Ryan Reynolds Is To Advertising What Shien Is To High Fashion.

Let’s talk about Ryan Reynolds.

Actor? Yes. Charming? Sure. Canadian? Absolutely. But marketing genius? Pump the brakes, ADWEEK .

Once again, the advertising world is tripping over itself to praise the man like he’s the second coming of David Ogilvy, all because of a shiny little PR diversion masquerading as a brand campaign. If you missed it, Ryan Reynolds' agency (Maximum Effort, ironic name for what amounts to TikTok-level commitment) recently dropped an ad for a tech company featuring Coldplay’s “X&Y” era emotions and, get this, the Coldplay singer's ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow is in the creative. That’s right, they used a connected celebrity as a smokescreen to rewrite the headlines and change the public narrative on the CEO cheating scandal.

And everyone’s clapping like trained seals at SeaWorld.

Let’s break this down.

The “Genius” Move Everyone’s Talking About

On the surface, it’s clever, almost too clever. The scandal: CEO caught being a Viagra user. The damage control: bring in the ex-wife of the singer, wrap it in nostalgic Coldplay and package it like a human-interest story so sincere it practically farts essential oils.

What this really is: a well-executed PR magic trick. Classic sleight of hand. “Don’t look at the CEO, look at the celebrity! Look at the beautiful ex-wife! Look at the Coldplay! FEEL SOMETHING.”

Sure. We feel something. Mostly manipulated.

Flashback to That Peloton Ad: A Masterclass in Missing the Point

Remember when Reynolds' team spun the Chris Noth/Peloton backlash into a commercial 15 seconds after Mr. Big keeled over on a bike in And Just Like That…?

The ad looked smart. People shouted "Marketing brilliance!" like they were being held at gunpoint by an Adage editor. But here’s the thing:

It wasn’t good. It was just fast.

The entire concept boiled down to: Chris Noth faked his death so he could smash a younger Peloton instructor and escape his wife and kids. Hilarious. And by hilarious, I mean gross. There’s no brand strategy. No customer insight. No call-to-action. Just... speed. A viral sugar high followed by a brand hangover. Also, it says that Pelaton supports homewreking and staff who dont show up for work.

...and dont get me started on how the Pelaton brand is doing since that Ad.

It’s the ad world’s equivalent of eating gas station sushi because it was “right there and ready.”

Reynolds Ads Are the Fast Fashion of Marketing

They’re flashy. They’re topical. They get a ton of likes. And then they disintegrate faster than a Shein blazer in a washing machine.

Let’s call this what it is: marketing fast fashion.

You get the headline, you get the click, you maybe even win a trophy, and then, like all things that weren’t made to last, the campaign goes limp. These aren’t ideas built to move the business forward. They’re just built to move, fast, loud, viral.

There’s no message discipline. No audience development. No long-term thinking. No customer journey. No repeatable strategy. Just a well-lit flashbang and a Canadian smile. You may think I am jealous and maybe I am but seriously, this ad is already gone from most people's memory.

If Your Agency Cares More About Awards Than Results, Fire Them

Look, awards are nice. We all like shiny things.

But if the primary objective of your agency is to get praise from Cannes instead of profits for you, their client? You’ve hired the wrong people. You're paying for a PR machine dressed up as a creative team. Their true client is their own reputation, not yours.

The best ads live longer than the inspiration that birthed them. They work after the cultural moment passes. They compound.

Think Apple’s “1984.” Think Dos Equis’ “Most Interesting Man.” Hell, think Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” These weren’t stitched together overnight in a panic sweat because someone’s CEO forgot to keep it in his pants.

Celebrity ≠ Strategist

Ryan Reynolds is a talented actor. He’s got comedic timing, great hair, and enough charm to sell ice to a polar bear. But let's not pretend he’s some kind of marketing oracle because he tweets funny things, has fancy friends and gets ads out quickly.

Being famous does not equal being good at marketing. If anything, it gives you an unfair advantage. People will pretend your ideas are better just so they can be near you.

It’s the creative version of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Except the emperor has a six-pack and Deadpool royalties.

Final Thoughts (or: Let’s Stop the Circle Jerk)

Ryan Reynolds and his team are good at one thing: hacking the media cycle. They know how to divert attention, use celebrity sizzle, and engineer just enough “awww” moments to get headlines. But let’s stop calling that marketing excellence.

It’s opportunism. It’s speed. It’s gimmickry. And like most gimmicks, it doesn’t stick.

If you’re a brand with a real product, real goals, and real customers, don’t be seduced by fast fashion advertising. Build campaigns with roots, not just wings. Create work that connects, not just distracts.

Because the best marketing doesn’t just hijack the news. It becomes the story people talk about for years.

Not just 15 minutes.

TL;DR: Ryan Reynolds isn’t the GOAT of advertising. He’s the GOAT of hype. And hype fades. Results don’t.

Now go fire your agency if they sent this ad around saying it was “brilliant.” They’re drunk on celebrity and need to sober up.

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Written by someone who’s built actual campaigns that moved actual dollars and didn’t need a Coldplay song or a cheating scandal to do it.