Jameson® Irish Whiskey Introduces SPTO - St. Patrick's Time Off - To Rally Fans To Keep St. Patrick's Day On The Calendar And Dedicate More Time Celebrating The Day

#JamesonSPTO Encourages Fans to Take Time Off on March 17th to Safely Connect with Friends and Will Cover the Cost of 1,000 St. Patrick's Day Festivities

News provided by

Pernod Ricard USA

Feb 17, 2021, 18:34 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year, and for the first time in more than 250 years, St. Patrick's Day celebrations were called off across the country...and here we are again. Jameson Irish Whiskey, however, believes we need the spirit and camaraderie of the holiday now more than ever! Which is why the brand is introducing a special kind of PTO just for March 17^th, SPTO - St. Patrick's Time Off - to encourage people to keep St. Patrick's Day on the calendar and dedicate more time to safely celebrating it with friends – even if it's for one hour!

Retta and Joe team up to encourage fans to take a #JamesonSPTO – St. Patrick’s Day Time Off – on March 17th. Jameson fans who pledge to take the time will be entered for a chance to win $50 to spend with friends this St. Patrick’s Day.

Jameson Irish Whiskey and “Good Girls” actress Retta persuade fans to take a #JamesonSPTO, aka St. Patrick’s Day Time Off, to take more time safely celebrating and connecting with friends on March 17th.

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine's" Joe Lo Truglio knows what he'll be doing on his Jameson SPTO (St. Patrick's Day Time Off): pairing a charcuterie board in the shape of a puppy with a smooth glass of Jameson Irish Whiskey.

With exactly one month until the beloved Irish holiday, Jameson is on a mission to get everyone to plan for a much-needed break from their longer-than-ever schedules. Since March 2020, an overwhelming majority of Americans have shortened, postponed, or canceled their planned time off¹ despite working longer days with fewer breaks. Unfortunately, unused time off is a trend that started well before COVID-19, with more than half of Americans not using all their vacation days².

"As a holiday centered around people coming together to have a good time, St. Patrick's Day has always been a moment people look forward to," said Pam Forbus, CMO of Pernod Ricard USA. "We're not here to tell you how to celebrate, just that you should celebrate on March 17^th. We hope everyone joins us in putting their own spin on safely connecting, because like our smooth, triple-distilled whiskey, St. Patrick's Day is meant to be shared!"

Postponed time off and cancelled holidays? Not for THIS St. Patrick's Day! With one month until the holiday, comedians and Jameson partners Retta Sirleaf and Joe Lo Truglio are providing SPTO motivation and inspiration in their signature style, starting with a PSA that makes the case for taking time off on March 17^th: Jameson fans who pledge to take a #JamesonSPTO at JamesonSPTO.com will be entered for a chance to win $50 to spend with friends this St. Patrick's Day.

Fans will also find out-of-office replies, video conference call backgrounds, tips for how to celebrate the holiday and more at JamesonSPTO.com.

"A Jameson SPTO is the kind of PTO anyone can use, and everyone deserves," declared Retta. "Highlight March 17^th on your calendar, grab a Jameson cocktail, and rally your friends – it doesn't matter if you are on a computer, or in masks and 6-feet-apart – St. Patrick's Day is still on for 2021!"

Truglio is all on board. "St. Patrick's Day, to me, is really about friends and fun. We can all use more of both right now. Who wouldn't want to take more time – an extra hour or the entire day – to celebrate those two things on March 17^th? Sign up for a Jameson SPTO!" exclaimed Truglio.

For each winner, Jameson will donate an additional $50 in their honor to the Restaurant Workers Community Foundation to complement a $150,000 donation the brand is making to the advocacy and nonprofit. Jameson's support will allow the RWCF to support more organizations focused on worker health and wellbeing and expand its relationships and grantmaking beyond those in its current network.

"While we want people to take a break this St. Patrick's Day by taking time off, we recognize that bartenders and restaurant workers in our community need a different kind of break after a difficult year," said Andrew Eis, Jameson Engagement Director at Pernod Ricard USA. "We're proud the Jameson SPTO campaign will continue the Pernod Ricard relationship with the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation by supporting grantmaking programs that prioritize the health and wellbeing of bartenders and restaurant workers across the country."

Jameson will continue to help fans plan for their SPTO with easy cocktails recipes, limited-edition merchandise and a diverse line-up of virtual entertainment. St. Patrick's Day kits will be available through the online Jameson shop, each including a range of items designed to help make any get-together – March 17^th and beyond – feel legendary. As for entertainment, fans around the world can tune in on St. Patrick's Day to watch the Jameson Connects, A Global Streaming Performance with some exciting talent from Ireland and around the globe.

Follow along on Instagram and Twitter at @Jameson_US and visit JamesonSPTO.com for more on how you can make St. Patrick's Day legendary by bringing the legend of Jameson home.

TASTE RESPONSIBLY.
JAMESON® Irish Whiskey. 40% Alc./Vol. (80 Proof).  Product of Ireland. ©2021 Imported by John Jameson Import Company, New York, NY

About Pernod Ricard USA®
Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA., the world's second-largest spirits and wine company. Pernod Ricard employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI) and is part of the CAC 40 index. The company's leading spirits include such prestigious brands as Absolut® Vodka, Avión® Tequila, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Kahlúa® Liqueur, Malibu®, Martell® Cognac, Olmeca Altos® Tequila , Beefeater® Gin, Del Maguey® Single Village Mezcal, Monkey 47® Gin, Plymouth® Gin, Seagram's® Extra Dry Gin, Malfy® Gin, Hiram Walker® Liqueurs, Midleton® Irish Whiskey, Powers® Irish Whiskey, Redbreast® Irish Whiskey, Aberlour® Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Lillet®; Smithworks® Vodka, Jefferson's® Bourbon, Smooth Ambler® Whiskey, Rabbit Hole® Whiskey, Pernod® and Ricard®; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek®, Kenwood® Vineyards, Campo Viejo® and Brancott Estate®; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier-Jouët® Champagne, G.H. Mumm™ Champagne and Mumm Napa® sparkling wines.

Pernod Ricard USA is headquartered in New York, New York, and has more than 700 employees across the country. As "creators of conviviality," we are committed to sustainable and responsible business practices in service of our customers, consumers, employees and the planet. Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active program to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.responsibility.org.

¹ IPX1031 online survey of 2,027 Americans, aged 18-79. The survey ran from July 8 - 10, 2020.
² Priceline online survey of 1,000 consumers, aged 18+ who are currently full-time employed. The survey ran from September 30 to October 4, 2019.

CONTACT: Daniel Hernandez, [email protected]

SOURCE Pernod Ricard USA