Mixed martial arts fighter and entrepreneur, Conor McGregor has been dropped as the face of Proper No. Twelve, the Irish whiskey brand he helped create.
This decision follows a civil court verdict in Ireland that found McGregor liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel room in 2018. The court awarded Hand nearly €250,000 (approximately $263,600) in damages.
Proximo Spirits, the owner and distributor of Proper No. Twelve, announced that they "do not plan to use Mr. McGregor’s name and likeness in the marketing of the brand" moving forward.
McGregor had sold a majority stake in the brand to Proximo in 2021, and since then, the company has owned it entirely. Despite his reduced ownership, McGregor's image was heavily featured in marketing campaigns, contributing to the whiskey's success as the third-best-selling Irish whiskey in the United States.
The fallout from the verdict has been massive, with major retailers in the UK and Ireland, such as Tesco and SuperValu, removing Proper No. Twelve from their shelves. Additionally, video game developer IO Interactive has ended its partnership with McGregor, removing his likeness from their popular "Hitman" series.
McGregor has publicly stated his intention to appeal the court's decision, but the impact on his brand and public image is already evident. The Proper No. Twelve website is currently offline, and McGregor's presence has been erased from the brand's social media platforms. This development marks a substantial blow to McGregor's business ventures and public persona.
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