In earlier years, a few Bollywood celebrities were associated with liquor brands in India, primarily as endorsers for mass-market brands. In the last few years, however, this has seen a massive change with celebrities, not just from Bollywood, but also Music and even Cricket are now taking an active role as well as a financial stake in many upmarket and luxury spirits brands, in categories ranging from vodka to whisky and of course everyone’s new favourite, tequila.

WHY NOW?

No doubt, these Indian celebrities have taken inspiration from their global peers like George Clooney (Casamigos Tequila), Ryan Reynolds (Aviation Gin), and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Teremana Tequila), all of whom have seen significant wealth accrue from their investments and active endorsements of liquor brands. As Rana Daggubati, a co-founder of Loca Loka tequila, points out, “What has also changed is the institutionalisation of premium spirits as a serious consumer asset class”. Ayaesha Gooptu, Country Head, India, FINO Tequila, in which Yuvraj Singh has taken an active role, says, “India’s alcohol market has matured, with premium spirits now viewed as lifestyle signifiers rather than mere consumption products.”

This premiumisation of alcohol in India is something we have witnessed at close quarters over the last few years, with Indian spirits brands across categories such as gin and single malt outshining their global peers, both in market share and pricing power. And for categories like Tequila, where we can’t make it in India, if we want to call it tequila that is, entrepreneurs are taking the next big step and sub-contracting with distilleries in Mexico to create recipes on their behalf.

The Glenjourneys, that is associated with Ajay Devgn

As Vishal Rajan, COO of Cartelbros Pvt. Ltd., points out, “At the same time, consumers now expect authenticity and can distinguish between paid promotions and genuine involvement. Equity participation signals long-term commitment.”. Vishal should know, considering that Cartelbros has linkages with 3 celebrities: Sanjay Dutt for Glenwalk Scotch whisky, Ajay Devgn for The Glenjourneys Single Malt scotch, and now Badshah for Shelter 6, a vodka.

The larger shift that we are also witnessing, especially with the emergence of India’s next-gen star power, is that for longer-term wealth creation, they are turning entrepreneurs, whether creating businesses of their own, whether in fitness, fashion, or perfumery, or turning angel investors in ideas that catch their fancy.

Paresh Ghelani, co-founder with Sanjay Dutt of Tigerfire vodka, also points to change in consumer behaviour, with “far more comfort and openness around premium alcohol brands”.

Bikram Basu, CEO of ABD Maestro, in which Ranveer Singh is a stakeholder, corroborates this by saying, “A celebrity’s lifespan can be long, very long, or can be relatively short, especially for a sportsperson. When most top professionals are peaking, a well-paid sportsperson is retiring from the game. There has to be a multiplier for earnings, and celebrities are therefore adding muscle and spunk to business.”

The Glenwalk, that is associated with Sanjay Dutt

“Premium spirits — particularly differentiated brands with cultural storytelling — offer attractive growth curves. Celebrities understand this,” adds Nishant Sharma, Founder and CEO, Rutland Square Spirits.

Debashish Shyam, co-founder and Director at Ardent Alcobev, who has launched Dram Bell Scotch whisky with Kevin Pietersen, is also of the belief that “celebrities want to be integrated more closely with the business and therefore invest for a long-term wealth-building perspective”.

Nishant Sharma - Founder and CEO, Rutland Square Spirits

SKIN IN THE GAME

And what’s also changed is the move from taking a transactional fee to being a long-term stakeholder in the business. In Tigerfire vodka’s case, for example, the brand was built from day one by Paresh and Sanjay. ABD Maestro is a subsidiary of the listed entity Allied Blenders and Distillers, with ABD holding 80% equity in the venture and Ranveer Singh holding the balance 20%. Rana Daggubati at Loca Loka points out that he’s a co-founder with “meaningful participation, operational engagement and long-term responsibility in the business”. In a category as complex as alcohol, he adds, “participation cannot be symbolic”. Vishal Rajan at Cartel Bros points to the “importance of equity in ensuring that the celebrity’s success is directly linked to the brand’s commercial success.”

Fino Tequila, that is associated with Yuvraj Singh

There is, of course, a flip side to such close involvement and association between a brand and a celebrity. There is the cautionary tale in the US of the involvement of rapper P.Diddy with a luxury vodka brand, which he helped build from the ground up. He then later sued the company, a suit that he later withdrew, and then he himself got mired in a raft of sexual abuse allegations. It is safe to say that celebrity association can be a double-edged sword and something any company should weigh carefully, especially the choice of celebrity.

LIQUID DELIGHT

Affinity to the liquid in question is also important to ensure that the association feels genuine. I understand that vodka is Sanjay Dutt’s tipple of choice, and that he was closely involved in finalizing the recipe. And although tequila is trending globally, when Sanjay was asked why he chose vodka, he replied that it wouldn’t be authentic to him.

