Celebrity branded booze is all the rage right now. George Clooney and Dwayne Johnson have their own tequila brands, Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston share a mezcal company, and Ryan Reynolds is famously the owner of Aviation Gin. More are getting on board, as it is becoming a very lucrative business venture for many stars. Blake Lively recently announced that she was expanding her mixers line to have alcoholic beverages, despite her not drinking alcohol. This is similar to JLo, who also has a liquor company while being sober. Not everyone thinks this is a cool move, and some have specific thoughts on the subject.
Lively recently posted on Instagram that she was expanding Betty Buzz, which is the Gossip Girl alum’s beverage mixers company. The brand will now also sell sparkling canned beverages that contain liquor. The Shallows star doesn’t drink alcohol, despite the company expanding its beverage line. The actress addressed the irony in her caption, saying that while she doesn’t drink, she cares about flavor. While many celebrities, like Gigi Hadid and Taika Waititi, were supportive, various fans weren’t convinced Lively was the right person for the business venture. Many pointed out that this is out of character for her brand, with one person commenting:
I would have loved if this was a NA mocktail. You would have quite the audience for that. I thought it was a good partnership you having Betty buzz and Ryan having aviator. Not that anyone cares about my opinion, but this is a bummer.
This sentiment seemed to reign throughout the comments on Lively’s post. Many were confused why she would want to promote drinking by having an alcoholic beverage company if she doesn’t drink herself. People also were confused how she would know what her product even tasted like without trying it herself, adding that it felt like a cash grab. You can read some of the comments below:
- @shyannhowle: What a confusing way to promote your alcohol, by saying drinking isn’t your thing…
- @vixendaze: How can you market/create a product you don’t openly consume yourself? 😂 come the f on now..
- @sierrainsf: If drinking really isn't your thing (which you're very vocal about) how about some NA options? Otherwise you're just in it for the money.
- @borboletagmz: So she’s smart enough not to drink alcohol but wants people to spend their $ on alcohol so she can get richer?
Many fans had a similar reaction when Jennifer Lopez decided to expand her entrepreneurial efforts to a line of cocktail beverages. The Marry Me star, like Lively, has been sober for many years. In addition, many criticized this move because of JLo’s husband, Ben Affleck, has had a public battle with alcoholism over the years. Promoting something both of these stars actively avoids is a bit of a strange move, even if it may be a lucrative business.
On the other hand, Lively has never been actively anti-alcohol. Her mixers brand produces products designed to be consumed with alcohol, and she did a campaign alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds’ gin brand. Reynolds drinks himself, so therefore they don’t have a liquor-free household. Also, by already having a mixers brand, expanding to cocktails isn’t exactly a hard pivot for Betty Buzz. However, her lack of desire to consume a product she’s selling is understandably confusing.
Blake Lively fans who want to try her Betty Buzz products can do so now by purchasing the beverages on the Betty Buzz website (if you are over the age of 21). When the 35-year-old isn’t being a beverage connoisseur, she is leading a slew of Hollywood movies. Make sure to check out our feature on what to watch if you like the Gossip Girl star. For more information on other movies becoming available later this year, you can consult our 2023 movie release schedule.
