‘Not Celebrity Vodka’ Recruits Plumbers and Nurses for Against the Grain Ad Campaign

(Photo: Not Celebrity Vodka/Youtube)

Years before celebrity-owned tequila swept the market to simultaneous fanfare and derision, celebrity-owned vodka was the reigning top dog. In the mid-2010s, we witnessed celebrity-backed vodka launches from the likes of Channing Tatum, Robert De Niro, Fergie, Jason Derulo, the Wu-Tang Clan and seemingly everyone else under the sun. Recent additions have flown in at a steady, though oft-unreported pace; did you know that Jason Momoa has his own sustainable vodka imprint, or that “Breaking Bad” star Giancarlo Esposito recently signed on as a corporate stakeholder in Dirty Devil Vodka?

Cutting through the noise, the bluntly named Not Celebrity Vodka is bringing its messaging back to square one. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles-based spirits brand — helmed by the equally mystifying Huge Conglomerate Co. — commemorated its launch with a campaign poking fun at the liquor industry.

In one video, an everyman plumber is besieged by paparazzi in his driveway before unveiling the vodka to a wave of oohs and ahhs. In another, a nurse shoots a laid-back spirits advertisement from the comfort of her kitchen after a long day at the hospital.

Admittedly, the brand is not the only one running with the anti-establishment schtick. In May, the similarly named and packaged Not A Celebrity Tequila hit the market with a bold rebuke of imprints like George Clooney’s Casamigos and Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila. Before that, we saw Tequila de la Gente launch its sampling kit with the subtitle “Not Another Celebrity Tequila.”

Unlike the competition, however, Not Celebrity Vodka plays up its inspirations (or lack thereof) with a tongue-in-cheek approach. Taglined “Not Celebrity, Not By Choice,” the brand’s website proudly reads:

“The founders of NOT CELEBRITY VODKA announced the launch of their new alcohol brand after an exhaustive yet wildly unsuccessful search for a celebrity endorsement. Despite their determination, they faced the stark reality: their skills in celebrity recruitment were either lacking, or every celebrity was already tied to an alcohol brand. Left with literally no other option, NOT CELEBRITY VODKA was born.”

On social media, you’ll find posts with captions like “not a star is born” and “passionately distilled for the perfect average quality.” The marketing campaign was helmed by Dumb Draper, a marketing firm clearly experienced in silly on-the-nose messaging.

The brand hasn’t disclosed many details about the vodka itself, which is described as a synthesis of Grey Goose quality and Kirkland Signature affordability. Available now at $20, the spirit is available for shipping online to every state except Alaska, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, South Dakota and Utah. If you’d like to learn more, check out the Not Celebrity Vodka website here.

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