Guinness has today announced its first-ever global football partnership with the Premier League.
The four-year agreement, which kicks-off for the 2024/25 season, will see Guinness become the Official Beer of the Premier League, and Guinness 0.0 as the Official Non-Alcoholic Beer. As the Official Responsible Drinking Partner of the League, Guinness will be using its global rights to promote and encourage responsible drinking during the season.
Guinness is reported to have beaten a competing offer from Heineken to take the place of Budweiser which has been the Official Beer for the past five years.
Guinness will use its distinctive marketing, creative advertising, and history of activating world-class sports sponsorships to create fun and engaging fan experiences.
The partnership will look to support and uplift the football community, on and off the pitch, and inspire new connections between its own consumers and passionate Premier League fans around the world.
As the most watched football league on the planet where games are broadcast into 900 million homes in 189 countries, Guinness will bring together the beautiful game and the beautiful pint through its activation of the partnership with the Premier League.
In August, Guinness will launch a new campaign platform, and fans will be able to experience Guinness and the Premier League together on match-day across pubs and in retail outlets globally.
This announcement follows a successful first half of the year for Guinness with sales of the Diageo-owned stout up 14 per cent worldwide.
“The Premier League is the world’s most popular football league, providing an amazing opportunity to continue the success of the Guinness brand globally and connect with new communities around the football occasion,” said John Kennedy, President of Diageo in Europe.
“I’m particularly excited for the brand to build on the impressive growth that Guinness 0.0 has seen since its launch, and using our status as the Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of the Premier League to lay the foundations for further global roll-out around the world.”
“This partnership brings together two iconic global brands that are loved by communities all over the world, and we can’t wait to bring beautiful pints to the beautiful game,” added Stephen O’Kelly, Global Brand Director, Guinness.
“When the first ball is kicked off in August, Guinness will be building on its international legacy in sport with a new campaign reaching millions of fans, who follow and enjoy the Premier League in their own unique way across the globe.”
“We are delighted to partner with Guinness, the world’s leading stout, whose team have consistently demonstrated world- class creativity, innovation and community storytelling through its marketing in sports and more broadly,” said Will Brass, Chief Commercial Officer, the Premier League.
“We are looking forward to sharing a long-term relationship that will enhance the Premier League football viewing occasion in pubs, bars and homes around the world, and bring to life the magic for which the Premier League is famous.”
The new partnership may have additional benefit for Sport for Business members Verve which has been a key agency in the activation of the Guinness Six Nations across Ireland and Britain, and Wilson Hartnell who have been advising on the media launch of the partnership.
Our Football coverage is sponsored by Sky who are the primary broadcast partner of the Premier League and have been now for more than 30 years.
Sport for Business, will host a Member Exclusive Round Table event on Sport and Data at the Dublin Offices of Fanatics on Thursday, August 22nd. This is one of many events currently in planning for the remainder of 2024.
Register your interest to attend a Sport for Business event here.
Sky Ireland, Verve and the FAI are full members of the Sport for Business Community.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations including all the leading sports and sponsors, commercial and state agencies.
Find out more about joining us today.
Check out our upcoming events to discover ways of connecting in person with our membership.
