Big Jay Oakerson Named Brand Ambassador by Labatt USA for “Brewed for the Roast” Campaign

Labatt USA has tapped comedian Big Jay Oakerson as the face of its new “Brewed for the Roast” campaign. The campaign celebrates unfiltered, in-the-moment connections, tapping into the playful jabs and banter that bring people together at the bar, at the game, on the course, or anywhere with friends.

Labatt Brand Manager Jason Folaron said the partnership celebrates spontaneous moments with friends “in the right place, with the right beer,” adding that Oakerson connects people the same way Labatt does, by keeping things real, approachable, and genuinely fun.

Oakerson agreed. He said the best times are when you’re sitting in a circle, cracking up with friends and having a few, and that Labatt simply gets it.

Throughout the partnership, Oakerson will create and share content aligned with his signature comedic style, including social media posts across Instagram, and Labatt will offer sweepstakes for fans to win tickets to his live national comedy tour.

This deal is a natural fit given Oakerson’s trajectory. A longtime touring headliner, he’s performed at major festivals including Just for Laughs Montreal, Netflix Is a Joke Fest, and Moontower Comedy Festival.

He recently performed at Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart” hosted by Shane Gillis, and is currently mid-run on his 2026 “Greatest Yapper Alive” national comedy tour, making this partnership particularly well-timed.

It’s worth noting that beer and comedy have been converging more often lately in brand strategy; just this year, Jason Lewis starred in a new Spiked Pop by Owl’s Brew campaign, and Orlando Bloom landed a global ambassador role for Casillero del Diablo, both signaling a broader shift toward personality-driven alcohol marketing.

First brewed in 1847, Labatt is a leading Canadian-style pilsener across the Great Lakes region, born in Canada and brewed in the United States. Labatt USA is owned by FIFCO USA.

Takeaways

This deal says something bigger than just “comedian drinks beer.” Labatt is leaning into live comedy culture as a brand identity pillar, not just an ad buy.

Oakerson’s crowd-work style, where every show is unscripted and audience-driven, mirrors exactly what “Brewed for the Roast” is selling: real, unplanned moments between real people. That’s a harder thing to fake with a polished celebrity, and Labatt clearly knows it.

Is the “roast culture” trend, fueled by Netflix roast specials, now officially a marketing vertical that beer brands should be pursuing?

Does tying sweepstakes to Oakerson’s tour create a loyalty loop that extends beyond a typical social campaign? Could this partnership expand into a branded live comedy event, like a Labatt-sponsored SkankFest-style activation?