Aviation Gin rescues Peloton woman

Ryan Reynolds proved once again Friday night that he might just be one of the best marketers in the game right now.

Just days after Peloton’s “The Gift that Gives Back” ad went very badly viral, Reynolds’ Aviation Gin published an ad late Friday starring the same actress, called “The Gift that Doesn’t Give Back.”

The actress played the character who received the Peloton bike as a Christmas gift. The ad exploded on social and mainstream media this week, with much of the chatter focused on the woman as an unfortunate character with an oafish partner who buys her exercise equipment for Christmas. What a romantic.

Reynolds—or whoever comes up with the ad ideas for Aviation—imagines the same character after she’s apparently escaped the relationship and is out for a night with her friends.

“You’re safe here,” says one friend. “To new beginnings,” says the Peloton woman before downing one Aviation gin, whereupon her friends slide her another. As the ad cuts to a shot of the Aviation bottle, one of the friends, says “You look great, by the way.”

At a time when so many marketers covet the possibility of their brand smoothly becoming a part of the pop culture zeitgeist, it would seem that Reynolds and Aviation have demonstrated just how it’s done: Have a good idea, be brave, and move really fast.

Don’t be surprised if all your friends are talking about Aviation Gin this weekend.

David Brown