by WREXHAM, WALES – MAY 28: Ryan Reynolds, owner of Wrexham gives a thumbs up in front of the Vanarama … [+]
Ryan Reynolds wants to cause a last-minute stir on Super Bowl Sunday. In a YouTube video posted hours ago, the Hollywood A-lister claims he’s been busy taking care of it other football that he almost forgot about today’s big American football game. But he’s ready to make up for the oversight by offering fans of his Aviation Gin a chance to win two tickets to Super Bowl LVIII, which will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada next year.
The competition will be active during the two 2-minute alerts of tonight’s game (an interruption that occurs when the clock strikes around “2:00” towards the end of each half of football). Reynolds is directing viewers – 21+ of course – to go to 2GinuteWarning.com for more details on the entry. Just don’t expect a head start; As of now, the site only shows a GIF of the actor mockingly shaking his finger at the overzealous.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he sneers, à la Dennis Nedry, the nefarious computer programmer from Jurassic Park. “It’s not the 2 gin ute warning yet!”
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 09: A VIP look at Aviation American Gin at the 2018 American Music Awards … [+]
So far it’s not entirely clear how the competition will perform when it goes live – although representatives from the brand assure me it’s no hoax. This follows as Aviation is the official gin sponsor of the NFL. But while you wait, the site encourages you to redeem $5 off your next bottle with a coupon code it’s offering in partnership with Drizly.
In the 80-second commercial, Reynolds’ comedic elements take on a characteristic improvisational tone. But when it comes to his entrepreneurial acumen, his steps are impressively calculated. Just two years after becoming “co-owner” of Aviation in 2018, he oversaw a $610 million sale of parent company Davos Brands to Diageo.
Although the details of the deal were never made public, Reynolds is believed to have received financial incentives to maintain an active role in promoting aviation. It’s certainly a role he seems to enjoy – enjoying a series of videos that are released throughout the calendar year, usually tied to some sort of holiday.
And Aviation’s connection to professional football is even more intimate than the video might suggest. Yes, Reynolds is alluding to the fact that he recently bought a European football team, a venture chronicled in his ongoing series. Welcome to Wrexham. But long before Reynolds raged his business bonafides, the gin he now promotes was endorsed by NFL legend Joe Montana. In fact, the Hall of Famer quarterback’s involvement with the brand dates back more than a decade, making it one of the original celebrity liquor brands.
If you’re looking for a gin refreshment during today’s game, Aviation has also posted a few easy recipes including the American Mule: a serving of spirit over ice, topped with lime juice and ginger beer, topped with a lime wedge in a copper mug.
