GrapeStars and Observatory Agency Launch Celebrity Alcohol-Focused Entertainment Studio

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity-created alcohol brands have rocketed in popularity over the last five years, driven by a millennial audience with a taste for the VIP status those brands afford. GrapeStars Entertainment, a new joint content venture from celebrity alcohol marketplace GrapeStars International Inc., and Los Angeles creative agency Observatory, aims to deepen consumer affinities to the innovative retail platform.

GrapeStars is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform for celebrity wine and spirit brands that connects customers across 45 states with 200-plus celebrity-owned and endorsed alcohol brands such as Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin, Metallica's Blackened American Whiskey, David Beckham's HAIG Club Whiskey, Mila Kunis' Jim Beam Bourbon, and many more. These celebrity creators are already lending their personality to market these brands, but GrapeStars Entertainment will accelerate content creation as a lifestyle brand-focused entertainment studio.

GrapeStars Entertainment is a film, television and entertainment studio dedicated to creating content highlighting the GrapeStars brand, celebrity partners and their products. Through this collaboration, Observatory will work with the GrapeStars team to create entertainment programming centered on celebrity alcohol brands.

"In a content-driven consumer landscape, it's no longer enough to just create a great product," said Marco Fantinel, CEO of Fantinel Winery, who recently announced the launch of Sun Goddess Wines, an exclusive collection of limited-edition wines created in collaboration with Grammy award-winning, Oscar nominated singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and philanthropist, Mary J. Blige, and the internationally prestigious winery. "GrapeStars recognizes this and, through the launch of GrapeStars Entertainment, is elevating the business to meet consumer demand for engaging, celebrity-centered content and is ultimately providing greater value to fans, celebrities and their alcohol brands."

The alcohol marketplace sought out Observatory, the full-service agency partner, because of the content expertise it honed as part of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Marketing. "We're thrilled to take GrapeStars International to the next level and leverage unique celebrity lifestyle content that consumers crave to strengthen brand affinities and further bridge the gap between celebrities and fans," says Jean-Jean Pelletier, Founder, President & CEO of GrapeStars International. "With strong Hollywood connections and an understanding of what makes for engaging, results-driven content, Observatory is the perfect partner to help launch GrapeStars Entertainment."

The combination of celebrity-driven content and dynamic alcohol brands drew Observatory to the venture. "GrapeStars Entertainment is a brilliantly simple concept, perfect for this moment. Celebrity brands are the single biggest driver of growth in the spirits industry," says Observatory CEO, Jae Goodman. "So when Jean-Jean approached us about the idea of GrapeStars Entertainment, it was a relatively short conversation which involved Observatory saying the word YES."

Observatory will handle the ideation, creation and distribution of all forms of content (which may include, but not limited to, feature films, unscripted series, and scripted series, among others). That content will be distributed on the GrapeStars app and across various entertainment platforms.

Observatory is known for its decade-plus work with global mega-brands, like AB InBev, Chipotle, Coca-Cola, Budweiser's Global Halloween platform and the most successful campaign for Corona Mexico in its 100-year history, and has recently expanded its offering and expertise to include next-generation digital businesses like Bonobos, Kajabi, Masterclass, and now GrapeStars Entertainment.

"Thanks to almost a decade of representing the Diageo portfolio to the entertainment community when we were CAA Marketing, Observatory has a depth of experience and relationships that we're thrilled to put to work on behalf of GrapeStars Entertainment," says Brendan Shields-Shimizu, Observatory Managing Director.

To learn more about GrapeStars Entertainment and the Observatory partnership, tune into The GrapeStars Podcast episode with Jae Goodman.

The GrapeStars app is available for every iOS or Android device. Once installed, users make a profile and can browse their favorite celebrity brands to be delivered straight to their door. To learn more about the GrapeStars app, visit https://grapestars.com. 

About GrapeStars

GrapeStars is a game-changing online specialty wine and premium and craft spirits marketplace which allows celebrities and celebrity-endorsed brands to promote their wines and spirits directly to their followers on social media. For the first time ever, celebrities and brands now have a virtual direct-to-consumer sales channel. Through GrapeStars, those brands can now make their products available nationwide without the need to engage themselves with retailers. The one-of-a-kind app is designed to engage users through advanced technology. The user experience is highly interactive and entertaining; fans can discover previously unknown products from celebrities, interact socially with their favorite celebrities and explore different wine regions around the world via videos and live mapping. The company was founded by serial entrepreneurs and wine aficionados Jean-Jean Pelletier (Founder, President & CEO), his brother Robert Pelletier, and their childhood friends Stephan Fortier, Stefan Lindqvist, Charles-André Sauvé and Bruno Gutton.

About Observatory

Observatory is a 4x Emmy, 4x Cannes Lions Grand Prix, and Sundance-winning agency for the content era, building brands and driving business results through campaigns that attract and engage audiences rather than interrupt and annoy them. Recently named to Fast Company's 2020 World's Most Innovative Companies list, Observatory is a global full-service creative ad agency with deep roots in entertainment. Starting as CAA Marketing in 2006, the agency became independent in late 2017 with joint backing by The Stagwell Group and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Observatory does not publish its client list. A range of work is available at www.observatoryagency.com.

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SOURCE Observatory; GrapeStars