DIAGEO SECURES 5 MILLION PLEDGES NEVER TO DRINK AND DRIVE

Rannvijay SIngha & Mika Hakinene Join the pact - Photo By GPN

Rannvijay Singha & Mika Hakinene Join the pact – Photo By GPN

Join the pact_Mika Hakinene with the Caparo T1 - Photo By GPN

Join the pact_Mika Hakinene with the Caparo T1 – Photo By GPN

November 2017 saw youth icon and F1 enthusiast ,Rannvijay Singh Singha, take over the streets of Gurugram with Two-Time Formula Champion ,Mika Hakkinen, Diageo’s Global Responsible Drinking Ambassdor, in his Caparo T1. Rannvijay and Mika joined hands as they drove fans to make their commitment and take their pledge to #JOINTHEPACT, a Johnnie Walker The Journey initiative. The initiative in India has garnered more than 2 million commitments so far.

MUMBAI, 20 December 2017 (GPN) : Diageo has secured over 5 million pledges never to drink and drive through its global programme Johnnie Walker #JOINTHEPACT, beating its target a year ahead of its goal. Diageo also announces a tenfold increase in its next target, aiming to secure 50 million pledges by 2025 – with 2 million pledges already secured towards this goal thanks to recent activity in India.

Over 7 million adults have now signed the declaration never to drink and drive, which is supported by Johnnie Walker’s sponsorship of Formula 1 partnerships and fronted by former and current F1 drivers including Mika Häkkinen, Stoffel Vandoorne and Fernando Alonso.

Diageo started the #JOINTHEPACT campaign in 2008 as part of its efforts to tackle drink driving around the world. The target of 5 million pledges has been reached early thanks to a global effort to secure pledges, with the #JOINTHEPACT campaign already activated in over forty countries across five continents. From the heights of Nepal to the streets of Sao Paulo, the campaign has travelled the world raising awareness among consumers and encouraging millions to make a commitment never to drink and drive.

Earlier this month, #JOINTHEPACT was launched in India, with activity taking place in Mumbai and Delhi. The Caparo T1, a two-seater supercar with Johnnie Walker responsible drinking branding, was driven by Mika Häkkinen in the streets of Delhi, to raise awareness for the campaign and promote responsible drinking – engaging the public, media and fans alike.

In Mexico, a #JOINTHEPACT TV commercial was launched in October – the first time a branded responsible drinking advertisement has run on national television in the country. The Johnnie Walker film ‘Glass Car’, featuring Fernando Alonso, aired nationwide and throughout the Mexican Grand Prix.

Mika Häkkinen said: “It’s truly incredible that we have reached our target over a year early. I have been working on this campaign from the very beginning and it’s fantastic to see how we have reached people around the world, and I believe as a result made our roads safer. This is not the end, this job continues and we push forward to collect more pledges to never drink and drive and take #JOINTHEPACT to new parts of the world.”

Carolyn Panzer, Director of Alcohol in Society at Diageo, commented: “Our ambitious new target of collecting 50 million pledges never to drink and drive through #JOINTHEPACT shows our tireless determination to make progress on reducing drinking and driving. We believe that a single death caused by drinking and driving is one too many and each one can be prevented.”

Diageo has a long history of working to reduce alcohol-related fatalities and crashes and supports numerous drink drive prevention programmes around the world. These range from supporting high visibility enforcement through random breath tests to funding safe rides and free public transportation, and supporting laws to establish maximum blood alcohol concentration levels in countries where none exist.

In 2016, Diageo and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) signed a two-year partnership agreement to collaborate on the Sustainable Development goal of halving road traffic deaths. Together they have committed to reach approximately 6,000 government officials, young people, and other relevant stakeholders, through training workshops to improve road safety.

About Diageo

Diageo India is the country’s leading beverage alcohol company and a subsidiary of global leader Diageo plc. The company manufactures, sells and distributes an outstanding portfolio of premium brands such as Johnnie Walker, Black Dog, Black & White, VAT 69, Antiquity, Signature, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s No.1, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Four Seasons.

Headquartered in Bengaluru, our wide footprint is supported by a committed team of over 5000 employees, 60 manufacturing facilities across states and union territories in India, a strong distribution network and a state-of-the-art Technical Centre.

Incorporated in India as United Spirits Limited (USL), the company is listed on both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. For more information about Diageo India, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageoindia.com. Promoting responsible consumption of alcohol is at the core of our business. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.ENDS

About the Author

Sachin Murdeshwar
Sachin Murdeshwar is a Sr.Journalist and Columnist in several Mainline Newspapers and Portals.He is an ardent traveller and likes to explore destinations to the core.