Diageo and Kurt Busch: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix
Diageo Donates Space on Kurt Busch's No. 97 Nextel Cup Car to Century Council's 'Ask, Listen Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix' Program
NORWALK, Conn., March 31 -- Nextel Cup Champion Kurt Busch will carry a special message on the No. 97 Sharpie Retractable "Autographs for Education" Ford during this weekend's Food City 500 race at Bristol Motor Speedway: kids and alcohol don't mix.
In recognition of April as Alcohol Awareness Month, Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, today announced it has donated its space on the No. 97 car to "Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix" -- a dynamic multimedia program developed by The Century Council and Nickelodeon that provides parents with important tools to talk to their children about the consequences of underage drinking. The space, which covers the lower hood and rear quarter panel areas of the car, is normally occupied by the company's Crown Royal and Smirnoff ICE brand logos.
"Diageo has a long-standing commitment to promote responsible consumption and the fight against underage drinking," said Ivan Menezes, President and CEO, Diageo. "What better time to donate our space on the No. 97 car to further support these efforts than during the first weekend of Alcohol Awareness Month."
Research shows that parents have the power to influence their kids' decision not to drink alcohol. According to the 2003 TRU Omnibuzz survey, 65 percent of adolescents identify parents as the leading influence in their decision to drink or not to drink. "Ask, Listen, Learn" was designed to help parents exercise that power by giving them the tools they need to have effective conversations about underage drinking with their kids.
Designed by a team of national experts with the creative expertise of Nickelodeon, "Ask, Listen, Learn" is an interactive program that provides parents of middle-school aged children (tweens) with discussion booklets, websites and television advertising for kids and parents all designed to help parents talk to their kids. To date, "Ask, Listen Learn" has reached over 50 million kids and parents with the critical information about the dangers of underage drinking.
"This program recognizes that the key to stopping underage drinking is early and often communication between parents and children. It provides both kids and parents with information and strategies to help jumpstart the conversation about the dangers of underage drinking in a language and format that they understand. By visiting http://www.asklistenlearn.com/ for kids and http://www.asklistenlearnparents.com/ for parents, families can access free information and materials, created in format and language designed specifically for them," said Susan Molinari, Chairman of The Century Council.
Like Diageo's Smirnoff ICE sponsorship, Crown Royal Championship Racing is utilizing its new association with NASCAR to promote responsible drinking with millions of NASCAR's adult fans. They have allocated a multi-million dollar marketing budget to support the sponsorship of Kurt Busch and his No. 97 team, which includes dedicated social responsibility messaging under the tagline "Be a Champion. Drink Responsibly."
"I'm thrilled about taking the 'Ask, Listen, Learn' program along for the ride in Bristol," Busch said. "They promote a cause that is very important to me and my associate sponsors, Crown Royal and Smirnoff ICE, and I'll do all I can to get them and their message into Victory Lane."
Crown Royal and Smirnoff ICE's sponsorship of Kurt Busch and the No. 97 Ford Taurus car is built around Diageo's existing relationship with Roush Racing, which started in 2003 with a primary sponsorship of Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 Roush Racing car for Diageo's flavored malt beverage Smirnoff ICE.
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, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 200 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 http://www.diageo.com/.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly. About The Century Council
Launched in 1991, The Century Council is funded by America's leading distillers. The Council's mission is to promote responsible decision-making regarding beverage alcohol and discourage all forms of irresponsible consumption through education, communications, research, law enforcement and other programs. For more information on the Council, log onto http://www.centurycouncil.org/.
About Roush Racing
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates 10 motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever. For more information on Roush Racing, visit http://www.roushracing.com/.