Cheers To A More Colorful Future! Smirnoff Celebrates Intersectionality And Expression In All Its Forms With New "Color the Future" Initiative

NEW YORK, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Enough about the past - this year, we're looking to the future, and it's full of vibrance, charisma, and color! To continue Pride celebrations in 2021, Smirnoff is continuing the brand's decades of support as an ally in the ongoing fight for equality and equity for the LGBTQIA+ community with the launch of the brand's new "Color the Future'' platform.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8916551-smirnoff-celebrates-intersectionality-new-color-the-future-initiative/

The LGBTQIA+ community is not one-size-fits-all. The community is continually growing and diversifying with people of color, trans and non-binary people, people of varying religions, body types, ages and income levels all falling within the intersectional LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Though the community has made great strides in the past few decades, there is still a long way to go in the fight for equality, equity, and acceptance for all.

Advocating for a better and brighter future means showing up 365 days a year. With the brand's new "Color the Future" platform, Smirnoff will highlight the diverse spectrum of what makes us shine at different intersections in historic LGBTQIA+ communities across the country. Through a variety of activations and initiatives, we'll bring the spirited fun of Pride to cities nationwide all year long, encouraging everyone to live their most vibrant and colorful lives, show up as their most authentic selves and toast to a more inclusive future for all.

"After the last year, the vision for what's ahead must be more vivid! We're looking towards the future with a renewed sense of optimism and purpose for how we show up and meaningfully support the eclectic and diverse LGBTQIA+ community. Smirnoff stands for inclusivity and creating good times, safe spaces, and a wide spectrum of products for everyone. With the launch of our new 'Color the Future' platform, we're working to spread this message year-round and highlight some of the many colorful stories and personalities at the center of intersectionality," said Jennifer Holiday Hudson, North America Brand Leader, Smirnoff. "We're proud to stand alongside the LGBTQIA+ community and inspire celebration as we pave the way for generations."

To kick off this new campaign, Smirnoff and The Mixx, a 25-year-old certified-diverse woman and LGBT owned marketing agency, showed up in Chicago's historic Boystown neighborhood - one of the largest LGBTQIA+ neighborhoods in the midwestern U.S.- to host an immersive cocktail and aura experience. Throughout the week, the brand will show up at other surrounding events, celebrating inclusivity and intersectionality within a beloved local LGBTQIA+ community, and featuring Smirnoff's wide spectrum of products for everyone, from the classic Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka to the brand's newest and most vibrant offering – Smirnoff Pink Lemonade. Continuing "Color the Future" throughout Pride month and beyond, Smirnoff will also serve as the Gold Presenting Sponsor & Exclusive Vodka Partner of Chicago's Pride in the Park and will further celebrate the vibrancy of the LGBQTIA+ community through a variety of experiences celebrating intersectionality, including:

• Action Not Ads – Community Building Events in Support of Local LGBTQIA+ Communities Throughout Pride Month and Beyond with sponsorships across the country. Smirnoff has committed to hosting multiple "Color the Future" community building events throughout the remainder of the year, where adults (21+) will express their intersectional auras through color while enjoying custom cocktails featuring Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka specially tailored to them, as well as Smirnoff's newest and most vibrant lineup, Smirnoff Pink Lemonade.
• Continued Commitment in Educating Bar and Restaurant Workers in the trade about the importance of the LGBTQIA+ community to create an inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ bars which were most-impacted by COVID-19.
• "Color the Future" Limited Edition Cocktail Kits created in collaboration with fellow ally Bubly and Cocktail Courier available for adults (21+) to purchase until July 7 on CocktailCourier.com. Smirnoff is donating $10 for each kit sold during the month of June (up to $10,000) to the Phluid Phoundation. With the Phluid Phoundation, these donations go directly to a network of grassroots organizations that channel their energy and resources to the LGBTQIA+ communities.
• Taking the Brand's Commitment to Inclusive Representation Further with a pledge that the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities will represent at least 50% of all people in front of the camera and behind it across Smirnoff advertising and brand marketing.

As part of its decades-long support, Smirnoff has been representing the LGBTQIA+ community in the brand's advertising for more than half a century. Since 2017, Smirnoff has also donated a total of $1.7M to the LGBTQIA+ community, inclusive of nearly $700K committed to LGBTQIA+ organizations in the last year. In addition to donating to the Phluid Phoundation through the "Color the Future" cocktail kits, Smirnoff is committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community through existing and new charity partnerships, including: Human Rights Campaign, Transgender Law Center, The Center NYC, and the One Pulse Foundation.

No matter how you choose to "Color the Future" or celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride - whether it's sipping Smirnoff cocktails under neon skies as the sun sets or dancing beneath club lights of different hues - please remember to drink responsibly!

About SMIRNOFF

The Smirnoff portfolio offers a variety of options across vodka and flavored malt beverages. Current offerings include the world's number-one selling Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka, the top-selling line of flavors in North America, the Smirnoff Zero Sugar Infusions line, and ready-to-serve flavored malt beverages including Smirnoff Seltzer, Smirnoff Ice and Smirnoff Ice Smash.

From culturally relevant limited editions to new innovations and zero sugar offerings, Smirnoff has always been known for quality and affordability, and prides itself on having something for everyone.

The Smirnoff brand traces its vodka heritage back to 19th century Russia and is now enjoyed in over 130 countries worldwide.

Visit www.smirnoff.com for more information, or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. Please drink responsibly.

About DIAGEO

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Nicole Anastasi

DIAGEO

nicole.anastasi@2bsquaredcommunications.com  

704-796-9992

Smirnoff

TAYLOR

Smirnoff@taylorstrategy.com 

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SOURCE Smirnoff