HOW ACTOR BRAD PITT BECAME A LUXURY LIFESTYLE ICON

Award-winning superstar, film producer, and style icon William Bradley Pitt is one of the most in-demand actors today—not just for movies, but also for luxury brand endorsements. The American star has not one, but twelve brands that he has endorsed, ranging from fashion to cars to alcohol.

Related: The wide, wide world of celebrity luxury watch endorsements

With over 30 years dedicated to his acting career in Hollywood, Brad Pitt won the status of an insider through his stellar performances on-screen and sheer sexiness (he was voted People’s Sexiest Man Alive twice in 1995 and 2000). Though his first movie No Way Out hit the theatres in 1987, it wasn’t until 1991 that he attracted attention in his supporting role in Thelma & Louise.

Brad Pitt: Multiple endorsement deals

This led to his lead role in Legends of the Fall (1994) followed by 12 Monkeys (1995), and the latter eventually won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor as well as his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

This was only the beginning for Pitt as a young and upcoming actor in ‘90s Hollywood. His ascend toward international recognition kept going as he starred in commercial successes like Fight Club (1999), The Ocean’s trilogy (2001, 2004, 2007), Troy (2004), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Tree of Life (2011), and The Big Short (2015).

His personal relationships have been publicly speculated as well, mostly with his fellow co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie. He dated his Seven (1995) co-star Paltrow from 1994 to 1997 and the two even got engaged before they eventually called it off. Pitt met Friends’ co-star Aniston in 1998 and they married in 2000, but later separated in 2005.

During the same year, Pitt met his Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star Jolie. They got engaged in 2012 after seven years together, and married in 2014. Brangelina filed for divorce in 2016; they share six children together. According to Pitt’s recent interview with US Weekly, he’s ready to date again, and “wants to find that special someone to be with long-term”.

Apart from acting, Brad Pitt is equally invested in political campaigns (watch Pitt praise Joe Biden in this campaign ad), charitable work, and of course, brand endorsements. Ahead, scroll through all the brands Brad Pitt has proudly endorsed over the years.

De’Longhi

In September 2021, Italian luxury specialty coffee maker manufacturer De’Longhi launched its first global ad campaign fronted by Brad Pitt. The short movie directed by award-winning Damien Chazelle shows Pitt riding on a motorcycle to get freshly-grounded beans for his Dinamica Plus one-touch coffee maker (costing $1,399.95).

Brad Pitt: Brioni suits

Brad Pitt was officially announced as the ambassador for the Roman luxury menswear label in November 2019, but it was only in spring 2020 that we saw his first Brioni ad campaign (that also marked the brand’s 75th anniversary). He also fronted the brand’s fall 2020 ad campaign, and collaborated with Brioni to produce “BP Signature”, an exclusive capsule collection for spring 2021.

The fall 2021 campaign (seen above) was shot on the terrace of Suite 64 at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. The 25-second video emphasizes Pitt’s relaxed confidence and style.

Interestingly, even before Pitt was named as the brand ambassador, the actor often wore Brioni on the red carpet. Case in point: Cannes Film Festival 2019 and Venice Film Festival 2019, when he wore bespoke black tuxedos with a white shirt and a bowtie. He has publicly said that he has “always admired Brioni’s elegant and timeless designs” and that he values how “the brand embodies creativity, quality, and excellence.”

Miraval Rosé

In 2019, Brad Pitt put out the first-ever ad campaign for his own French champagne brand, Miraval Rosé, co-owned with ex-wife Angelina Jolie. The ad announced the release of Miraval Rosé’s 2020 vintage bottle, and it featured a black-and-white photo of Pitt relaxing at a poolside lounge—an image originally shot for GQ.

Though Pitt and Jolie’s Province estate has been producing rosé since 2012 (when they first purchased their 1200-acre property), this is just the second time Pitt has used his ambassador skills to promote his and Jolie’s brand.

“For me, champagne conjures up feelings of celebration, quality, prestige, and luxury. But rosé Champagne is still relatively unknown. Backed by our success with Miraval in Provence, I wanted us to try to create the defining brand of rosé champagne, focusing all our efforts on just this one colour,” Pitt told People in 2020.

Breitling

In 2019, Brad Pitt was introduced as an ambassador for Swiss luxury watchmaker, Breitling. His love affair with Breitling began with one of the original Emergency watches, which he reportedly bought for himself and for multiple crew members who were part of a project he was on. Another favourite of his that he’s seen wearing a lot is the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Norton.

Cadillac

In 2013, Brad Pitt collaborated with automobile manufacturer company Cadillac in China to market their new luxury vehicle, Cadillac XTS. This strategic move reportedly increased the car sales by 50%. Pitt was also seen driving a Cadillac VW in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and this vintage car was auctioned as part of Prop Store’s collection of movie memorabilia in 2020.

Chanel

In 2012, Brad Pitt debuted as the first male brand ambassador for Chanel’s N°5 perfume. First launched in 1921 by French designer Coco Chanel, the perfume still continues to win universal appeal. “N°5 has always been the most iconic women’s fragrance.

That’s what I see being the appeal of this campaign; it goes beyond the abstract of emotion or beauty to evoke what is timeless: a woman’s spirit,” Pitt said in a statement from Chanel.

SoftBank

Brad Pitt is extremely popular in Japan—the actor has appeared in four different Japanese ad commercials. He even has his own Japanese nickname: Burapi. Japanese cell phone company SoftBank is the most recent one that came out in 2007. In the video, he walks through a busy city scene and helps out strangers, all the while talking on his SoftBank cell phone.

Heineken

In 2005, Pitt hyped the sales by thrice its average number for Dutch lager beer company, Heineken. The ad commercial was produced by David Fincher for the Super Bowl in 2005 and was a huge success. It shows Pitt stepping out from his home to pick up Heineken from the local store, and the paparazzi following him throughout. Pitt reportedly made 7 million from this ad.

TAG Heuer

In 2005, Tag Heuer announced Brad Pitt as their global ambassador for the “What Are You Made Of” campaign that launched in 2006. He eventually became the face for two classic TAG Heuer watches: the Carrera and the Monaco. He was also spotted wearing the TAG Heuer Kirium WL1113 in a scene from Moneyball (2011).

Rolex

Though Pitt has been a long-time admirer of Rolex, he became its brand ambassador for a Rolex dealer in Japan in 2000. For the “Nothing But Rolex” commercial, he wore the Rolex Yachtmaster—a timepiece he has in both yellow gold and steel platinum in his covetable watch collection, and has often worn for photoshoots, in movies, and in everyday life.

Edwin Jeans

From 1996 to 1999, Pitt played brand ambassador for Japanese label Edwin Jeans, helping it launch itself as a major denim force in the Asian market. His endorsements included Edwin Jeans 503 basic jeans and 505 new vintage, and he’s seen wearing the styles in multiple ad campaigns.

Honda Integra

In 1996, Pitt signed an endorsement for another Japanese brand, Honda. He appeared in a couple of TV commercials as the spokesperson of Integra Honda (he’s even spotted wearing a Honda Integra T-shirt!). The Acura Integra is the latest version of this luxury vehicle, set to release in 2022.

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