Aviation Gin gives Arlene a lift

Not many of you will have heard of the characterful ‘non-actor’ that is Arlene Manko, but then again she’s not heard of Ryan Reynolds, celebrity CD and part-owner of the craft distillery behind this fun film. 

Directed by Bryan Rowland through Escape Velocity Content, Arlene's Big Leap, features the exceedingly droll octogenarian who was born on 29 February 1936, so only has birthdays every four years. Pointing out she was technically only five when she got married, she's a stickler for rules, and thus hasn’t felt able to enjoy a tipple until her official 21st birthday. 

“I had seven kids in ten years, you think sometimes I didn’t want a drink?” she deadpans. 

The ad sees her gamely monkey about wearing disguises to liquor stores and eventually, when coming of age, exclaiming that she is "ready to party". After she's had her first ever drink, a long Aviation Gin-based treat that has her slurping and exclaiming enthusiastically, Reynolds' voiceover dismisses her confession – “I didn’t know who Ryan Reynolds was,” – with the advice, "ignore her; she's been drinking".