL. RUM - 40% ALC. BY VOL.

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