In December 2021, Blake Lively launched her latest side-hustle, a line of mocktails and mixers called Betty Buzz. The idea behind it was that Blake doesn’t drink, but she still likes to party and she wanted some non-alcoholic “mocktail” choices. Basically, she thought she could find a niche market of wealthy non-drinkers just itching to spend money on juice. Well, it looks like she could not find that niche market, because Betty Buzz is now doing a line of alcoholic “spritzers” and Blake’s fans are not happy about it.
Drinking might not be Blake Lively’s “thing,” but the Betty Buzz founder is expanding her lineup of non-alcoholic mixers to include spiked seltzer too. Only, not everyone is thrilled with the launch. On Thursday, Lively took to Instagram with the news of her latest venture, telling fans, “Drinking isn’t my thing. But for f* sake, flavor is. Homemade recipe. Real fruit. Real ingredients. Quality booze. No crap. Also a real time saver. Which is why I really did it.”
The Simple Favor star has long been an advocate for sober living—despite her own husband Ryan Reynolds’ half a billion dollar gin business. However, Betty Buzz has long been branded as a mixer, be it for non-alcoholic mocktails or Aviation Gin cocktails.
“When it comes to quality, we’re absolutely uncompromising. Whether it’s Buzz or Booze, everything we make is real and delicious,” Co-Founder and Chairman of Betty B Holdings Andrew T. Chrisomalis said in a press release. “The early success of Betty Buzz proved people expect more from what they drink. And we’re going to be the beverage company to serve it to them.”
Fans were quick to call out Lively for her foray into the liquor aisle.
“How can you market/create a product you don’t openly consume yourself? 😂 come the f on now..” one user wrote. Another chimed in, writing, “If drinking really isn’t your thing (which you’re very vocal about) how about some NA options? Otherwise you’re just in it for the money.”
A third Instagrammer said, “What a confusing way to promote your alcohol, by saying drinking isn’t your thing…”
I just… this whole thing seems so inauthentic to me, but that’s probably because I find Blake to be pretty inauthentic. She’s not a drinker, okay, but she does think that she’s some kind of businesswoman and she was desperate to cash in on some kind of non-alcoholic beverage market. When that market did not embrace her, she then turned to booze… which is probably what she should have been doing the whole time. THAT is the market, which her husband knows. People will spend money to drink a nice cocktail or spritzer, but they won’t spend the money to just drink a fancy juice. Her marketing is a disaster too – this was probably meant as a side-hustle she could just promote herself and base on her own public persona, but obviously… that wasn’t successful. I don’t know, I don’t drink anymore but I was not tempted in any way to try Blake’s fancy juices. Other people were unimpressed as well, which is why she had to change the fundamental strategy. It’s the “Allure of Antebellum” all over again.
Photos courtesy of Instagram, Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- Blake Lively at The Adam Project New York premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York city.,Image: 665583766, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Darla Khazei / Avalon
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- New York City, NY – Celebrities attend Michael Kors fashion show at Terminal 5 in New York City Pictured: Blake Lively BACKGRID USA 15 FEBRUARY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York City, NY – Celebrities attend Michael Kors fashion show at Terminal 5 in New York City Pictured: Blake Lively BACKGRID USA 15 FEBRUARY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
I’ve said this about so many celeb side-hustles, how much money do you need? Just stop already. You do not have to grind every additional penny that you can from “the market” (which is just normal people). You are already unbelievably, fantastically wealthy.
I can’t fault them for this, I love seeing people try new things when they don’t even need the money. I think it’s great and a sign of a vibrant curious mind. Meanwhile I can only manage my full time job and kid but I definitely admire the hustle of others
Agree. People are damned if they work too much and damned if they don’t. Maybe she wants something of her own which is smart.
Most celebrities aren’t extremely rich or famous for that matter. Their career can be very short so it’s a good idea to have additional income or something that can be long term. Although I do side eye people who don’t even use the product.
I think a side hustle is a good idea in the acting world, especially for women. The parts dry up eventually.
At the risk of having everyone in these comments hate me, I’ve gotta admit that the Betty Buzz lime and grapefruit sodas are really, really good. The Katy Perry mocktails taste more like actual mocktails, though (thumbs up). IMHO, Kin Euphorics and Ghia belong in the trash.
There is a really good canned mocktail called Unspiked that I found on imperfect foods (or another of those box grocery companies) and it was really good! Lemon lavendar, blood orange thyme (I think), and grapefruit with rosemary (again, I think). I’ve never seen them in stores, and when I went to order some on line, the price WAS a little prohibitive. I had never ever heard of Blake’s. I think there is a market for this stuff, but it’s not super big, and if you can’t buy it at the grocery store, then no one will buy it
I’ve seen Betty Buzz in Whole Foods and Fairway here in NYC.
