After tremendous success garnered from his role as “Bar Dog” in Budweiser’s Super Bowl ad “Old School Delivery,” Roy Hawn-Russell has signed with breakout canned cocktail Lake Hour on the heels of his newfound ascent to stardom in an effort to further solidify himself as a pivotal personality in the beverage space. The two-year deal (a whopping fourteen in dog years) marks an unprecedented agreement in the celebrity endorsement space. 

Lake Hour Co-Founder Wyatt Russell (L) and Roy Hawn-Russell shake paw-to-hand to seal the deal in an exciting new partnership

A mere 15 hours after the Budweiser premiere in which the breakout star pulled collective heartstrings, Hawn-Russell released a statement saying he would be “setting sail” with Lake Hour, and thanked the entire Budweiser team, especially his equine scene partners “Bud and Mark [Clydesdales], the consummate pros,” for their “unending belief in himself and his acting” and for “two months of back-and-forth emailing and one amazing day of filming” he’ll never forget.”

I caught up with Wyatt Russell to find out more about the signing and his product.

Did Roy give a family discount regarding the contract?

As hard as we tried to negotiate Roy’s deal, his agents would not budge. They were able to prove Roy’s international value through metrics that were undeniable. The unprecedented length of the contract was the biggest sticking point, but so happy that we were able to come to terms. The last thing you want is an unhappy representative, and we wanted to make sure all parties felt valued in the deal. Though we can’t release the specifics of the deal, we can assure you that Roy has never been happier and neither have we. His agents Kurt and Goldie, while not easy to work with, were very fair in the negotiation. They love their Roy more than their own children, and we had to respect that. 

How did you decide on what flavors to launch with? 

We wanted to launch Lake Hour with flavors that were unique and subtle. Honeysuckle, ginger, peach, jasmine, and rosemary Yuzu are all vodka-based flavors. And watermelon cucumber is our tequila-based flavor.  Sometimes in the RTD category, we felt that flavors were too sweet or overly sugared with fake sugars. We wanted to steer clear of that and use all natural ingredients and only 3.4 g of real pure cane sugar. So you don’t get any of the funky aftertaste. 

We also wanted to make the drink seasonable and something customers wouldn’t get tired of after only one can. Something easy to drink on a day by the lake, on the boat, on the beach, or whenever you want the lake to come to you. Yuzu specifically is an Asian citrus fruit that’s gaining popularity for its great flavor profile and easy drinkability! It’s Rich’s favorite. My favorite is Honeysuckle Ginger as I’m a beer drinker and think the ginger profile speaks more to a beer than some of the other more overly flavored fruit-forward RTDs on the market. If you can’t say yuzu or can’t be bothered ordering Jasmine at the bar, just call ‘em by the color. “Hey Barkeep, gimmie the blue.” 

Are you selling at any hockey rinks yet since you have a background in hockey? 

Not currently, but if a rink has the right liquor license you can be sure we’re getting it in there! It might be best enjoyed after a day of pond hockey for now! We launch in Minnesota and Wisconsin this spring. So, when the weather turns chilly in later fall, we hope to continue to grow our fans in those regions by offering an RTD not only for summer but also for enjoying those beautiful fall and winter days out on the lake.

Having spent a ton of time living and playing hockey in Toronto, I gotta say, lakes are just a way of life up there. Toronto’s got a special spot in my heart, and I can’t wait to get back to my roots and hopefully enjoy some time by the lake up North soon. And hey, shoutout to all the beer league hockey teams out there – we’re proud sponsors and love being part of that community.

Where does the water come from? What region or 

The water we use comes from the cool, clean waters of Pennsylvania! The Poconos boasts some truly unbelievable lakes, so it’s important to us to use the cleanest water available!

Where can we purchase the new drink? 

We currently sell in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Oklahoma, with Wisconsin and Minnesota coming soon! We’re so excited to enter these markets with our brand–we feel Lake Hour really captures the innate nostalgia of the region. If you remember drinking beers with your grandpa in a cabin on a lake, you’ll love drinking a Lake Hour. We hope we can transport you right back to those unforgettable moments with family and friends. When the phones are off, and we can just enjoy each other’s company. 

If you need a sidekick for a commercial. My dog Jake is an experienced therapy dog and is very photogenic 🙂

Jake and Roy will no doubt get along! And hey, who knows if Roy turns out to be a primadonna then there’s always room in the conversation for another brand ambassador!