Hamilton, Bermuda:  In the run up to the USTA 2011 U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, Queens, Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., the United States import, sales, and marketing arm of Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, welcomed 2010 U.S. Open defending tennis champion Rafael ‘Rafa’ Nadal as the Bacardi Limited Global Social Responsibility Ambassador and spokesperson for the award-winning multi-media campaign “Champions Drink Responsibly.”

The campaign images, shot in Nadal’s hometown of Manacor, Spain, depict the tennis champion’s professionalism, discipline and personal values to help people understand that by drinking responsibly they can be champions too; and they will enjoy more quality time with family and friends.

On Tuesday, August 23, in the heart of Manhattan, Nadal made a special public appearance at the FoodParc Outdoor Plaza at the Eventi Hotel to serve as an aspirational role model for legal drinking age consumers promoting the important message that responsible drinking includes having a plan, choosing quality over quantity, looking out for friends and ensuring everyone arrives home safely.

Winner of ten Grand Slam singles titles and defending U.S. Open Champion, Rafael Nadal added, “It’s great to be back in New York. I am excited to be part of this impactful campaign. As a tennis player, I like to enjoy a drink with friends and my team, but as I say in one of the “Champions Drink Responsibly “ads, I know where to draw the line. It’s important to stay in control on the court and on a night out to be there for your friends and to make sure everyone enjoys themselves safely.”

The “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign – first introduced by family-owned Bacardi Limited in April 2008 featuring seven-time Formula 1™ World Champion Michael Schumacher with the message “Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix” – expands with Nadal as its new Global Social Responsibility Ambassador.  The campaign is rooted in the strong heritage and commitment of Bacardi Limited to promote responsible drinking.  The Company launched its first social responsibility advertising campaign in Mexico in the 1930s when it pioneered the idea of responsible drinking with the copy of“Bacardi wishes to sell, but it does not want the money you should use to buy bread.”

Since then, the Company created widely respected social responsibility initiatives in the 1970s with its two-decade running, award-winning U.S. campaign “Bacardi mixes with everything. Except driving.” advertisement. Also raising the bar in social responsibility messaging and engagement were the Company’s successful “Driver’s Corner” in Germany and Austria, and “Whatever Your Reason” television campaign in the United States, which personalized the responsibility message to teach adult consumers about the different reasons for drinking responsibly.

“Bacardi has historically been committed to educating consumers about responsible drinking ensuring they can make informed choices about how they consume alcohol. Since “Champions Drink Responsibly” was launched, this global campaign has reached more than 37 million consumers across the world,” said Robert Furniss-Roe, President of Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. “We are excited the United States company is showcasing this important social message in our market and to celebrate Rafa Nadal here in New York. Nadal is a world champion at the top of his game, whose lifestyle and dedication reflects the values of our Company and this campaign. We will be cheering for him in the coming weeks!”

In addition to being the global spokesperson of the “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign, Nadal created a signature drink to offer consumers when they are opting not to have a cocktail containing alcohol. His Rafa Berry Smash is a refreshing combination of fresh berries muddled with fresh cranberry and pomegranate juice, and the perfect drink to enjoy after a tough tennis match.

Rafa Berry Smash

6 fresh strawberries

4 fresh raspberries

4 fresh blueberries

10ml of fresh lemon juice

1 heaped spoon of caster sugar

50ml of cranberry juice

50ml of pomegranate juice

Ice cubes and crushed ice

Slice the strawberries in quarters and then place all the fruit, sugar and lemon juice into a mixing glass. Muddle the ingredients, two presses is plenty so as to not overdo it. Add the cranberry juice, pomegranate juice and 6 – 8 large ice cubes to the mixing glass and shake hard for 7 seconds.

Pour the shaken drink into a tall glass and top it off with crushed ice. Add two straws and a strawberry to complete the drink.

For additional details and information about the Bacardi Limited “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign, please visit www.championsdrinkresponsibly.com

.