Side Note (Because Lawyers Exist) This article was generated by AI, not by Ryan Reynolds himself. But if you imagine it in his voice, it’s way more fun.
So, you want to build a brand? Good news—if you’re an internationally beloved, snarky Canadian actor with a superhero franchise, it’s super easy! If not, well… keep reading anyway. Because somehow, between shooting blockbusters and buying soccer teams, I (Ryan Reynolds, or at least an AI pretending to be me) managed to turn a gin company, a budget-friendly mobile carrier, and an underdog football club into global sensations.
Here’s how I did it. Take notes. There will be a quiz.
Be Authentic (Or at Least Really Good at Faking It)
Let’s be real—nobody likes corporate-speak. That’s why I don’t do it. Instead of pushing dull, soulless ads, I tell stories. When I bought Aviation Gin, I didn’t just slap my name on the bottle and call it a day. I made commercials that looked like I personally handcrafted each bottle in a cabin in the woods (I did not).
Rule number one: People can smell inauthenticity faster than my mom detects bad decisions. When I talk about my businesses—whether it’s Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, or Wrexham AFC—I do it like I actually care. Because I do. And because nothing sells better than the truth (with a touch of self-deprecation).
Take Aviation Gin, for example. I didn’t just slap my name on it and call it a day. Nope, I made an ad where I lovingly stare at every bottle before it leaves the distillery. Why? Because weird sells. And because my marketing budget is mostly just me doing bits on camera.
Then there’s Deadpool. The only reason that film became a cultural phenomenon was that I didn’t just play Deadpool—I was Deadpool. From hijacking Hugh Jackman’s social media to leaking (oops, I mean “accidentally releasing”) test footage, I lived and breathed the character, making the marketing feel as organic as a locally-sourced hipster sandwich.
Humor Works (If You Can Make People Laugh, They’ll Give You Their Money)
Humor is my not-so-secret weapon. When everyone else is selling you the same old “Buy our thing, it’s great!” message, I prefer “Buy our thing… or don’t. But you probably should because it’s awesome and I’ll be sad if you don’t. No pressure, though.”
Case in point: The Aviation Gin ad featuring the actress from that tone-deaf Peloton commercial. The internet was roasting her unfortunate storyline, so we stepped in and gave her a stiff drink. Boom. Viral marketing gold. No big budget, just good timing and a little mischief.
For Free Guy, I didn’t just make trailers—I made parody trailers. I introduced “Buff Ryan Reynolds” (a CGI monstrosity with muscles the size of Canada), ensuring that even if people didn’t know the movie, they’d at least remember the ridiculous marketing.
Tell a Story, Even If It Involves Buying a Soccer Team
Every brand needs a story. That’s why I bought a struggling Welsh football club Wrexham AFC with my buddy Rob McElhenney. Did we know anything about running a soccer—sorry, football—team? Absolutely not. But we knew a great underdog story when we saw one. We turned Wrexham AFC into a global sensation, all while documenting our incompetence in Welcome to Wrexham. Because sports documentaries are great content, and nothing says ‘wholesome branding’ like revitalizing a town’s biggest passion. Now, thanks to Welcome to Wrexham, people who don’t even like soccer (sorry, football) are invested.
The moral? People don’t just buy products; they buy into stories. Whether it’s a gin company, a budget-friendly mobile carrier, or a ragtag football club, give people a reason to root for you.
Go Digital or Go Home
Some brands still think marketing is about expensive TV commercials. I prefer the internet, where I can troll people in real-time. Mint Mobile’s “ad campaign”? Me, reading my own script from my phone, because high production costs are for suckers. And guess what? It worked. People loved the transparency (and my ridiculously cheap wireless plans). Win-win.
I could spend millions on traditional advertising. But why bother when a well-timed tweet does the job? My brands thrive on social media because they feel like real conversations, not corporate marketing jargon.
Take my Aviation Gin commercial announcing its sale to Diageo. I summed up a $610 million deal with one tweet: “I just learned what an earn-out is. And I’d like to thank Diageo for their incredible partnership and paying me mostly in gin.” That’s called finesse.
Have an Exit Strategy (Preferably One That Makes You Filthy Rich)
I’m not just a brand builder—I’m a brand seller. Aviation Gin? Sold to Diageo for $610 million. Mint Mobile? T-Mobile snapped it up for $1.35 billion. The lesson here: Build something people love, then sell it for a ridiculous amount of money. Simple.
The trick? Make a brand so fun, engaging, and alive that people want to be part of it—even if that means paying a premium.
Collaboration is Free Marketing (Especially If You Rope in Hugh Jackman)
Branding isn’t a one-man show (even though I make it look that way). Some of my best campaigns come from teaming up with others. My ongoing “feud” with Hugh Jackman turned into a genius cross-promo opportunity for our brands: Aviation Gin and Laughing Man Coffee. The ad? Hugh pretending to be nice while secretly trashing my gin. Viral gold.
Or when I convinced Rob McElhenney to buy a football club with me. The best partnerships are ones where both sides win—and preferably involve making fun of each other along the way.
Lesson? Find a rivalry, make it public, and profit.
What You Can Steal from My Playbook
So, what’s the big takeaway here? Branding isn’t about expensive ads or corporate jargon—it’s about being real, telling great stories, making people laugh, and knowing when to cash in. Whether you’re selling gin, a phone plan, or a movie about a guy in red spandex, remember: If you’re having fun, your audience probably will too.
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You now know the secret sauce of Ryan Reynolds brand-building:
- Be Authentic (or at least funny about it).
- Use Humor (people love to laugh, especially at Hugh Jackman).
- Tell a Story (underdog narratives work every time).
- Master Social Media (tweets > million-dollar ads).
- Plan an Exit Strategy (or just buy a gin company, that works too).
- Collaborate (your enemies make the best co-stars).
Now, go forth and market like a charming, slightly self-obsessed Canadian movie star. Or, at the very least, just share this article. That works too.