Ryan Reynolds & Mint Mobile: A Success Story

Over the last ten years, there has been a notable rise in the number of celebrities investing in technology businesses. However, the nature of these investments varies considerably. While some, like Ashton Kutcher, actively pursue venture capital opportunities, others engage in more casual investments or utilize their public profiles to promote their holdings with differing levels of effectiveness.

Ryan Reynolds’ acquisition of a controlling interest in Mint Mobile just over a year ago has already produced significant changes for the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

The company, established four years prior, has experienced substantial expansion, with revenue increasing by almost 50,000% over the last three years. Notably, the highest levels of website traffic have coincided with marketing campaigns and announcements led by Reynolds.

Historically, many celebrities have partnered with brands as ambassadors or ‘Creative Directors,’ often generating initial publicity but providing limited long-term value.

Lenovo notably engaged Ashton Kutcher as a product engineer to contribute to the development of the Yoga 2 tablet, a device many are likely using to view this article. Similarly, Alicia Keys served as BlackBerry’s Global Creative Director, a collaboration that, like Lady Gaga’s role with Polaroid, appeared somewhat unconventional. While these promotional efforts didn’t necessarily harm the brands or products, they likely offered minimal benefit and came at a considerable cost.

Furthermore, even substantial financial investments by celebrities in industries they understand haven’t always yielded positive results.

Jay-Z, for example, encountered difficulties in establishing a successful music streaming platform. Justin Bieber’s attempt to launch a selfie app also failed to gain traction. Even Justin Timberlake was unable to revitalize MySpace. Reynolds faces a particularly challenging task, as the term “mobile virtual network operator” is not widely considered appealing.

Prior to acquiring Mint Mobile, Reynolds explained to TechCrunch that he considered celebrity investments as a form of assessment.

“I’ve observed that most celebrities tend to perform very well,” he stated. “They generally support or invest in luxury and aspirational products and projects. Then George and I discussed the possibility of taking a different approach – focusing on something genuinely practical and moving away from the ‘sexy’ and aspirational.”

Mint Mobile isn’t Reynolds’ first venture into entrepreneurship. He acquired a majority stake in Portland-based Aviation Gin in 2018, which was subsequently sold for $610 million. He also co-founded the marketing agency Maximum Effort with George Dewey, which has made a notable impact in recent years.

Maximum Effort was initially created to promote Reynolds’ first Deadpool film. Reynolds and Dewey developed several low-budget promotional materials to generate excitement for the R-rated comic book movie, a strategy that proved successful. The film grossed $783.1 million worldwide, setting a record for an R-rated film until the 2019 release of Joker.

Maximum Effort (and Reynolds) also created the viral advertising spot for Aviation Gin, which parodied the controversial Peloton ad that aired around the holidays. The ad featured the same actress portraying a woman seemingly distressed by her holiday gift, now enjoying a Martini at a bar with friends.

The original YouTube advertisement has garnered over 7 million views, excluding media recirculation. Reynolds refers to this approach as ‘fast-vertising.’

“We can respond quickly,” he told TechCrunch. “We can acknowledge and engage with the cultural landscape in real time, and react to it immediately. There’s minimal bureaucratic delay, as approval is a straightforward process. In a sense, it’s an advantage, as most large corporations require weeks or months for approval. Our budgets are lean, rapid, and cost-effective.”

He clarified that this type of responsive marketing is possible because he owns Maximum Effort (and, in some cases, the client businesses), eliminating the need to navigate lengthy approval processes when promising ideas emerge.

Reynolds has effectively applied this marketing expertise to Mint Mobile. During last year’s Super Bowl, he purchased a full-page ad in The New York Times, explaining that allocating $125,000 to a print ad, rather than $5 million+ for a Super Bowl commercial, would allow the prepaid carrier to pass the savings on to customers.

In October, Reynolds launched Mint’s 5G service with another engaging advertisement. He featured the head of mobile technology explaining the intricacies of 5G, and after the technical explanation, playfully stated, “We may never know, so we’ll just give it away for free.”

Mint Mobile also recently released a holiday advertisement cautioning against the promotional tactics used by major wireless carriers, which often involve enticing customers with expensive contracts tied to new devices. Standing near a bear trap, Reynolds dryly remarked, “At Mint Mobile, we don’t hate you.”

Reynolds has a substantial social media presence, with nearly 17 million followers on Twitter and over 36 million on Instagram. He leverages these platforms to promote his brands without alienating his audience, and frequently shares personal anecdotes or insights into his relationship with Blake Lively, which many consider exemplary.

Mint Mobile operates exclusively in partnership with T-Mobile, utilizing a direct-to-consumer model and avoiding any physical retail locations. Plans range from $15 to $30 per month. CMO Aron North emphasizes that Reynolds’ ownership and involvement are “absolutely critical” to Mint Mobile’s success.

“Ryan is an exceptional celebrity, known for his humor, entertainment value, and engaging personality,” North stated. “His reach has significantly expanded our platform. He is undeniably crucial to our success and growth.”

Reynolds shared with us that his motivations extend beyond purely financial considerations.

“My primary focus is on building community and bringing people together,” Reynolds said. “We believe it’s important to foster connection, especially in a world that is often divisive. Even in our marketing, we strive to create significant cultural moments without polarizing people or creating conflict.”

In a recent campaign, Reynolds collaborated with iconic comedian Rick Moranis. Securing Moranis’ participation was a significant achievement, given the actor’s relative absence from public life and his rejection of multiple Ghostbusters film reboots.

“It’s remarkable what happens when you simply ask,” Reynolds explained. “I conveyed that people genuinely miss him, his performances, and his energy. He unexpectedly agreed, and within six days, we completed the shoot in just 15 to 20 minutes.”

The fact that two prominent Canadian actors were promoting a U.S.-only wireless service did not go unnoticed by internet users.

“I would be thrilled to see [Mint] in Canada,” Reynolds says. “However, the existing ‘Big Three’ providers present a significant challenge. I don’t claim to fully understand the complexities of the Canadian telecom industry, or how to overcome them. I’ve received a tremendous amount of feedback from Canada, asking ‘why can’t we have this here?’ I find it appealing – it’s both pragmatic and attractive, which is why I became involved.”