Recently, while at a tasting room in Sonoma county, the bartender came over to pour the last round of our tasting flight and noted "See that field over there? It's owned by John Lasseter of Pixar!"
That experience seemed all too common, where a celebrity name or image is put on a bottle of alcohol to help drive sales and improve marketing. In this instance, the gentleman was likely just trying to small talk with us but it got me questioning, why is this so common and why do individuals care?
Jay-Z added his name to a French champagne label, where he eventually bought the brand. The champagne was called "Armand de Brignac, AKA Ace of Spades" and the retail price for a bottle was ~$296 -- one of the highest for celebrity endorsed alcohol.
George Clooney has one of the most famous brands -- Casamigos Tequila - a company that he founded with two other individuals. He eventually turned the brand into a unicorn, selling for $1 billion.
Besides celebrities increasing the brands as a status symbol, I think the role of celebrity endorsement is even more important as the role of the critic falls. More and more, individuals are looking for recommendations for wine that come from democratized sources but these can be challenging to weigh through. Celebrities personify attributes that are easy for consumers to relate to and help consumers navigate the murky waters of choice when it comes to wine.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/celebrities-with-liquor-brands-ranked-by-price-2018-6#2-george-clooney-casamigos-tequila-5145-6813-12
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