Celebrity Brands Are Booming — But Can They Still Break Through?
From skincare and tequila to cookware and restaurants, celebrity brands have become a staple of consumer culture. These aren’t one-off endorsements — they’re structured, capital-backed ventures launched with full-funnel strategies and experienced operators. Some are thriving. Others are quietly exiting shelves. And yet, the pipeline continues.
This piece takes a closer look at celebrity brand dynamics through the lens of beauty, spirits, and restaurants — three highly active categories that offer a snapshot of broader trends across consumer industries.
Why Now and Why Everyone’s Involved
The celebrity brand boom isn’t just about famous people trying to sell things. It’s about what those famous people — and the businesses behind them — stand to gain.
Several high-profile exits helped reshape the landscape:
Beats by Dre, co-founded by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, sold to Apple for $3 billion
Casamigos, launched by George Clooney and Rande Gerber, was acquired by Diageo for up to $1 billion
The Honest Company, co-founded by Jessica Alba, went public in 2021 with a peak market cap near $2 billion
These deals sparked more than celebrity interest.
📝 From retailers to real estate players, everyone wants in. Read the full Substack article to see who’s betting big on celebrity equity: Celebrity Brands Are Everywhere. But Do They Still Have Pull?