It’s carried where I live in Spokane, WA as well. At Total Wine & More that I have seen. I’d assume it’s selling fairly well if they are in smaller markets in major retailers.
A fair amount of Instacart stores here have Betty Buzz, including ShopRite and WalMart. Problem is is that the sparkling water market is crowded with plenty of tasty, low-cost alternatives, and BB’s price point seems high.
Blood orange cardamom Unspiked is my favorite
I quit drinking 6 months ago and found that there is in fact a robust little mocktail market. It’s great, I enjoy trying new drinks periodically and being able to indulge without alcohol. Some are surprisingly delicious. Some have CBD. Blake’s mixers just aren’t that good and don’t stand on their own. I get that they are marketed as mixers but they really do taste like weak juice. And I can get that a lot cheaper elsewhere.
I also choose not to drink very often annd instead enjoy mocktails a lot.
I really love the Clever brand Mojito and Moscow Mule, pricey though for a can, but it tastes like the real drink minus the alcohol. So nice in the summer when I want more than a soda/flavoured water.
Never heard of her brand and the drinks don’t sound appealing or interesting except maybe the ginger beer but for the cost there are alternatives cheaper.
I will say her Betty Booze mixes sound good! I’d be interested in trying the Sparkling Bourbon if the price is at or around some of the other canned cocktails that I sometimes buy but if she prices it high I can see them tanking.
“No crap”
Well, I’m in. It sounds so appealing.
/s
ETA: I don’t care for either of them. I find them both inauthentic, he gives me major creep vibes, untrustworthy. She’s a plantation scarlett o’hara wanna be so that’s that.
Exactly my feelings on this couple
Yeah, neither her photos nor her words were terribly appealing. Pass.
Just like that website she had failed this will too. She’s not working on it wholeheartedly and putting in that elbow grease work ethic. She doesn’t have to bake it work because she’s a wealthy actor married to a wealthy man so she’s got a cushy landing spot. She’s not like the other privileged Gen X blondes actress like Reese and Gwen who really worked. These millennial privileged blonde actresses better get it together.
I don’t get the strong dislike for her, she seems appealing and has worked as an actress for years. She has her own money too
I didn’t say she doesn’t have her own money, and I know she’s been acting for years. She also got married to Ryan on a slave plantation that was featured in Martha Stewart Wedding magazine. It took them years later to release a statement of apology.
What I am saying is that she doesn’t seem to stick with an idea to make it work the way Reese and Gwen did, that’s all.
I don’t get her appeal. She still has a fanbase? Is she even acting anymore? I know her only from Gossip Girl. Her movie career never…well just never. Then come to find out I read that she’s a popular figure during the Met Gala. I’m asking because you need to be significant, influential figure to pull off a side venture like this, especially if you’re using yourself as the brand to upsell the product. I don’t follow her on social, so maybe that’s where she’s gets her following and popularity? I will say this: her husband is an awful actor. She doesn’t act anymore and Ryan is bad at it, so they both need other ventures to keep the money flowing. Apparently, he just sold off his wireless phone company for a billion dollars. That will keep them going for awhile. And I know he’s got the Deadpool franchise, but his other movies don’t fare well.
I agree. She’s one of the most – if not THE most – overrated actresses ever, if we still can call her ‘actress’ since she basically does a movie every once in a while in between pregnancies.
Hadnt’ she married Reynolds, she’d be forgotten by now.
Agreed!
She does pap walks. She’s a celebrity. I find her awkward (her fashion, the stuff she says, her business ventures, and so on) but she does have a positive energy about her. To be fair, the shark film, Adaline, and the film she did with Anna Kendrick were small-time hits.
Blake’s too late to get my attention. It’s been, what, six months or a year since my Facebook feed became inundated with ads for alcohol replacements. And those ones offer things like adaptogens or mood-lifting herbs, which makes you think you’re getting something other than empty calories. So my non-alcohol bucks are already going to wine-like tinctures.
I was at a Whole Foods in London last week and there was a pop up so I tried the grapefruit one. It was fine-shrug. The fascinating thing to me was that her name and likeness were nowhere on the stand, cans or discussed by the employees pushing the drinks.
Wasn’t she trying to be the next Martha Stewart at one point?
What is this plantation booze?
C’mon, plantation booze? She got married at a scenic location – which I’ve seen in the south occur with brides of many different races – that happened to be a former plantation hundreds of years ago. She did not celebrate slavery.
