The announcement of the new multi-year arrangement, which also sees Johnnie Walker become the official whisky of Formula 1, was made yesterday at an event at the Conrad Centennial Hotel in Singapore by Nick Blazquez, President of Diageo in Africa and Asia, ahead of this weekend’s 2014 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Grand Prix at the Marina Bay street circuit.
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| Dr Nick Blazquez, President, Diageo Africa and Asia with Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One |
Speaking at yesterdays announcement, Nick Blazquez said: “Becoming the official whisky of Formula 1 will enable Johnnie Walker to greatly extend its reach to race fans. As a result of our new arrangement, we will have access to a global television audience of more than 450 million people and a track attendance audience of around 1.5 million every year. Equally important, and a key reason for Johnnie Walker to become the official whisky of Formula 1, is the huge opportunity we have through this expanded global platform to reach even more F1 fans around the world with responsible drinking messages."
He went on to say “We believe there is great potential in what we can achieve together. The Johnnie Walker Join the Pact campaign is a proven, powerful programme that is already driving positive change. More than 1 million people around the world have signed the Join the Pact pledge to ‘Never Drink and Drive’. We are therefore announcing today our intention to increase our investment behind this programme, activating it in new territories with an ambition of gaining a further five million personal commitments over the next four years.”
Dr Blazquez was accompanied at the announcement by Mika Häkkinen, Johnnie Walker Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador
The new arrangement reflects historic connections between the Walker family and the world of motorsport and Grand Prix racing which goes back to the 1950s when the late Rob Walker established his own private racing team. His great-great-grandfather was John Walker who founded the whisky business in a small shop in Scotland in 1820.
Source: Diageo