For Elizabeth Banks, Entrepreneurship Is Like Acting: Unconventional Is The Only Way

Taste Radio

A bold and carefree woman. A living embodiment of human adventure. A confident explorer known to travel the world atop a moose. Archer Roose, the fictional character that Marian Leitner created to represent her wine brand in name and label design, is all of those things.

One could say the same (except for the moose part) about Elizabeth Banks, the Hollywood multi-hyphenate known for acting roles in the films “The Hunger Games” and “Love & Mercy” and as the director of comedies “Pitch Perfect 2” and “Cocaine Bear.”

Aligned in personality and passion for wine, Elizabeth and Archer Roose formally partnered in May 2021, when she joined the company as a co-owner and Chief Creative Officer. Her arrival came seven years after Marian and husband David Waldman launched Archer Roose, a brand developed to “deliver a better, luxurious glass of wine in a conveniently portable, sensibly portioned, and environmentally conscious package.”

Archer Roose markets six varieties of wine, including Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Pinot Grigio and a Bubbly Rosé, each packaged in 250 mL cans and sold individually and in four-packs. The brand is represented in thousands of bars, restaurants and retailers across the U.S., including Target, Sprouts and Total Wine & More. Archer Roose is also the exclusive wine brand on JetBlue flights and in March partnered with Regal Cinemas to bring its Bubbly and Malbec cans into over 100 theaters nationwide.

We recently sat down with Elizabeth and Marian for a conversation about the origins of their relationship and how they built rapport, trust and set expectations for each other;, how they incorporate a sense of adventure, breaking rules and relatable humor into Archer Roose’ marketing strategy; and why entering Target meant being about to swing at a pitch they could hit.

Show notes:

0:35: Elizabeth Banks & Marian Leitner, Co-Owners, Archer Roose – Taste Radio editor Ray Latif and Elizabeth share their love for game show “Press Your Luck,” the reboot of which she hosts, before he compares the relationship between Archer Roose’s co-owners to the film “Fight Club.” Marian explains her desire to create a philosophy around a whimsical logo, how Elizabeth’s vision board helped her identify Archer Roose as a brand that “checked tons of boxes” for her and the importance of optimizing the drinking and pouring experiences. They also discuss Archer Roose’s steampunk aesthetic, how Elizabeth’s college thesis aligned with the brand concept and how doing the dishes at Marian’s house helped cement their friendship. Later, Marian explains how the Archer Roose attempts to incorporate Elizabeth’s personality and humor into its advertising, why they ask their lawyers for forgiveness for some content, the notion that there’s “nothing worse in business than not being able to deliver on your word,” and how they are attempting to change a consistently challenging industry dynamic.

Brands in this episode: Archer Roose, Smartwater, Hendrick’s Gin