Ajay Devgn says, “As a self-proclaimed malt enthusiast, I was thrilled when Moksh (Moksh Sani – the founder of CartelBros) presented me with GlenJourney’s initial samples – bourbon, rum, and sherry cask. The quality was exceptional and I knew we had to bring it to India”. For Rana Daggubati, the tequila category appealed to him due to the depth: “terroir, production discipline and the ability to reposition tequila from a “shot” narrative to a sipping authentic spirit”. Bikram Basu at ABD Maestro points to the appeal to Ranveer to the “chance to define modern Indian culture and expressions with globally competitive, culturally rooted brands”. Ranveer was instrumental also in shaping the brand name Rangeela that they chose for their vodka – “something in our language that was expressive, energetic and could connect vividly”.

KEY MAN

For a man who once hit six sixes of Stuart Broad in a World T20 match, it’s perhaps appropriate that Yuvraj Singh has the designation of CSC or Chief Shot Caller at Fino tequila, which carries with it both a contribution to overarching strategic direction as well as operational responsibilities. The alcohol market in India is especially complex owing to the fact that it’s a media-dark market. In such a market, visibility is gold.  And in a celebrity-mad market like India, the value of a celebrity, especially one with a close association with the brand, is incalculable. This visibility spans social media, PR, and other media channels. Most Indian spirits brands also have global aspirations, and celebrity associations help them get a jumpstart on the same.

Loca Loka tequila (see pic below for the founders)

Loca Loka founding team (L to R) Sree Harsha Vadlamudi, Rana Daggubati and Anirudh Ravichander

As Nishant of Rutland Square says, Vivek Oberoi’s association has given an emerging brand like his visibility, access to networks (investors, distributors, media), and accelerated credibility. Vivek’s association, he says, has helped open doors that would otherwise take small brands years to access.

Most celebrities, especially those who come from a cinematic background, have exposure to storytelling, a gift that, as Vishal of Cartel Bros says, “helps ensure the product aligns with their persona and audience”. Rana at Loca Loka says it’s important to ensure this isn’t seen as a vanity project, and he’s therefore also invested in engaging with “trade, investors and ecosystem stakeholders”. Anirudh Ravichander, noted composer and playback singer, and also a stakeholder in Loca Loka, talks about how in the “early phase, his role was about building cultural curiosity, helping shape how the brand felt, sounded, and showed up in social and experiential spaces”.

Paresh Ghelani and Sanjay Dutt, co-founders Tigerfire Vodka

Product development is another aspect that celebrities get involved in, whether it’s Ranveer Singh’s assistance with brand naming or Sanjay Dutt vetting the brand colors, bottle shape, and overall design, so much so that the eyes on the Tigerfire bottle are inspired by his own. 

The consumer impact of the association is increased awareness, aspiration, and trial. A testament to Glenwalk’s selling a million bottles in 4 months and Badshah’s association with “a shot celebration spanning over 20 bars across Mumbai and Pune”, both are mentioned as record-breaking initiatives.

Ranveer Singh, ABD Maestro

LIQUID IS KING

From an on-trade perspective, as Vishal of Cartel Bros says, “for bartenders, however, long-term recommendation depends on the quality of the liquid – the celebrity may open the door, but the product sustains it”. Sree Harsha Vadlamudi of Loca Loka, corroborates this by saying that “consumer curiosity may be sparked by visibility and celebrity association, but sustained velocity comes from trade buy-in. Celebrity may open the conversation, which is crucial, but it doesn’t close it. That has to be done by the product”.

Rutland Square Spirits is based in Scotland, and as Nishant says, “ In a world where the Indian diaspora is expanding globally, visibility travels faster than ever. The world has shrunk. A culturally relevant brand can now reach its audience internationally far more efficiently than even five years ago”.

PHOREN MAAL

It is interesting to note, however, that in all cases apart from ABD Maestro, the association is with an international spirit category, with the recipe created overseas and then brought to India. I, for one, would love to see more celebrities forge similar associations with Indian craft spirits, particularly native spirits like mahua and feni. There can be no better way, perhaps for such categories, the latter in particular, to get instant visibility.

PARTING SHOT

Perhaps the biggest role, however, that the Celebrities can play is to rub off some of their magic sauce on the brands they are associated with. All these celebrities, no matter which world they inhabit, have reached the positions they currently hold not just by good fortune. They possess certain inherent qualities that brands will surely hope rub off on them. As Aeisha of Fino says, Yuvraj’s journey of discipline, resilience, and achievement mirrors the brand’s core philosophy of “Failure is not an option.”

(Left):“Never Give In”, the brand guiding ethos - which Sanjay Dutt personally lives by, and that shapes everything they do

(Center): The eyes on the Tigerfire bottle are inspired by Sanjay Dutt’s eyes

(Right): Rutland Square Chai Spiced Scottish Gin

Paresh at Tigerfire talks about the brand’s guiding ethos of “Never Give In”, which Sanjay Dutt personally lives by, and that shapes everything they do.

Interestingly enough however, we are yet to have a woman celebrity take an ownership/founder position in the world of alcohol. Perhaps that’s something coming up soon and we hope then for a different sprinkling of fairy dust for the brand they support.

Yuvraj Singh is CSC or Chief Shot Caller at Fino tequila