Yes, we—as both Adweek and the marketing industry more broadly—talk about Ryan Reynolds a lot these days.
But the reason goes beyond the fact that his work on Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile and other brands is hilarious. More importantly, he represents the potential for a new and potent trend: celebrities becoming not just endorsers but truly central players in advertising and building brands.
We've heard for years about celebrities launching ad agencies, often in partnership with established shops (Pitbull creating 305 Worldwide with Horizon Media or Dwyane Wade heading up CAA AMP, for example), and that's certainly a trend we can expect to continue as more stars work behind the scenes.
But Reynolds has shown you can balance the power of your influence both in front of and behind the camera. So would—or could—other celebs follow his lead?
Hugh Jackman seems to be the obvious next best example. As founder of the charity-focused Laughing Man Coffee, Jackman has been increasingly active in advertising, often in partnership with Reynolds' Maximum Effort content studio. That said, Jackman has done great work beyond his Reynolds partnerships, including his impressive live ad for Greatest Showman.
This week we get to see more of Jackman than ever. Literally. Very literally.
He's letting us see the Full Logan in his first ad with Australian boot brand R.M. Williams, a spot created by (of course) Reynolds' Maximum Effort. But this time Reynolds is nowhere to be seen or heard (he narrated Jackman's most recent Laughing Man spot), putting Jackman in a more central role than ever.
Is it a hilarious spot? Yes. Does Jackman look frustratingly good for being 51? Also yes. Did it inspire me to revive my side hustle of writing erotic X-Men fan fiction on Tumblr? Again, yes.
But it also shows a celebrity being fully committed, creatively and definitely physically, to a marketing partnership—an obscure boot endorsement, even.
So as more celebs watch Reynolds' soaring success and Jackman's impressive ability to stay in the cultural limelight while making bank and boosting his own charity, you can bet we'll see more and more stars following their lead.
Who's next? Send me your picks for the next celebrity marketing superstars at the email below or at @Griner on Twitter.
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com
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