Like some sort of menacing frog sits Ricky Gervais. In his hand, he clutches a bottle of Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka. Photo / X, @rickygervais
From Ricky Gervais to Ryan Reynolds, Ed Sheeran to Kylie, big stars are endorsing products. But who gains what from these partnerships?
Sitting partially submerged in bathwater, eyes wide and empty like some sort of menacing frog sits Ricky Gervais. In his hand, he clutches a bottle of Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka. It’s a vaguely unsettling image, one which doesn’t quite bring to mind the bucolic North Yorkshire farm where the vodka is distilled.
Even so, after nearly 47,000 views on Twitter, and 556,000 on a follow-up reply from the @Waitrose account, a good deal more people will have laid eyes on this post from Gervais’s account than many more traditional advertisements. Dutch Barn’s owners won’t mind about the unusual aesthetics, not least because one of those owners is Gervais himself.
Ellers Farm Distillery, which makes the vodka and other spirits, was founded in 2021 by Chris Fraser, who had previously been in charge of a Yorkshire mining project. It was announced in November 2023 that Gervais had invested in the business to become a part-owner.
“I’d been looking to invest in eco-friendly businesses for a while and as soon as I found Dutch Barn, I wanted in,” Gervais wrote in a prepared statement to announce the deal. “I love the planet and I love a drink, so it was the perfect combination. On a serious note, Dutch Barn really is a quality product. I love the fact that it’s done differently and I can’t wait to let everyone know about it.”
All fairly anodyne, but the investment marks a canny move from Gervais. He follows in the footsteps of George Clooney (Casamigos Tequila), Dan Aykroyd (Crystal Head Vodka) and Katherine Jenkins (Cygnet Gin).
Perhaps the most famous celebrity-owned brand was Aviation American Gin. Purchased in 2018 by film star Ryan Reynolds, the drink became a household name across America with a string of viral adverts from the star. Two and a half years later, Reynolds sold his stake to drinks brand Diageo for $610 million (though he maintains an “ongoing ownership interest”). Less successful, perhaps, was Reynolds’s ex-wife Scarlett Johansson and her launch of a popcorn shop in Paris (RIP Yummy Pop 2017-2020).
Two things.
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) May 23, 2021
First, I have your autograph right here, Bang Chan. Will send to you this week.
Second, as a new @Stray_Kids fan, can I get an autograph? #NewFavouriteAustralian pic.twitter.com/uoiwTthoHp
Dutch Barn Vodka’s founder and chairman, Chris Fraser, notes that the collaboration with Gervais is explicitly not just about advertising. “With so many hollow celebrity cash-for-face brand endorsement deals out there, we are really pleased to have forged an authentic partnership with Ricky involving both investment and creative leadership,” Fraser explains.
As more and more celebrities pile into the food and drink space, the bar being set by brands is higher than ever. An inauthentic partnership can damage both parties.
“Stamping a celebrity name or face on a product that has no bearing on what they are known for can provide a good initial buzz, but that rarely translates to sales anymore,” says Nicole Marguerite Gray, a personal branding and marketing specialist. “There’s a higher degree of discernment and brands are having to become more strategic about who they partner with.”
Done properly, a brand partnership can be more beneficial for the celebrity than merely lining their pockets. “It can be a way to diversify celebrities’ income portfolio and brand beyond just their industry,” explains branding and marketing expert Katya Varbanova. “It’s also a way for them to showcase that they’re not a ‘celebrity airhead’ but also have business acumen. It helps them stay relevant in the news beyond the latest movie, television show or album release date.”
Varbanova thinks we’re likely to see the trend accelerate further. “People are less interested in following brands,” she says. “They want to follow people they relate to or aspire to be like. Consumers are keen to buy into the lifestyle and the tastes of stars. The perception is often that these people aren’t so interested in profit so they may be more likely to trust them.”
In short, people are more likely to pick up products that they feel have been recommended to them personally, than ones advertised by a faceless organisation. A celebrity partnership is a way for a branded product to have its cake and eat it: “personal” word-of-mouth marketing on a global scale.
Here are some of the most noteworthy recent celebrity food and drink collaborations:
Backed by: Ian Wright
Pie delivery service and wholesaler Willy’s Pies was founded by friends Will Lewis and Josh Hill after the former lost his job as a chef during lockdown. The business gained the investment of former Arsenal footballer Ian Wright in 2021. Last week, the sportsman (who has no background in food) launched his own catering line within the business: Uncle Wrighty’s. The limited-edition Roast Chicken, Sage & Onion pie is available in two sizes: 200g handheld pie (£7 or $14.72) and a 500g sharer (£11.50 or $24.18).
Branded by: Ed Sheeran
He’s one of the best-selling musicians of all time, but Ed Sheeran’s taste in condiments is decidedly pedestrian. In fact, such is Sheeran’s love of Heinz that he has a tattoo of the brand’s famous ketchup bottle on his left bicep. So when the opportunity arose in February 2023 to launch a hot sauce brand with the Kraft Heinz Company, we can only imagine Sheeran leapt at the chance. Despite the name sounding like something one might find in an Ann Summers shop rather than on supermarket shelves, Sheeran has big ambitions to turn the brand into “the ketchup of hot sauce”. Already sold in six global markets, Tingly Ted’s has inked an exclusivity deal with restaurant chain Frankie & Benny’s and retail sales in the UK topped £400,000 ($840,903) between March and December 2023 – not a patch on Sheeran’s earnings from a new album, but not to be sniffed at either.
Branded by: Lewis Capaldi
The Scottish singer is known for his down to Earth and somewhat sarcastic personal branding, and Capaldi’s pizza was him to a tee. Sold at Tesco and Iceland Food Warehouse between 2021 and 2023, the products have now been discontinued and delisted. The brand’s social media pages haven’t been updated since February 2023, so don’t expect to try a big sexy pizza any time soon.
Branded by: Snoop Dogg
Initially launched by the rapper Snoop Dogg in 2022 as Snoop Loopz, the name of this cereal had to be changed after Kellogg’s, which owns the brand name Fruit Loops, blocked it. Even then, it hasn’t been clear sailing for the rapper’s breakfasting endeavours. As of February 2024, Snoop is suing the brand’s manufacturer, Post Consumer Brands, which, he claims, committed “diabolical actions” and “underhanded dealings” to prevent the cereals from ever reaching shelves.
Branded by: Kylie Minogue
Created in 2020 in collaboration with Australian businessman Paul Schaafsma, the chief executive of UK-based distributor Benchmark Drinks, Kylie’s wines have proved a huge hit. The singer’s rosé prosecco was given a special commendation as “launch of the year” in the Drinks Business awards and, by 2021, was the best-selling wine in the sparkling rosé category, turning over £7.7m ($16.19m).
Backed by: KSI and Logan Paul
Launched in 2022 by two of the world’s biggest YouTubers – with a combined following of more than 40 million subscribers – Prime became an overnight sensation. Originally imported from America (now made in Britain), the product was a must-drink for teenage boys. People were fighting over bottles in supermarket aisles. One eBay listing for a 12-pack went for £400 (RRP £11.99 or $25.21) and most retailers, including Tesco and Sainsbury’s, had to institute a three-bottle limit per customer. Not bad for a drink Gordon Ramsay described as “like swallowing perfume”.
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