How celebrities are impacting no and low alcohol drinks

The alcohol-free drinks market is beginning to draw a star-studded crowd, underlining its arrival in the mainstream, writes Lauren Eads.

As the popularity of low and no-alcohol alternatives continues to grow, an increasing number of big names are turning their hand to this burgeoning market. Globally, no- and low-alcohol consumption across the world’s leading 10 no/low markets, which account for 70% of volumes, grew by 5% in volume in 2023, with the market now worth over US$13billion, according to the IWSR.

“Celebrities play a similar role to alcohol trademarks in that they bring scale, reach and validation for the category,” says Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip and the newly unveiled Sylva non-alcoholic distillery and maturation laboratory in Essex, part of Branson’s Pollen Projects – an ideas incubator for NA drinks.

“Versus alcohol, the level of maturity with celebrities involved in non-alcoholic drinks is right at the beginning and you can count them on one hand. But with high profile people like Lewis Hamilton and Katy Perry now involved I think we are at the beginning of a tipping point towards more celebrities backing the category with investment.”

Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington is an investor in Pollen Projects, while British actor Regé-Jean Page, of Bridgerton fame, is an ambassador for Seedlip in the US.

“I know [from talking to various agents] that celebrities are now actively asking their teams to get into non-alcoholic and this, done well, is a good thing for the category,” adds Branson.

Last month, the Delevigne sisters launched Della Vite Zero – a 0% sparkling French rosé – joining the likes of Kylie Minogue, who in 2022 launched an alcohol-free sparkling wine made from “a blend of European grapes” and green tea from the Liu-Da Mountains of Yunnan province in China. The Delevigne sisters worked with a 4th generation French wine-making family in Beziers, France, to make their 0% ABV offering, which is made from Grenache grapes then de-alcoholised.

Influencing trends

Celebrities have long played a role in influencing alcoholic drinks trends, building on established brands and creating new ones. The difference with the non-alcoholic market is that they are making a previously ‘boring’ choice seem cool, normalising it within mainstream culture, something that was never necessary with alcoholic beverages.

“The fact that celebs like Cara Delevigne, Lewis Hamilton and Gillian Anderson are launching brands is testament to the fact that it is no longer shameful to say you don’t drink,” says Laura Willoughby MBE, founder of mindful drinking movement Club Soda. “Influencers like Millie Gooch have also been incredibly influential. Never underestimate influencers of all kinds – they are essential to normalising new things – we saw that in vegan foods and this is no different.”

Earlier this year Lewis Hamilton launched his alcohol-free agave ‘spirit’ brand, Almave in the UK, with Pernod Ricard later acquiring a minority stake in the fledgling brand. Katy Perry launched De Soi, a range of sparkling non-alcoholic apéritifs made with adaptogens, in 2022. While Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker makes CBD-infused drinks as part of his Barker Wellness brand.

“Celebrities are clearly a hugely influential sales tool in terms of their ability to speak to a wide and broad demographic, and we’ve seen a number of celebrities either endorse or develop non-alcoholic offerings, with varying levels of success,” says Paul Mathew, founder of non-alcoholic apéritif Everleaf.

“For me, authenticity is absolutely fundamental when it comes to building a brand, whether that relates to the founder (celebrity or otherwise) and their genuine belief in and passion for the brand, or the liquid itself. A clear benefit of celebrity involvement in the no/low-alc category (as with any other) is awareness-raising, bringing more and more people to the category, and indeed making mindful drinking very fashionable at the moment. We just want to see that come with credible liquids that keep people positive about the category and allow it to grow in a healthy way.”

For a category that was not too long ago a sideline to the alcoholic drinks market, it’s undergone a spectacular transformation. Celebrities aren’t crucial to its development – there’s plenty of innovative start-up brands and non-alcohol variants being released by global drinks producers that are driving the category forward. But well-known faces bring a different kind of appeal.

Their influence can’t be underestimated, but brands shouldn’t forget that celebrity endorsement can both promote and complicate a brand’s values, especially if their personal character is called into question.

For now, the low/now category is riding high. “It has been an amazing 10 years – with huge amounts of innovation and a shift in consumer behaviour that is still evolving,” adds Willoughby. “We are still very early days. KAM insights Research shows that alcohol is part of the occasions but no longer the point of going out – and this will continue be the case. The growth of sector goes hand-in-hand with our shifting expectations of socialising, focus on health and reframing the treat moment.”