Press release… We’ve waited three long years for this: St. Patrick’s Day is coming back, and so are all our favorite traditions. Pints flowing at our favorite pubs with our favorite people. Green – hats, shirts, everything – as far as the eye can see. The sights and sounds of parades taking over our main roads and streets. Guinness is here to remind us how much fun we can have together.
To help jumpstart the season’s celebrations, the legendary Irish brewer is giving out $50,000 in cash prizes to 20 different winners – that’s $1 million in total – through its Great Reunion Toast contest. It’s all about rewarding people for their best toasts that show gratitude and embody the spirit and joy of St. Patrick’s Day. To enter, all you have to do, if you’re over 21, is go to Toast.Guinness.com and upload a 30-second video between now and March 31.**
The Toast contest is just one way Guinness is bringing back the fun and revelry of St. Patrick’s Day this year. A new TV commercial just hit the airwaves, hundreds of local events across the country are planned, Guinness will play a major role during the parades and celebrations in New York, Boston and Chicago, and other surprises will be popping up, literally (hot air balloons may or may not be involved).
“Just like a pint of Guinness, we’re making sure this St. Patrick’s Day was worth the wait,” said Nikhil Shah, Guinness Brand Director. “It’s time. Everyone is ready to recapture the magic of this holiday, and we can’t wait to be there to share some toasts along the way.”
Airing nationally through March, a new Guinness TV commercial brings to life the spirit and joy of this particular moment. In the ad, friends (both old and new), bartenders, and staff steadily come to the pub and join together to belt out a classic song as they reconnect and get back to the fun of St. Patrick’s Day. The spot ends with the message, “All Together Now…Happy St. Patrick’s Day!”
Before we knew it, it was March – with spring on the horizon and things looking up across the country, Guinness will appear in select markets with simple messages through surprise, pop-up activations to remind everyone that St. Patrick’s Day is almost here. The brewer will also be showing up in other ways in cities and towns across America, from involvement in 75+ parades – especially as an official sponsor of Chicago’s parade and river dyeing – to celebrations in bars, restaurants and homes coast to coast.
For those visiting the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, there will be a month-long celebration for St. Patrick’s Day, including limited edition beer releases and merchandise for sale, live music and an Irish Village experience on the lawn.
Remember to visit Toast.Guinness.com for full details on the Great Guinness Reunion Toast contest and to upload your video for a chance to win $50,000 – the 20 winners will be notified in batches on March 4, March 22 and April 6. As always, throughout St. Patrick’s Season, follow @GuinnessUS on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on everything Guinness is doing to bring back the fun and joy of St. Patrick’s Day.
And no matter how you’re rediscovering the St. Patrick’s Day spirit this year, always drink responsibly. Sláinte!
About Guinness
The Guinness brand was established in 1759, when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. Brewed using four main ingredients, water, barley (malted & roasted), hops and yeast, Guinness is the world’s most popular stout. The iconic beer is brewed in 49 countries worldwide and sold in over 150 with almost 9 million glasses of Guinness enjoyed every day around the world. The most GUINNESS is sold in Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Nigeria and Cameroon. More information can be found at www.guinness.com.
**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. U.S., 21+. Void where prohibited by law. Consent required from any 3rd party included in toast. DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL WHEN MAKING TOAST. Submission of video grants all rights in its content to Sponsor, without compensation or further notice. 1 entry per person. Alcohol is NOT part of prize. Winners selected by judging of video entries based on originality/creativity, delivery of toast, alignment with spirit of GUINNESS and St. Patrick’s Day. Subject to official rules at Toast.guinness.com.
Sponsor: Diageo Beer Company USA, New York, NY.
GUINNESS Draught Stout. Imported by Diageo Beer Company USA., New York, NY.
Please Drink Responsibly.
