Bacardi Limited ‘Champions Drink Responsibly’ Campaign with Michael Schumacher Wins Top Communications Award

Hamilton, Bermuda, December 17, 2008 – Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, has been awarded best International Communication for its “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign at the European Excellence Awards 2008, held in Budapest on December 11. The European Excellence Awards honor the most outstanding achievements of communications professionals on an international scale for best campaign strategy, innovation, creativity, cost efficiency and results.

Bacardi Limited launched “Champions Drink Responsibly”, its first global social responsibility campaign, in January 2008. With only four months to launch the campaign across 40 markets, the Bacardi Limited team worked closely with its representatives around the world to create a program that would work effectively on a global scale. To promote the campaign, Bacardi Limited appointed seven time Formula One™ world champion Michael Schumacher as the Bacardi Limited Global Social Responsibility Ambassador. A spectacular media launch at the Autoworld Museum in Brussels in April 2008 resulted in more than 550 print and broadcast clips globally, including a six minute piece on a leading international cable network. The campaign also received high level political endorsement by the EU Transport Commission when Bacardi Limited signed the European Road Safety Charter as part of the program.

Last month, Bacardi Limited launched the next phase of the campaign – the opportunity to be in the passenger seat next to Michael Schumacher. In May 2009, the Formula One™ world champion will drive twenty – eight adult consumers from select markets around the world on a race track circuit to raise awareness about the importance of responsible drinking and knowing that drinking and driving don’t mix. The promotion aims to encourage drivers to know the options available to them to avoid drinking and driving such as using public transportation, taking a taxi, designating a driver, or drinking non-alcoholic cocktails if they must drive.

Bacardi Limited President and Chief Executive Officer Séamus McBride said, “Bacardi Limited is delighted to have received this prestigious international award as the Company has a long standing commitment to corporate social responsibility. We strive to continually develop innovative programs to educate consumers in an effort to reduce alcohol harm.”

Bacardi Limited has a pioneering heritage in social responsibility beginning in 1862 in Cuba with both Bacardi family and company activities. Since then, the company has produced many memorable programs including: a-first-of-its kind responsibility campaign in Mexico in 1931, the award-winning, three decade running “Bacardi mixes with everything but driving” program starting in the 1970′s in the U.S, the successful “Driver’s Corner” in Germany and Austria, as well as the current “Whatever Your Reason” television campaign in the United States, Thailand and Portugal that touches adult consumers about the personal reasons they have for drinking responsibly.

Bacardi Limited partnered with global public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and brands communication agency 23red to execute this global campaign.

For additional information on the Bacardi Limited “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign, please visit http://www.championsdrinkresponsibly.com/ and http://www.bacardilimited.com/.

For a complete listing of award winners, please visit http://www.excellence-awards.eu/.

BACARDI and the Bat Device are registered trademarks of Bacardi & Company Limited.

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