Elizabeth Banks Puts Her Unique Stamp (and Face) on Archer Roose Wine
The stage is set! Advertisers, don’t miss this cultural moment. ADWEEK House The Big Game is headed to New Orleans on February 7. RSVP.
The deal that Elizabeth Banks has with Archer Roose, a premium canned wine brand, isn’t one of those superficial celebrity endorsements.
As co-owner and chief creative officer, the Hollywood multi-hyphenate has embedded herself fully into the brand, both in real life and in a series of wacky ads over the past several years. By extension, and as a running gag, she’s also invaded the professional and personal life of its female founder Marian Leitner.
For the latest campaign, Banks has staged the ultimate takeover, redesigning the Archer Roose packaging around a lovely head shot of herself. For a seasonal twist, she’s also plastered her mug on Leitner’s Chrismukkah tree and the wrapped gifts under it.
“This is Elizabeth Banks unleashed—it’s true chaos,” according to Leitner. “It’s an extension of the idea that she puts her stamp on everything we do at Archer Roose.”
During a break in filming the spot, Leitner and Banks spoke to ADWEEK recently about their yin-and-yang on-screen relationship, which aims to lighten up a category that’s better known for its serious (some might say snobby) marketing.
“We wanted to show people this fun dynamic we have—the out of control celebrity brand ambassador and the flummoxed CEO who can’t quite control her partner—and put a holiday spin on it,” Banks told ADWEEK.
Gopuff collaboration
The new ad, in which Banks appears dressed head-to-toe as a festive holiday elf, promotes the canned wine and its availability from Gopuff. A character playing a camera-ready Gopuff worker makes an appearance, breaking the fourth wall to pitch the growing delivery service.
“There are plenty of times during the holidays that you find yourself in a pinch—you’re throwing a party and the booze has run out,” Banks said. “This reminds people that they can solve an immediate need in 15 minutes.”
The kernel of the concept for the spot, dubbed “It’s Giving…Holiday,” came when Banks ordered wrapping paper with her children’s faces on it, as a gift to their grandparents for the upcoming holiday. It blossomed from there, with Banks and the internal Archer Roose team developing the idea.
The brand then hired Gut Feeling, a new Los Angeles-based creative shop, to script and shoot the spot. The indie agency has previously worked with Gopuff, creating a video in May that starred Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, and their Brother’s Bond bourbon. It went viral with 25 million views in its first 24 hours. (Indie agency Colossus has handled creative projects for Archer Roose in the past).
An on-premise boom
The new Archer Roose ad drops as the company has seen double-digit growth this year (as overall wine sales dipped 5%) and expanded its distribution. Within months, the brand will add about 1,000 new locations, bringing the total to 4,500 retailers, per Leitner.
A concerted drive for more on-premise accounts now has the wine stocked at some 200 Dave & Buster’s restaurants around the country, Regal Cinemas, Vail Resorts in Colorado, and Atrium Hospitality Group’s hotels.
As for the revamped packaging with Banks’ face on the cans, that’s not a real product. As Leitner says to Banks in the video, “Where did you even get these?”
But as a nod to her investor-collaborator, the CEO has agreed to release a limited amount of the line’s sparkling white wine, Bubbly, with Banks’ face in place of the brand logo. Those cans will be available in the Los Angeles area only, with Banks calling the stunt “an Easter egg for the fans of the brand.”
https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/elizabeth-banks-puts-her-unique-stamp-and-face-on-archer-roose-wine/