DO CONSUMERS EXPECT CREDIBILITY?

JLo is the latest celeb to get it in the neck from the court of public opinion. ‘What business does a non-drinker have launching a booze brand?’ Twitter users collectively asked after she announced the launch of new spritz brand, Delola. And she’s not the first to come under fire. After Michael B Jordan was forced to cancel the launch of his rum and Kendall Jenner’s tequila brand was labelled ‘problematic’, we ask, is credibility increasingly required of celebs who back drinks brands?

Ethics. They’re so annoying and inconvenient. Time was, all a celeb has to do was lend their name to a drinks launch and watch as pics circulated the internet of them happily holding a bottle, or sipping from a glass.

Nicki Minaj launched a years-long campaign to insert the name of her moscato brand Myx into almost every single one of her songs and no-one was mad at her. Diddy still fronts campaigns for his (and Diageo’s) vodka brand Ciroc and no-one shouts at him. And George Clooney’s Casamigos tequila brand (which he and fellow co-founders Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman sold to Diageo in 2017) was the fastest growing spirits brand in 2022, tripling its brand value, according to the Spirits Business. So, for sure, nobody is mad at them.

So how come poor Jennifer Lopez is currently receiving a tongue-lashing across the far corners of the internet? The singer and actress announced the launch of premium bottled cocktail brand Delola just last week, intended according to the press release for “effortless entertaining as part of a thoughtful lifestyle”. Backed by Beam Suntory, the gluten-free, lower calorie range offers three spritz serves, with Paloma Rosa, L’Orange, and Bella Berry. Its US launch will be followed by a global push. So far, so normal.

Walk The Walk

But then the press release gets into territory that the internet is now holding in dispute. For buried towards the bottom after comments about Jen’s “strong work ethic” and how her carefree, playful alter-ego Lola (because we all have one and have named it, right?) sometimes emerges, is the following: “In those times, Jennifer "Lola" enjoys a glass of rosé, champagne or light cocktail.”

But, according to past statements made by the star, that may not be true. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the internet submits into evidence numerous comments from JLo about how she doesn’t actually drink. At all. In fact, holding their receipts (which I’m told is internet youth lingo for saving screenshots) it’s claimed the star has in fact previously spoken out many times on the ills of consuming alcohol. Which is all fair enough.

But it’s something long-standing fans have taken umbrage with. One comment on her Instagram post reads: “You’ve said countless times you don’t drink…but okay.” And another said: “How about we support small business instead of celebrities slapping their name on whatever they want to make more money.” Since then, stories on the backlash have spread like wildfire. And following the old adage that no publicity is bad publicity, it’s helped to spread the story of the launch – and accompanying backlash – far and wide across the industry.