Gin has always been a spirit with character, rooted in history, shaped by botanicals, and elevated by iconic cocktails. But beyond its craft and heritage, gin has also woven its way into the fabric of celebrity and pop culture.
In recent years, however, its flirtation with fame has taken on a new form. Just as celebrity endorsements and ownership are flooding the market in Tequila, Gin now also finds itself at the intersection of commercial opportunism and star-driven branding.
But is it merely a fad, or a sign of the industry’s evolving landscape?
Moreover, what does it mean for the category? Clearly star power can generate immediate consumer interest, but it also invites scepticism about authenticity and long-term viability. So, are these brands adding value, or are they just well-packaged money makers?
Let’s take a deep dive into the world of celebrity gins and see what’s really going on…
Celebrity-backed spirits is not new
Celebrity-endorsed spirits are not a new concept. Far from it. A quick scan of the timeline will show some of the early Hollywood-star forays into spirits via the likes of Crystal Head Vodka (Dan Akroyd circa 2008), Danny Devito’s Limoncello (2007) and others over a decade ago.
Over the next few years, you can find both passion projects and grotesque attempts at commercialising an opportunity – but they were few and far between. That changes once the era of ‘Celebrity Tequila’ kicks in, and where the exponential growth can be seen in full force.
The significant success of early brands like Casamigos (co-founded by George Clooney in 2013) fuelling others to get in on the action is well documented. But it’s not as simple as that. There’s far more factors that have lead to celebrities, actors and musicians becoming brand creators. Phenomenons such as Social Media and the influencer economy come to mind here.
Monetising fame is far more overt and widespread now than it was at the turn of the century.
Today in 2025, there must be well over one hundred Celebrity brands now in Agave alone, and dozens in Bourbon once you count the likes Nashville Country Music sensations and NASCAR drivers (that are huge celebs locally, even if anonymous internationally).
The types of relationships between them and the brands are just as varied too. Some are hands-on owners, actively contributing as lead spokesperson and creative director. Others are incognito investors. Some are the long-term face for advertising purposes but have no actual equity, while some have shares (and allow the use of that information to be shared) but don’t actively lend their star power in day to day terms.
You can find it all.
How does fame translate into numbers?
The numbers seem to indicate that star power brings with it consumer confidence. Drinks brands backed by film stars and music icons tend to outperform the rest of the market, particularly in spirits.
The IWSR reported that in 2022, celebrity tequilas grew at 40%, which was over three times the category growth rate. In 2023, celebrity tequilas grew +16% compared to +3% for the category as a whole. It’s a similar story for celebrity whiskies and rums.
While the wave may have peaked overall (both in terms of new entrants and their sparkly growth), it is far from fading out.
Little wonder then, that just like every major spirit – Gin has attracted an increasing number of celebrities eager to carve out a space in the sector. As to whose involved – it’s as mixed as you would imagine!
Which celebrities are in the gin game?
Ryan Reynolds’ involvement with Aviation Gin demonstrated how a well-executed celebrity takeover can elevate a brand’s trajectory. Moreover, Aviation showed that there is no reason that with the right person, place, product and timing – Gin can’t be just as lucrative an opportunity as any other category for famous faces looking to build an asset and sell it off to the likes of Diageo. Reportedly, Aviation was bought for $610M.
Beyond the obvious example of Aviation, there are many others. Wiz Khalifa took a stake in McQueen and the Violet Fog, and more recently, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg have capitalised on cultural nostalgia with their own brand, Still Gin. Other notable entrants include Brad Pitt’s The Gardener Gin, Margot Robbie’s Papa Salt, Emma Watson’s Renais Gin, and James May’s James Gin.
Sassenach Wild Scottish Gin (backed by actor Sam Heughan), Harmony Gin (owned by Woody Harrelson), and Cygnet Gin (founded by Katherine Jenkins OBE) further illustrate how widely celebrities have embraced the category. There are even some makers who are backed by plethora of them – for example Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran, Ronan Keating, and Jimmy Carr have all invested in the Muff Liquor Company.
Is it all celebrity hype or is there any substance?
Clearly, most of these celeb-backed brands create buzz. But they also generate debate regarding how genuine it all is, their quality, and the long term viability of the venture.
Does Valtteri Bottas (O/TH Gin) really know how to build a drinks brand in the on trade? Maybe not, but his business partners probably do. Are we supposed to believe that James Haskell and Mike Tindall (BlackEye Gin) are life long, gin-first kind of drinkers? Again, probably not, but they don’t claim to be.
The level of scepticism is understandably high, and it’s often quite overtly articulated by drinkers. Everyone wants to know that what they are buying into (and if it’s just a cash grab).
I share that same mindset. But I would also point out for the sake of balance here – not a single founder in the history of forever has gone into making a product not wanting to make money. So while it is a valid concern, perhaps it’s not something to begrudge someone about just because they have a public profile…
The double-edged sword of celebrity branding
In researching this piece, I found that it is clear that celebrity-backed gin brands enjoy distinct advantages in a crowded market. Gin is now in a place where media and consumer interest has waned due to overexposure. Clearly, a well-known name can provide a much-needed edge. Sometimes, it even seems like it’s the only way to get mainstream media coverage nowadays.
