Marketer’s Brief: Ryan Reynolds Is Newest Celeb Booze Backer

Source: Advertising Age

Welcome to the latest edition of Marketer’s Brief, a quick take on marketing news, moves and trends from Ad Age’s reporters and editors. Send tips/suggestions to eschultz@adage.com.

Walmart is having a rough week, #vanlife is trending and PepsiCo has a new pod-based drinks brand. Find out about all that and more below. But first, a look at the latest celebrity booze deal.

Every celebrity wants a booze brand. At least it seems that way, with stars ranging from Channing Tatum to Drake buying stakes in upstart spirits brands in recent years. (People has a rundown on some of the star-backed offerings here.) Now, “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds has joined the club. The actor has taken a stake in Aviation Gin, brand owner Davos Brands announced Wednesday, saying Reynolds will “play an active role in the day-to-day business and oversee creative direction as part of his mission to introduce the world to the great taste of Aviation.” A spokeswoman confirmed that Erich & Kallman, the agency behind a new campaign for Davos’ Astral Tequila brand starring the former Most Interesting Man in the World, will handle the marketing.

Aviation did not make Reynolds available for interviews. But they did share an email address (Ryan@aviationgin.com) that returns a jokey auto-reply from Reynolds, including this description of his duties: “My responsibilities here at the company are vast. I’ll spend my days being photographed intermittently clinching [sic] my jaw muscles while pointing at things and nodding. I’ll drink Aviation Gin. I’ll sit in board meetings, imagining my very own Red Wedding.” He also joked about the deal on Twitter:

In the long and in no way disastrous marriage of showbiz and alcohol, so happy to announce I’m the proud owner of a gin company…

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