Press release -
BALLANTINE’S CONTINUES ITS JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF ESPORTS WITH FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND PARTNERSHIP WITH DOTA 2 IN CHINA
London, United Kingdom, 24th October 2023 – To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dota 2, Ballantine’s has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that sees the iconic Scotch whisky come on board as the first spirits partner in Dota 2 history. Having launched fully in 2013, Dota 2 is one of the world’s most popular multiplayer online battle arena games welcoming millions of players worldwide each day. The partnership is the latest move by Ballantine’s in the gaming and esports space, following its debut partnership with Borderlands: The Game, and with BLAST.tv for the 10 year anniversary of the CS:GO Majors in Paris. Most recently, Ballantine’s teamed up with Tundra Esports as the Official Spirits Partner for the team’s title defence at The Dota 2 International 2023.
To kick off the partnership, Ballantine’s and Dota 2 will drop an exclusive short movie on 24th October via Ballantines.com. The film features appearances from some of the game’s iconic characters including Juggernaut, Lina, Monkey King, Marci, and Brewmaster, as they head on an epic quest to get their hands on a dram of Ballantine’s. Exclusive to China, Ballantine’s will also be dropping two limited-edition Ballantine’s Finest x Dota 2 bottles based on the game’s two side’s featuring iconic characters from the Dota 2 universe.
Chivas Brothers’ Global Marketing Director of Ballantine’s, Mathieu Deslandes comments:
“Ballantine’s has a storied history of collaborating with the unexpected, especially partners who have stayed true to their original vision. Dota 2 is a globally iconic game, with a particularly big influence within China’s gaming community, so it was a no-brainer for us to work together during this historic year for the game. Esports is not just the future of entertainment, but the present, and this partnership is an exciting venture into the arena as part of our broader ambition to open up to new fans to celebrate moments that matter and connect fans both virtually and in real life.”
To further reinforce Ballantine’s commitment to the Dota 2 universe, the brand has teamed up with The International’s defending champions, Tundra Esports, as their Official Spirit Partner for 2023. The partnership will see Ballantine’s launch a series of bespoke behind the scenes content that gets up close and personal with the players, alongside the brand's debut on Tundra’s The International official 2023 jersey.
Fans of Dota 2 will also be able to bring some of their most-played heroes into their own home, via a series of bespoke cocktails that celebrate each character’s unique abilities. To stay up to date with Ballantine’s x Dota 2 activities, keep an eye out on Ballantines.com.
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For press inquiries, please contact the team at ballantines@bastion.co.uk.
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About Ballantine’s:
Ballantine’s is the No.1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the No. 2 Scotch whisky in the world with the range selling over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for its outstanding quality, thanks to its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40-year-old, is one of the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by master blender Sandy Hyslop, continuing the brand’s tradition of master blenders that dates back to 1827.
Ballantine's was created as a Whisky for Everyone; “A Friend to All Humankind" and is passionate about bringing out the real you to create moments that matter. Our Stay True platform guides everything we do, from retaining the same style of Finest since its launch in 1910 to championing true music and supporting emerging talent and communities. It's an invitation for people to get to know themselves and have the confidence to stand by it and be true to themselves creating moments that matter. When you stay true to who you are and free yourself of society's expectations, there's no wrong way to live.
“Stay true and excellence will always be by your side.” These are the immortal words of our founder, George Ballantine, that we still follow to this day.
@Ballantines