“X gin launches a special edition gift box for Christmas” is not going to be picked up in the press. Renais Gin releasing a limited-edition festive pack designed by Harry Potter star, Emma Watson, however…
The advantage isn’t all about outsiders looking in and media outlets paying attention either. Celebrities bring their own, often vast, social media audiences.
That enables them to promote their products with direct consumer engagement at an unprecedented scale. And the rub off effect is noteworthy. Most of the associated gin brands have a huge number of engaged followers that have been amassed quickly.
This level of visibility and organic reach would be difficult, if not impossible, for most independent distilleries to achieve.
Incidentally, the only way to achieve the same scale of social coverage would be to have a huge influencer budget and to, as you will probably guess… pay famous people with big follower counts to feature your product.
Star power sways, but the best brands don’t rely on it
Celebrity backing is like having a lightning bolt you can use at will. However, as I mentioned earlier, heightened scrutiny accompanies this attention.
Charlie Maas, Chief Executive Officer at Papa Salt Coastal Gin told me that “As a consumer myself, I share a lot of that scepticism. Is this actually a good product? Or is it a marketing exercise? We were aware of that sentiment when we started working on Papa Salt in 2018, and the market has only gotten more saturated and the consumer more sceptical since then.”
“We have five founders. We’ve been friends for a decade, and one of us happens to be very famous. Our motivation for making a gin was that all five of us love gin; we love the variety in the category. So we made a few key decisions early on that really guided our process. First, we were going to spend as long as it took to make the gin we wanted to drink: we had to love it. Second, it needed to be unique. Only when we thought it was additive to the category would we think about selling it.”
What is authentic in the first place?
Personally, I find the scepticism valid, but it’s at a level that is often disproportionate given the recent history of the category. The majority of non-celebrity founders who have entered the spirits industry have done so without any prior expertise.
I certainly don’t remember the chatter questioning how “authentic” a project was when at the launch of the countless gin brands in the last decade from former IT workers / bankers / school teachers / winemakers.
Nor do I remember questions about the intent of a project and how, clearly, “it’s all about making cash”. It’s fair to say that there’s more than a touch of hypocrisy at play.
I put the question to TV presenter and now gin brand owner James May who responded with “To the extent that I haven’t made any money out of it yet, I suppose it could be considered a vanity project – like my pub. There has been some cynicism – not unreasonably – and we acknowledge the ‘celebrity endorsed’ issue on our website.”
“‘Authentic’ – like ‘Artisanal’ is one of those words that has come to mean the opposite of what it should – so I’d tend to avoid it. On the other hand, if Ryan Reynolds can add his name on an existing brand of rather ordinary gin and then sell it for billions, who am I to judge? He’s probably got an authentic superyacht and I haven’t, yet.”
The role of quality and brand identity
While a celebrity’s star power can facilitate brand visibility and generate a fanfare entry, long-term success is always based on product quality and a creating a compelling brand narrative.
It’s the same as for anyone else. And it’s a fact that most celebrity owners seem to be aware of.
Sharing his thoughts on building volume, James May said “Some people might buy one bottle because it has my name on it, but they’re unlikely to buy a second unless it actually tastes good. I’m reliably informed that we have a very high ‘customer retention rate’ – which is obviously a Good Thing and all of the flavours have won numerous awards – so that’s also an encouraging endorsement.”
But as many are finding in gin at the moment, being good, even if you are also backed by someone famous, isn’t enough. You need to be different and have clarity over the channel, the comms and the serve strategy being pursued.
Aviation Gin skyrocketed because of the way Reynolds promoted it. Not just because he was famous. They took a risk and committed to a disruptive and reactive advertising strategy that paid off.
If you look past the unnecessary if intentionally ironic remarks about other people’s gins, in my opinion that’s what James Gin does well. The flavours are eye-catchingly different and there is a focus on who the brand is speaking to and the tone of voice it has. It knows what it’s about and is consistent in how it conveys that to its consumer base.
Beyond vanity projects: The business of celebrity gins
You don’t expect Beyonce to show up at the local Total Wines outlet to host a DtC liquid on lips sample sesh, nor does anyone expect Katherine Jenkins to be slicing garnishes in the fan zone of the Principality stadium at her brand’s events.
But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s all a side hustle and a little ego boost that other’s crack on with on their behalf.
Celebrity gin brands are not vanity projects. In reality, these ventures are often serious commercial undertakings backed by substantial investment and strategic planning.
Dig a little deeper into the NPD work that’s gone into them and you’ll see the amount of often highly collaborative work that’s gone in. Talk to the design agencies and contractors and most will speak of a good experience.
Yes they have money to through at it, but very few are fixed mindset clients with an explicit micro visions. Rather, they work with experts and trust that through collaboration, things can transform into something beautiful.
Collaboration over control
Talking to me about their development, Maas said that “We decided to partner with the Lord Byron Distillery (LBD) to create Papa Salt. They took our vision for a sessionable gin to mix with soda and then reinterpreted it with Australian botanicals: waxflower, wattleseed, hibiscus.”
