# Celebrity-Backed Whiskey Ads This Virginia Black Ad Features Drake and His Father By Mishal Omar | Published 2018-02-09 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virginia-black-ad References: [youtu.be](https://youtu.be/mN4JWnTOSmg) & [refinery29](http://www.refinery29.com/2017/11/182066/drake-dad-virginia-black-whiskey-commercial) Drake has positioned himself front and center in his newest [Virginia Black](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/big-bo-box-lineup) ad, a commercial for the [bourbon-based whiskey brand he owns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/custom-whisky-blends). Known for having a [healthy sense of humor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lidl-ben-bracken-islay-single-malt), the Toronto rapper is seen in a black turtleneck in the ad, sipping on a glass of Virginia Black while he watches a beautiful women dancing in the bar he's in. The woman appears to be making eye contact with Drake as she dances, but as he approaches her she walks right past him and towards Drake's real-life father, Dennis Graham–who hands him his own glass of Virginia Black and leaves Drake standing by himself as he walks off with the woman. This Virginia Black ad serves to enhance Drake's personal brand as a highly successful but relatable celebrity, while also marketing his various professional endeavors. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.5/10 - Popularity: 18% | Activity: 49% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/commercials) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Celebrity-owned Brands:** The trend of celebrities owning their own brands presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in the realm of celebrity endorsements and product collaborations. - **Humorous Advertising:** The trend of using humor in advertising provides opportunities for disruptive innovation in creating memorable and engaging brand campaigns. - **Personal Branding:** The trend of leveraging personal branding allows celebrities to connect with their audience on a deeper level, opening up opportunities for disruptive innovation in marketing and brand partnerships. ### Where This Applies - **Beverage Industry:** The beverage industry can explore disruptive innovation by partnering with celebrities to create unique and marketable alcoholic beverage brands. - **Marketing and Advertising Industry:** The marketing and advertising industry can leverage the trend of celebrity-owned brands to develop innovative strategies and campaigns that capture consumer attention. - **Entertainment Industry:** The entertainment industry can tap into the trend of humorous advertising by collaborating with celebrities to create entertaining and engaging commercials, enhancing the overall brand image. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Laid-Back Barbershop Ad Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-shop-lineup.md) - [Rapper-Beverage Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smirnoff3.md) - [Fight-Themed Whiskey Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bear-fight-whiskey-ad.md) - [Playful Alcohol Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aviation-gin-commercial.md) - [Generational Musician Gin Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-toast-between-legends.md) - [Perception-Redefining Brand Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/made-for-more-campaign.md) - [Rapper-Backed Whiskey Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mercer-prince.md) - [AI-Forward Personalized Whiskeys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-barrel-whiskey.md) - [Next-Gen Bourbon Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/worth-the-envy.md)