Bombay Sapphire Is Off To The Races
Bacardi’s Bombay Sapphire gin is stepping into sports entertainment for the first time – or should we say, racing into sports entertainment.
The brand announced a global partnership with the new UIM E1 World Championship, the world’s first all-electric boat race. Bombay Sapphire branding will appear across the championship, with teams backed by big names from sports to entertainment, such as Marc Anthony, Steve Aoki, LeBron James, Rafa Nadal and Will Smith.
In addition to the E1 Series global partnership, the gin has nabbed a partnership with current reigning champions Team Brady, owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, and Team Drogba, led by Didier Drogba and Gabrielle Lemaire, unlocking additional branding rights and team specific opportunities throughout the 2025 season.
Unlike the long-running and sponsor heavy F1 Series, the futuristic boat race has only one season under its belt and ended that first season prematurely. Bombay Sapphire marks its first spirit brand sponsor, but the tournament’s alignment with sustainability may have been part of the appeal for the gin brand.
“In E1, Bombay Sapphire has found a natural home,” said Rodi Basso, founder and CEO of E1. “It is a partnership that is built on a passion for blue sustainability and we’re energized to deliver impactful change together as we redefine racing on water.”
Diageo Scores World Cup Sponsorship
Diageo has been named an “official spirits supporter in the Americas” for FIFA’s 2026 World Cup, the world’s most viewed sporting event. The spirits giant will leverage activations, on-the-ground initiatives and retail campaigns for five of its major brands: Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Buchanan’s, Smirnoff and Casamigos.
The tournament runs across 16 host cities in North America next summer and is being touted as the “the biggest tournament in history” by Diageo chief marketing officer Cristina Diezhandino.
The partnership comes as Diageo’s major bright spot, tequila, has come under scrutiny thanks to a lawsuit alleging the spirits giant of falsely advertising its Casamigos and Don Julio brands as containing 100% tequila agave, despite being adulterated with significant amounts of cane or other types of alcohol.
Brian Cox Embraces His Sunnier Side With Malibu
Once a tough-as-nails media mogul, Succession actor Brian Cox is taking on a very different role in Malibu rum’s latest campaign, which encourages drinkers to ditch overworking and “Do Whatever Tastes Good.”
The first ad, in which Cox roller skates out of the boardroom in pursuit of unwinding with a Malibu Piña Colada on the beach, launched after a recent Malibu study found that Americans are working an average of 15 extra hours per week – which doesn’t bode well for making well-deserved happy hours.
Grand Centenario Says “Don’t Be a Gringo”
Gran Centenario launched its first U.S. campaign, “Don’t Be a Gringo,” just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Activations included a ‘Rápido Gringo Test’ at New York and Chicago pop-ups challenging wannabe tequila experts, and a spot directed by SNL’s Latina director Adriana Cruz and starring Mexican creators Shiadanni and Abelardo Campuzano, who playfully call out “gringo behaviors.”
1800 Tequila Debuts Tequila Diamond at The Met Gala
Grammy-nominated musician and actor Janelle Monáe wasn’t just wearing any diamond brooch at the Met Gala, it was a one-of-a-kind tequila diamond, designed by jewelry designer, Jonathan Raksha of Maison Raksha. The brand fused science, booze and luxury fashion by transforming its 1800 Cristalino tequila into a jewel, inspired by the faceted geometry of the Cristalino bottle and the silhouette of Blue Weber agave.
Traveller Pairs Up With MLB
Traveller Blended Whiskey, co-created by Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and Grammy-winning musician Chris Stapleton, formed a new multi-year agreement making Traveller the official whiskey of Major League Baseball (MLB).
The marketing partnership will promote the brand across various multimedia touchpoints including game broadcasts, social and digital content, and in stores. Traveller will also set up fan activations on-site at 2025 MLB All-Star Week and the MLB Speedway Classic.