Malibu and Tom Daley bring back ‘Don’t Drink and Dive’ with heat-reactive trunks
Malibu relaunches its summer safety campaign with Olympic diver Tom Daley to raise awareness around the risks of mixing alcohol and swimming in hot weather.
The world’s leading rum-based coconut spirit is again partnering with five-time Olympic medallist Daley to highlight the heightened danger of alcohol-related drowning in hot weather.
The new trunks – created in collaboration with Malibu and Daley’s knitwear brand Made With Love – shift from coral to yellow when the temperature reaches 20°C. The thermochromic design serves as a visual cue of elevated risk, with research showing that alcohol-related drowning is five times more likely once temperatures reach this threshold.
Daley debuted the colour-changing swimwear live on ITV’s This Morning in a weather forecast segment marking the campaign’s return ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July).
1 in 4 drownings involve alcohol
Data from the Royal Life Saving Society UK reveals that a quarter of drowning incidents in the UK involve alcohol. Research conducted by Bournemouth University and published in Preventive Medicine further shows that the risk of unintentional drowning increases fivefold in hot weather when alcohol has been consumed.
A survey of 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by Malibu and carried out by OnePoll in July 2025, found that:
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- 70% of respondents were unaware that the risk of drowning increases significantly above 20°C
- 74% didn’t know that alcohol is involved in one in four drowning incidents
- 41% didn’t realise how much heat amplifies the effects of alcohol
- 45% of those who swam after drinking regretted their decision after struggling in the water
The study also revealed behavioural trends, with 1 in 3 Brits admitting to swimming after drinking, and a quarter saying they take more risks in hot weather. Peer pressure and lack of awareness were cited as major contributing factors, with 80% saying people still don’t fully understand the dangers of drinking and swimming.
Tom Daley returns with ‘The Daley Forecasts’
The 2025 campaign includes a series of short-form social videos titled The Daley Forecasts, in which Daley shares water safety tips in his temperature-sensitive swimwear. The content is shared across Instagram via @madewithlovebytomdaley, @malibu_rum, and @maliburumuk.
Daley said: “It was inspiring to see the impact of last year’s ‘Don’t Drink and Dive’ campaign. I am proud of our collective efforts to raise awareness of water responsibility when drinking. This year, our mission remains the same: to change behaviour for the better, and this time with a fresh summer-centric focus.”
Craig van Niekerk, VP of Marketing at Malibu, added: “With ‘Don’t Drink and Dive’ back for round two, we’re here to remind the nation of the increased drowning risk in hot weather. As temperatures rise, people are naturally drawn to the outdoors, so it’s important to remind Brits that the risk increases when they become less cautious in these conditions, after all, 1 in 4 drownings involve alcohol.”
Sam Hill, researcher at Bournemouth University, commented: “What should be a fun day near the water can turn into a high-risk situation when you combine alcohol and heat. Our data show a 5-fold increase in drowning risk when temperatures exceed 20 degrees, yet this research from Malibu suggests that 70 per cent of the nation are unaware of this.”
Now in its second year, the campaign saw a 12% increase in public awareness of the alcohol-related drowning risk following its 2024 launch.
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