“So we had a clear idea of what we wanted, but found a wonderful partner who could bring their own expertise to the process. We would have never thought to make a wattleseed gin on our own; it was the combination of our vision and LBD’s distilling and botanical knowledge that yielded the best product.”
And the same goes with branding too. Maas continues – “Consumers are purchasing a bottle, not just a liquid. So, the bottle must be eye-catching, and hopefully it says something about the liquid inside.”
“Our bottle development mirrored our liquid development: the five of us landed on a vision, and then we brought in experts to make it a reality. The Australian beach day is the living embodiment of the Papa Salt brand: it’s a day spent outside with friends, it’s beautiful and luxurious, yet accessible to anyone. [Branding agency] Squad focused early on using a sea glass look to maintain simplicity and simultaneously place the bottle at the beach. We’re thrilled that consumers can get a sense of the brand ethos at one glance.”
Universal challenges
Despite the fact that celebrities possess the financial resources and marketing leverage to launch brands at a scale that traditional start-up distilleries struggle to match; they still face all the same hurdles.
What happens after the swanky launch being the main one…
Most go into it knowing that selling day-to-day involves a lot of work. So they go in with partners who specialise in the operations and activations side of brand building.
And that’s often where these brands will fail.
Namely, as it’s where most brands fail irrespective of who owns it. Right product, good launch, looks cool and is considered authentic, but route to market strategy and / or sales teams let them down. Or the agency didn’t quite execute their own well-crafted plan.
In that light, the long term viability of celebrity based spirits is less about the owner’s willingness to bankroll the operation. It lies in if they can navigate the world of brand building. Can they pick the right partners? Can they adapt to the market and pick out the right opportunities week by week?
No single formula
Despite each having the commonality of a celebrity as their brand’s USP, it’s clear there’s no one path to achieving scale. In fact, it’s fascinating to see just how wide the range of approaches there are.
Some brands are employing gradual organic growth strategies (such as Sassenach Gin who seem to have gone from grass roots upwards), others opt for a focus on specialised demographic and occasions (be it music for Still Gin, or rugby for Black-eye Gin).
There’s even the accelerated marketing and expansion “rocket ship” approach as demonstrated by Renais. They are on a grow fast, burn lots of cash to get there and consolidate along the way kind of plan. It’s risky, but tried and tested. Once selling through, the theory is that you operate from a place where you can deliver some serious volume and look to sure up finances with traditional drinks multinationals on a structured path to buy out. If that’s the goal of course… Either way, the key is getting ‘there’ before the spend runs out.
The future: More collaborations, fewer independent launches
I believe that as the market matures, we may see a shift from new independent celebrity-owned brands to more strategic collaborations.
This trend is already been rolled out in whisky and cognac, where luxury brands frequently partner with designers, fashion icons and artists to create limited editions. It’s happened in Gin too, but so far, predominantly with chefs.
Given the complexities of launching and sustaining a spirit brand, future celebrity partnerships may lean towards co-branded / owned releases rather than fully independent operations.
For example, actor Stanley Tucci has been a longtime brand ambassador (or Tastemaker as they put it) for Tanqueray. With his books, TV programmes and viral social media posts about food and drink – he would be a natural fit to have his own gin. I bet it would do well too.
But instead of launching his own brand however, a logical progression could be a “Tanqueray Tucci Edition,” allowing him to leverage his existing association with an established name while avoiding the logistical challenges of independent production and distribution.
It’s pragmatic, and something that in this climate and with the current headwinds, may be a more sensible approach for the next wave of celebrity spirits.
The broader impact on the Gin industry
Despite the scepticism surrounding celebrity gins, I’m all for them.
I’m yet to hear any credible adverse affect on the rest of the craft gin sector. In fact, celebrity owned gins create business opportunities for the craft distilleries that serve as contract producers for those brands.
You can’t write them off as a gimmick, as some are fantastic offerings. In my opinion, Papa Salt and Renais are some of the best post pandemic gin releases category wide. Nor can you write celeb gins off as a novelty – as they have been around for a while…
I get why some gin makers may feel overshadowed by the marketing power of celebrity-backed brands. Especially given what’s going on with Meta and other social platforms, where it can feel increasingly hard to reach your own audience.
But ultimately, they introduce new audiences to gin, stimulate consumer interest, and elevate the category’s visibility in saturated markets.
To me, celebrity involvement in gin is neither inherently good nor bad. I don’t think it’s going to be bigger than a niche either – there just aren’t that many celebs wanting their own custom offering! Consider them a continuous thing on the category’s horizon and another dimension of an evolving industry.
As for who comes out on top? Ultimately, while celebrity caché can generate initial traction, it is the gin itself and the ongoing sales and marketing strategy that determines long-term success. Same as it always does.
Those who deliver on both branding and substance will thrive, while those relying solely on star power will struggle to sustain relevance in an increasingly sophisticated market.
Written by Olivier Ward – 5th March 2025
