How Ryan Reynolds Built His Business Empire - A blog post about his investments in gin, mobile phones, production company and soccer team

 Ryan Reynolds is not only a Hollywood star, but also a savvy entrepreneur who has invested in several businesses and turned them into success stories. From gin to mobile phones, Reynolds has shown his knack for marketing, branding and deal-making. Here are some of the companies he owns or has stakes in, and how he made them profitable.

Aviation American Gin

Reynolds' journey in business began in 2018 when he bought into Aviation American Gin, a craft spirit company founded by bartender Ryan Magarian and distiller Christian Krogstad. Reynolds was impressed by the smooth taste of the gin and decided to become its co-owner and creative director .

Reynolds used his humor and charisma to promote the gin through viral ads, social media posts, and partnerships with celebrities like Hugh Jackman and Dwayne Johnson. He also leveraged his fame as Deadpool to create crossover campaigns that appealed to his fan base. For example, he released a limited edition bottle of Aviation Gin with Deadpool's face on it.

In 2020, Reynolds sold Aviation Gin to Diageo, the world's largest spirits company, for up to $610 million . He retained an ownership stake in the brand and continued to be involved in its creative direction.

Mint Mobile

A year after he invested in Aviation Gin, Reynolds acquired an ownership stake in Mint Mobile, a wireless service provider that offers low-cost plans and operates on T-Mobile's network . Reynolds became the face of the company and its chief creative officer.

Reynolds applied his signature style of humor and self-deprecation to Mint Mobile's marketing strategy. He created ads that poked fun at himself, his movies, and his competitors. He also engaged with customers on social media and offered them perks like free data or phone upgrades.

In 2021, Reynolds sold Mint Mobile to T-Mobile for $1.35 billion . He remained as an owner and board member of Mint Mobile and continued to oversee its creative direction.

Maximum Effort

Reynolds' business ventures are powered by his own production company called Maximum Effort, which he founded in 2018 with his longtime collaborator George Dewey. The company produces movies, TV shows, digital content, and commercials for various brands such as Match.com, Samsung, Peloton, Feeding America, etc.

Maximum Effort's mission is to create entertaining content that connects with audiences on an emotional level. Reynolds believes that storytelling is the key to effective marketing. He said: "We don't make ads; we make entertainment that happens to sell things".

Maximum Effort has been praised for its innovative and original approach to advertising. It has won several awards for its work such as Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Film Craft (2020), Clio Awards Grand Clio for Film (2020), Webby Awards People's Voice Award for Best Influencer Endorsements (2020), etc.

Wrexham AFC

In 2020, Reynolds surprised everyone by buying Wrexham AFC , a Welsh soccer team that plays in the fifth tier of English football , along with fellow actor Rob McElhenney . The duo paid £2 million ($2.77 million) for the club , which is owned by its fans through a trust . They also pledged to invest £2 million more into the club 's infrastructure , facilities , staff , and players.

Reynolds said he was attracted by Wrexham 's history , culture , passion , potential , community spirit , and underdog status . He said : "We want Wrexham AFC not only back where it belongs but thriving at every level ".

Reynolds has been using his star power and social media presence to raise awareness about Wrexham AFC . He has posted videos , photos , tweets , podcasts , merchandise , etc . featuring himself , McElhenney , or both wearing Wrexham 's red shirt . He has also secured sponsorship deals with companies like TikTok , Expedia , Ifor Williams Trailers etc .

Reynolds plans to document his journey with Wrexham AFC through a TV series called Welcome To Wrexham which will air on FX Networks later this year .

Ryan Reynolds is not just an actor who plays superheroes on screen; he is also a superhero of business who knows how to turn his passions into profits.

Sources:

: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64984291

: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11866963/Ryan-Reynolds-billion-dollar-business-portfolio-revealed.html

: https://www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/deadpool-turned-business-mogul-ryan-reynolds-is-on-a-roll-with-mint-mobile-deal-c968b68a

: https://www.ibtimes.com/ryan-reynolds-net-worth-assets-here-are-companies-he-owns-3677494

: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ryan-reynolds-celebrity-business-deals-mint-mobile-sale-142414596.html

: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ryan-reynolds-cover-story-interview-11635424093