Diageo-owned whisky brand Johnnie Walker has signed a multi-year extension to its partnership with Formula One motor racing team McLaren-Honda.
Under the agreement, Johnnie Walker’s branding will continue to appear on the team’s cars and on the racesuits of its drivers, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.
Since teaming up in 2005, McLaren and Johnnie Walker have collaborated on the ‘Join the Pact’ campaign, which encourages people to commit to never drinking and driving. Over 2.6 million people have so far signed the pact.
In addition, Johnnie Walker has partnered with Button to develop a limited-edition blend of its whisky, while behind-the-scenes video content has also been co-created by the two parties.
“Johnnie Walker’s renewed agreement with McLaren-Honda underlines our belief in, and commitment to, the strength and durability of long-standing commercial partnerships,” McLaren executive chairman and chief executive Ron Dennis said. “This partnership renewal eloquently and irrefutably underlines the robust and exciting direction in which McLaren-Honda is going, with victory on track the destination.”
The 2016 Formula One season gets underway in Melbourne, Australia on March 20.