Now I recognize that times have changed and we are responsible for considering the past and history of locations more, but that is a new thing. It seems over the top to slam her and throw the word plantation on everything she does now.
I know you’re a fan, but stop.
Should we talk about her “Allure of Antebellum“ when the meaning of Antebellum is rooted in slavery…… Like is said plantation booze
I actually love the idea of non alcoholic beverages. It’s so hard to find in supermarkets or bars and pubs in the UK despite media stories. It sounds like her brand just isn’t good. As for inauthenticity and adding alcohol to her line, isn’t this the same criticsm Jlo is being hampered with her wine range?
How much money do these folks need?
Weird that so many celebs have gotten into selling liquor/mocktails.
Some have made huge money at it.
Sammy Hagar supposedly earned more from his tequila than he did as a singer.
Clooney and RR both made big money.
I just don’t know why a celeb being involved would influence anyones choice of liquor.
Btw, did they ever say the gender of their 4th child?
I don’t drink alcohol, so I make my own mocktails. It’s not hard to steep some rosemary in simple syrup and mix it with grapefruit juice. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper.
As for Blake, every time I see her, I have to remind myself who she is.
I don’t drink because I get migraines but I hate all of the weird ingredients in canned and bottled mocktails. They taste very fake and most of them have so much ginger in them they burn. I lived in London for two months this year and it’s nice that every restaurant has mocktails on the menu that are made of simple ingredients like club soda and fruit juice.
I hate to say this but she should let her husband handle their businesses.
“How can you market/create a product you don’t openly consume yourself? 😂” …Ummm, very easily? Advertisers do it, literally, every day. There are plenty of things to make fun of Blake Lively for but I’m not going to shame her for trying to expand her business. In an era where White Claws and Trulys reign supreme, growing from non-alcoholic seltzers to alcoholic seltzers seems like a natural progression.
What you are missing is that Brands like White Claws and Trulys reign are faceless companies which is why advertising works for them whether they actually drink their products or not.
Blake, on the other hand is trying to sell her alcoholic beverage, which she has made it publicly known she doesn’t drink on her image. Her nonalcoholic beverages already didn’t do good, so why would people want to try her alcoholic beverages that she doesn’t even drink?
Why would they want to try her alcoholic beverages? Because they need a beverage for a lake day, they don’t like beer, they like seltzers, and they like Blake Lively? It really isn’t that complicated. You’re putting too much emphasis on whether or not Blake drinks. She’s not reinventing the wheel here. I know Mormons who work in the liquor/spirit industry who don’t drink. If it tastes good and does’t break the bank, who cares who’s shilling it? This just seems like a strange thing to dunk on a businesswoman for pursuing.
Again the Mormons who work in the liquor/spirit industry who don’t drink are faceless to the general public, so it doesn’t matter.
Why would people buy her alcoholic beverages for a lake day and not another brand?
Her non-alcoholic beverage did not sell well which she is part of the community, so why would her alcoholic beverage be any different? No one is dunking on her just stating facts
I quit drinking two years ago and couldn’t be happier with more options for nonalcoholic drinks. There’s even a bar in Dublin that is all nonalcoholic beers, wines and spirits. I don’t really like the premixed ones that I’ve tried, but I will happily pay for a good mocktail or fancy soda!
I really think jlo and Blake need to stop marketing alcohol when they are known nondrinkers. It’s honestly silly.
Yup jlo and her come across just as cash grabbers of something they are (famously) not partaking in. Celebrities were the first and best “influencers” in that if a celebrity you liked was seen with something it was seen as something you wanted to possibly emulate. Now jlo has come out and said “ten or fifteen” years ago she started having the occasional cocktail which makes her out to be inauthentic for all those years of “not drinking” as part of her promoted beauty routine. Blake’s ad genius of a husband couldn’t see the hypocrisy of Blake pushing booze?
I wouldn’t say Betty Buzz is a failure or ‘sad”, they sold 5 million units in their first year of business and I can order off the menu at Yard House which I think has a few thousand restaurants around the U.S. The addition of a line with alcohol does seem outside their niche, but I don’t think it’s cuz the non-alcohol line is unsuccessful.
Are there numbers to back up the claim that Betty Buzz wasn’t all that buzzy? (Sorry, had to go there.)
I don’t drink and like the idea of a mocktail even though I rarely order them. Expanding her business makes sense to me. I also don’t mind that she was used for advertising for L’Oréal hair colour when it was absolutely clear that her hair is taken care of in a salon. That’s just how advertising works.
I cut alcohol out of my diet several months ago and have been just loving kombucha as a substitute for beer or coolers. It really hits the spot on a hot summer day! Some brands are definitely better than others.