Crown Royal Kicks Off Football Season by Reminding Fans to Drink in Moderation and "Hydrate Generously"

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 25^th and 26^th 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

SOURCE Crown Royal