NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year,
New Orleans generously plays host
to more than a million revelers who descend upon the city to
experience the spectacle of Mardi
Gras – often described as "the biggest free party on earth."
What many don't see amidst the parties and parades is the
extraordinary effort of the city's residents to clean up after the
celebrations, clearing from the streets up 100,000-200,000 pounds
of trash each night, to maintain the beauty of one of America's
most beloved cities by sunrise each day. And much of that trash is
comprised of plastic beads, tossed from floats and balconies, which
end up on the streets.
This year, Crown Royal, Louisiana's top-selling whisky brand, is
helping to lighten the load and assist in the cleanup effort by
encouraging consumers 21+ to visit its pop-up party space in front
of Harrah's (at the corner of Canal and South Peters) and donate
their beads otherwise destined for landfill. Those who part ways
with their beads will be rewarded with a royal treat – a
King Cake from legendary
New Orleans bakery, Gambino's.
Beads will be collected in partnership with Arc of Greater New Orleans, a nonprofit organization
serving people with intellectual disabilities and delays. Arc
operates a year-round Mardi Gras
Recycling Center, where used beads are sorted, repackaged and
resold for about a dollar per pound, raising money and creating job
opportunities for those in need. "We hope to recycle more than
175,000 pounds of beads this year and we're thankful for Crown
Royal's generosity in helping us to get there," said Arc Recycling
Coordinator Margie Perez.
A portion of the beads will be also repurposed by visual artist
Stephan Wanger, who creates dazzling
mosaics using recycled Mardi Gras
beads. He will invite attendees at Crown Royal's pop-up party to
join him in completing his current project, a massive 8' by 96'
mural titled "Life in the French Quarter," an attempt to break his
own Guinness World Record for the world's largest mosaic.
"We're proud to help give folks a simple way to pay back the
generosity the city of New Orleans
has shown to us – and to the millions who have experienced
Mardi Gras through the years," said
Jim Ruane, Crown Royal Brand
Director. "We want to show them how easy, fun and rewarding it can
be to live generously."
The activation is part of Crown Royal's new campaign, "Live
Generously and Life Will Treat You Royally," a mission to inspire a
magnanimous approach to life and encourage generosity in all of its
many forms. And New Orleans, a
city renowned for its hospitality, diversity and generous spirit,
provides the perfect backdrop – in fact, much of the brand's
advertising campaign was shot in the city, highlighting real
New Orleans residents who
exemplify a generous spirit.
Parade-goers can visit the pop-up party space during the
following times to donate beads, collect their King Cakes, purchase
Crown Royal cocktails crafted by local bartenders, enjoy live
entertainment and hydrate: Thursday,
February 23rd and Friday,
February 24th from 4-8
p.m. and Saturday, February
25th and Sunday, February
26th from 2-8
p.m.
And whether you're in New
Orleans or celebrating Mardi
Gras in your hometown, Crown Royal encourages you to enjoy
responsibly and drink plenty of water.
Crown Royal Signature Mardi
Gras Cocktails
Napoleon's Last Stand
- 1 oz. Crown Royal Deluxe
- 3/4 oz. Pimm's
- 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
- 3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
- Ginger Ale
Place all ingredients (except ginger ale) in a shaker tin. Add
ice and shake. Strain over fresh ice in Collins glass. Top off with
ginger ale and garnish with slice of cucumber.
Café Royal
- 1 1/4 oz. Crown Royal Vanilla
- 1/4 oz. Orange Liqueur
- 4 oz. Hot Coffee
- 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters
Pour all ingredients in preheated coffee mug and stir. Garnish
with cinnamon stick and whipped cream.
Carnival Queen
- 1 1/4 oz. Crown Royal Regal
Apple
- 1/4 oz. Dark Berry Liquor
- 1/4 oz. Lemon Juice
- Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Place all ingredients in a shaker tin. Add ice and shake. Strain
into champagne flute and top off with sparkling wine. Garnish with
lemon twist.
About Crown Royal
Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is the
number-one selling Canadian whisky brand in the U.S. and has a
tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended
to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen
Elizabeth of Great Britain
in 1939, Crown Royal's smooth, elegant flavor and gift-worthy
presentation reflect its regal origins – it is considered the
epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information visit
www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please
enjoy 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,
Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio,
Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and
the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more
than 180 countries around the world. For more information about
Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at
www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking
resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways
to share best practice.
Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North
America: @Diageo_NA.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
About Arc
Arc of Greater
New Orleans is a 63-year-old non-profit organization serving
people with intellectual disabilities, such as Down syndrome and
autism. Arc is committed to securing for all people with
intellectual disabilities the opportunity to develop, function and
live to their fullest potential. Arc serves some 900 children,
adults and their families in Jefferson, Orleans, St.
Bernard and St. Tammany
parishes by providing various services including Family Service
Coordination, Respite, Personal Care, Supported Employment, Day
Habilitation and Supported Living assistance.
Contacts
|
|
Kelly
Greenawalt
|
Jamie
Hakim
|
Taylor,
704-644-6915
|
Diageo,
646-223-2314
|
KGreenawalt@taylorstrategy.com
|
Jamie.Hakim@diageo.com
|
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crown-royal-turns-mardi-gras-trash-into-treats-and-treasure-300412669.html
SOURCE Diageo