Baileys® Original Irish Cream Unites Families and Friends This Holiday Season

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season, Baileys Original Irish Cream is spending $250,000 to unite thousands of family and friends across the country with the "Baileys Brings You Home Project." The program is granting consumers and military families with complimentary airline tickets to spend time with their loved ones throughout October, November and December.  

The holiday season is a time to reunite and create memories, however, because airline tickets are often the most expensive during this busy travel season, it is difficult for many to be together.  As a gift to friends and families around the country, Baileys is donating 250 plane tickets to consumers over the age of 21 through a Facebook contest. Eligible applicants can visit Facebook.com/Baileys to participate; entrants must answer two questions via video or written statement: "Who do you want to spend time with this Holiday Season" and "How do you enjoy Baileys Original Irish Cream?" Videos must be within 45 seconds and two minutes in length and written submissions must be between 50 and 250 words. Entries are being judged on adherence to theme, relevance to holiday season and originality.

Since the kick-off of the contest on October 5th, Baileys has received over one thousand entries, awarding nearly 50 lucky winners with plane tickets. But there are still over 200 tickets remaining through December 10th.

"Baileys Original Irish Cream is committed to bringing people together," says Dana Yerid, Baileys brand director. "We want to give consumers not only the opportunity to go home, but also the gift of spending time with loved ones.  The holidays are a great time to reconnect, and Baileys is often a part of this.  We want people from across the country to have the chance to enjoy responsibly with their family and friends this holiday season."

To compliment this effort, Baileys is partnering with Hero Miles, a not-for-profit organization that provides free airline tickets for military servicemen, servicewomen and their families.  The donation made by Baileys will assist in bringing together thousands of military families throughout the holiday months.  

"We all know the holidays are a precious time for people to come home and reunite, but it's not so easy for some families to be together," says Cindy Campbell, community liaison for Hero Miles. "Baileys is doing us a wonderful honor by supporting Hero Miles and helping bring military and their family members together for the holidays."

For each submission to the "Baileys Brings You Home Project," Baileys is donating an additional five dollars, up to $25,000, to Hero Miles.

To find out more about the "Baileys Brings You Home Project," visit www.facebook.com/Baileys.  

About Baileys Irish Cream:

Baileys launched in Ireland in 1974.  It is now available in 180 markets worldwide and is the number one selling liqueur in the world.  Baileys is currently ranked 7th among all distilled spirits sold worldwide and enjoys 70 percent share of the total Irish Cream Liqueur Market around the world.  Owned by Diageo plc, Baileys contents are a blend of Irish whiskey, fresh double cream and other fine ingredients.  For more information on Baileys Original Irish Cream, please visit us at www.BAILEYS.com.

About Hero Miles:

Hero Miles is a subsidiary program of The Fisher House Foundation, which builds and donates fully furnished family homes to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Department of Veterans Affairs on the grounds of major medical centers for the families of patients receiving care at the medical centers where the homes are located. For more information about Hero Miles or The Fisher House Foundation, please visit www.FisherHouse.org.

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business, with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wine and beer. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards.

Diageo is a global company, trading in some 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.  Visit www.DRINKiQ.com for information and guidance on responsible drinking.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.

Please enjoy Baileys® responsibly.

BAILEYS Irish Cream Liqueur. 17% Alc/Vol. ©2010 R & A Bailey & Co. Imported by Paddington, Ltd., Norwalk, CT.

SOURCE Diageo